Any
economist will tell you that the creative sector is a leading component
of worldwide economic growth, employment and trade. Over the last
decade, there has been a significant shift from individuals choosing to
work in traditional vocations such as health care to investing in the
creative sector.
Operating a business where your
intellectual capital is your golden ticket requires a calculated
approach that differs from the stock standard business model. Here are
five steps to establish a creative business from scratch:
Observe
A pitfall of the boom in the creative
sector is that thousands of designers/writers/directors are entering the
workplace at the same time you are. There is a solid chance that your
skill will be instantly diluted once you join the industry. Graphic
designers, for example, are a dime a dozen, and if you do your research
you will see that becoming an interactive media designer — someone who
can do graphics in addition to sound, animation and digital effects, is a
more valuable skill set.
Seek out professionals in your industry
and note what they are doing, how they’re doing it and most importantly,
what you can offer that is different. What does this industry need
right now? What is unique about my approach that’s seldom done? These
are good starting points.
Brand
Now that you have put your original spin
on a creative role, it’s time to set up your brand. Branding is a group
of ideas and approaches behind your work that must be cemented tangibly
through a website and social media presence. Setting up a website can be
incredibly cheap, and the beauty of this industry is that you can
barter your services in exchange for others, like trading an article for
a personalised logo.
Once you have got a card, logo, business
email — ideally one that matches your website — and of course, a web
page, start building your social media channels. Begin with LinkedIn and
enter as much information as possible. Choose one other platform (I
suggest Twitter as it takes the longest to build up) and enter your
information and start adding colour.
Produce
By colour, I mean content. You would
never invite friends over for dinner only to present them with an empty
table. Why would you encourage someone to explore your brand when you
have got no work to show them? Social media participants are fickle; if a
person is directed to a ‘Website Under Construction,’ chances are they
will not head back a second time.
In a saturated market, nothing will
legitimise your business better than your actual work. Make sure you
have got a few posts under your belt. I personally had 100 published
articles before I felt comfortable promoting my website. Digging into
your archives and revamping old work is also a simple way to produce
content on your website without having to begin new projects. This third
step is probably the most important and time consuming.
Plan
You have defined your brand and hopefully
snuck in a lucrative loophole in your chosen industry. Now is the time
to plan. Start by writing down a list of desirable companies, agencies
and clients you would like to work with, that are in line with your
offering. As a writer, I keep a list of publications and editors I will
target who are likely to respond to my style.
Dictate how much you need to earn in your
first three months to keep afloat, and how many hours you’ll have to
put into your business to make this happen. It is a good idea to plan
for a creative slump by having an alternate and consistent stream of
income or investing in a savings ‘nest egg.’
Connect
Start within your own personal
connections on Facebook and your email contacts to find like-minded
creatives who may be able to assist you or be interested in your
business. A simple announcement via a status update and email directing
your friends and acquaintances to your new business will lay the
foundations of your following.
Going over the industry contacts you have
discovered in your observation phase, start to reach out to
professionals who are at a similar stage to you in their career. These
newbies are more likely to respond to your emails, and if you extend an
olive branch there is a chance you could share information.
When you have achieved a decent-sized
social media presence supported by a solid website, target the industry
heavyweights, but only if you are absolutely confident that you have got
something substantial to bring to the table.
—www.entrepreneur.com
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