You’ve done it. You’ve finally made the leap and started your own business in a field you love. The chance to create your own rules and make your vision a reality is an opportunity that no one should pass up. However, it can also be one of the most challenging things you’ve ever done. While you establish your footing, don’t get caught up making mistakes that will lead to more headaches and work than you envisioned. Here’s three mistakes that we had to learn the hard way that you should learn to avoid.
We’re sure your brand is amazing BUT in a sea of other amazing brands you are at risk of being forgotten. So one of the biggest mistakes that we see with new creative entrepreneurs is that they haven’t established a brand identity.
A brand identity is like your personal identity, it is a collection of elements that make your brand unique and distinct. For most, the basics of a brand ID is your name and logo but you should continue building upon this. Try to be consistent with the fonts you use, the color scheme you stick to, the tone of voice you speak with in your copy, and the content you make. This makes it easier for you to stand out in the market, establish credibility in the eyes of your potential customers, and create an effective marketing plan that fans will remember. Because, truly you don’t want too many people looking like you.
When you fail to define your target market, you fail to understand the real needs of your customers. If you don’t understand your customer’s needs, how do you expect to satisfy them? You can end up with a product that nobody wants. Or you can create a service that is not needed in the marketplace. Take the time to determine who is the audience that would benefit the most from your product, service or skill. Using music as an example, while we’d like to think that a musician’s Soca song is for all music lovers, the reality is you’re most likely wasting your time putting posters outside of an opera house.
We’ll start by admitting, this mistake took us a longggg time to correct. Many new entrepreneurs make the mistake of trying to do everything themselves and to take on tasks that are outside their skill set. Of course, there’s a lot to learn about running a business, but you don’t have to do it all yourself. There are many businesses out there that can help you grow your company in ways that you may not have thought of. For musicians, it might be time you get a manager. For an artist, a social media manager can help you market your work so you don’t have to feel like you’re begging for likes.
Instead of trying to be a jack-of-all-trades, focus on your strengths and develop a plan that incorporates what you know you do well. It’s up to you to determine what skills are most important for your business, but if you know what’s coming up next for your business, it will make things easier for everyone involved.
Start by adjusting these three mistakes and you’ll be on your way to a less stressful entrepreneurial journey. We know there are many more tips that can be added to this list. Based on your experience, what other mistakes have you learned that others should avoid? Let us know!
Also if you feel you need someone in your corner to help guide you through your new business ups and down, hit up Artfullyours and we can help build you a path towards success.
ARTFULLYOURS is a BOUTIQUE CREATIVE AGENCY & STUDIO specializing in artistically designed BRANDING, MARKETING and PRODUCTION for CREATIVE PROFESSIONALS and culture-forward ARTS & MEDIA BRANDS.
