#019 Here are my 12 Must Dos to Build a Successful Creative Business

Building a Successful and Sustainable Creative Business

In this episode, Keith and Melissa, experienced photography business owners, offer invaluable insights on establishing a prosperous business by creating a solid foundation and maintaining consistent client relationships. 

They discuss the necessity of professionalizing your enterprise through clear policies, consistent pricing, and good bookkeeping. Key advice includes avoiding sliding scale pricing, valuing your work to prevent burnout, planning for financial variability, and treating your small business with the seriousness it deserves. 

They also emphasize the importance of delivering on promises and engaging with top clients to build lasting relationships. The ultimate goal is to help wedding industry creatives achieve prosperity and sustainable success.

00:00 Building a Business on Repeat Performance

00:17 Introduction and Rebranding Announcement

00:41 Creating a Solid Foundation for Your Business

00:50 Mission to Help Wedding Industry Creatives

01:08 The Importance of Professionalizing Your Business

03:15 Valuing Yourself and Setting Boundaries

04:32 Consistency in Pricing and Policies

05:32 Planning and Preparing for Business Success

07:12 Planning for Lean Months

07:38 Setting Boundaries and Saying No

08:15 Valuing Your Business and Yourself

09:35 Building Client Relationships

10:37 The Power of Referrals

12:51 Actionable Steps for Success

13:59 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Transcript

12 Must Dos to Build a Successful Creative Business

1. Have your business foundation in place

2. Make sure your business is professionalized

3. Understand your value

4. Stop saying yes to jobs you know you should be saying no to

5. Understand your boundaries

6. Have consistent pricing

7. Get rid of needy, desperate energy

8. Be prepared for unexpected expenses, have an emergency fund

9. Use your numbers to budget so that you always have enough money

10. Foster your relationships with existing clients

11. Work with integrity so you are the GO TO creative that everyone refers

12. Understand your superpower, ask existing clients why they work with you

You need to be able to build your business based on repeat performance. You don't want to constantly have to be looking for new clients. Having a client base that constantly keeps referring you is worth its weight in gold. So having a good relationship with your clients is, in my opinion, right up there at number one, 

Welcome. We're Keith and Melissa, photography business owners for more than 25 years. And our mission is to help you find the success you want. And we know firsthand the role that mindset plays in figuring it all out. Now, today's episode. 

Before I begin this episode, I wanted to mention that we are rebranding and we can't wait to share with you what we're up to. So stay tuned. 

Welcome, welcome, welcome. I'm going to pick up from where I left off from last week and discuss creating a solid foundation for your business just a little bit more. I don't think I mentioned in the podcast yet, but our mission for the next 12 months is to help 10, 000 wedding industry creatives become successful, prosperous business owners.

It is hard to sit on the sidelines and see so many talented people not running a successful business, whether a new business or an established business. So many great people that we have worked alongside and coached have unfortunately skipped the steps of professionalizing their business.

I know when a creative business owner has a business that is professionalized, that leads to a successful business. I know I oversimplify it all the time, but quite honestly, that's really the core of a successful business is having all your ducks in a row, a well oil machine, having everything, your policies, and you've laid that foundation for yourself where anything can happen.

You can have anything thrown at you, but because you have such a rock solid foundation, you can handle it you can prosper. And that's what I want for at least 10, 000 creatives this year. In order for this to happen, creative entrepreneurs need to know their policies, their pricing and their value.

They need to have a basic bookkeeping system in place so that they can know their numbers from day one. I don't want them wondering how much they make or what they can afford to pay themselves, but I want them to have a solid foundation from which they can build.

Build a business in such a way that they can create a life they want from this business. Isn't that what we all want? Making a living doing what we love. And not feel overwhelmed and stressed.

To just enjoy what we're doing. Provide value to our clients and get paid well for it. To get paid what we're worth. And that's pretty much what we want for any creative that wants this for themselves.

That is our mission to reach as many people as possible free. We want to share our knowledge of what we've been doing here for the last 20, 25 years and get this information out to as many people as possible so that they can access the business they want.

So in my experience working with wedding creatives in the last two plus decades, we've definitely noticed the overwhelming stress from being a small business owner, especially in this industry, seems to stem from working too much for not enough money, Speaking as a creative entrepreneur, we know firsthand there's a lot of saying yes to jobs and projects that should probably be said no to.

I'm thinking a lot of it comes down to what creatives value themselves at. So valuing yourself enough that you recognize what your time is worth, and if you do choose to do something for free, then you do it for free on your own terms, the right way, a way that doesn't take advantage of you,

understanding what you're worth and attracting clients that recognize your value is definitely the cornerstone to having a prosperous business. This is a hard one because you know, you're out there and you want to establish relationships with clients and you get asked to do a lot of things for not a lot of money when you're starting out.

And where do you draw the line? Where do your boundaries come in? Not your client's boundaries, your boundaries. Learning to say no is powerful and productive for you personally, as well as for your business. And I get it. You're trying to establish your business and saying no.

Sometimes you think it's going to be something that kills your career or stops from one from potentially referring you. It's definitely tough working through that.

And going back to last week's episode, when you have your policies in place and you have clear answers and you've decided for yourself ahead of time, what these boundaries are and what you will and won't do.

I understand how hard it is when you're first starting out. You want paying clients so that you can validate your new business. But, and I say this with all caps, starting out on the right foot with clear policies in place and pricing that makes sense for you will make it easier to get this business off the ground.

And please, please, please no sliding scale pricing. Please be consistent. I sound like I'm lecturing. I'm really not. There's nothing that drives me crazier than, well, for you, I'll charge this. And then for that person, maybe I'll charge that.

And, oh, what should I charge for this? Be consistent. Consistency is the key to success. Show up every day with consistency and integrity. And it is only a matter of time until this pays off for you. The wishy washy pricing, , potential clients can sniff out when you're not secure in your pricing. So I'm not a fan of sliding scale pricing or not being consistent with your pricing structure. But for most new entrepreneurs or creative business owners, transitioning to full time or another niche, the business isn't immediately there.

So I totally get it. If you don't act too desperate or too willing, this is where the good planning comes into play. If you start your business the right way, no matter if the paying jobs aren't immediately rolling in, you are prepared. Because this is where good planning comes into play.

As we all probably know by now, there's no such thing as an overnight success. Everyone puts time in, everyone, But if you start with desperate or neediness energy, this energy will set the tone for you and your business and how your potential clients view you.

I mean, needy energy is ugly and it's obvious. A client can sniff it out. It can lead to being taken advantage of, or it can repel a potential client. But if you set your business up solid from the beginning, because you have your foundation in place, you've got your policies, you've set your boundaries and you know, coming into this timeframe of setting up your business, that you're going to do it on your terms.

You aren't saying yes to things that you don't want to. You don't want to be known as that creative that says, yes, I'll take that. It doesn't matter what it pays or I'll work 18 hours, seven days a week for probably very little money when starting your business, or if you're in a slow stretch and your business is stuck or not growing, try and have enough money for a rainy day fund.

You know, when you first start out, running a business is a little bit like owning a house. There are always unexpected expenses that you need to be prepared for. 

That's why I can't stress enough that starting on a solid financial foundation is critical. When you don't have any jobs or income or have the amount of money that you want coming in be prepared for this ahead of time. But here is where knowing your numbers and understanding the seasonal shifts in your business can help you plan for the year.

I always knew living in Arizona that our summers were going to be dead. Rarely anything lucrative used to be happening in the summer. We had to plan on putting aside enough money to get us through those lean months.

Other creatives we would work with would act like this was a big surprise every year, that they had no jobs coming in and say things like, how am I going to pay the bills? They hadn't planned. If you earn most of your money in nine to 10 months a year, then you have to plan on how you're going to support your family, your business in the leaner months.

So knowing your numbers, planning for a rainy day, Be professionalized. This is how you maintain a business for the long term and planning and knowing your numbers also gives you the ability to say no to jobs or to clients that you don't want to work with. And that's critical. Those are those boundaries. Again, why else would you want to have your own business? Or why else would you want to be an entrepreneur or a solopreneur running a small business if you didn't want the flexibility and the freedom to make these decisions for yourself. So honestly, like setting these foundations, these policies, it just gives you the peace of mind to say yes and no to what you want to. And I think that's critical when you're building a business. 

And if you're a stay at home parent that knows they have the income support from their other half, I implore you to treat the business as a real business as well to expect it to pay you from the outset.

Take your business and yourself seriously, you can do this, you don't give away your time or devalue yourself by charging prices that just aren't in line with industry standards. This hurts everyone. You owe it to yourself and other creative small business owners out there trying to make a living from their craft to charge what's in line with what everyone else is charging.

Just because there's enough income in your house doesn't mean you don't need to value what you do, that you need to treat your business any less than, than what it is. I mean, this is a business and you're putting your heart and soul into it. You're putting your energy, your hours, your time, dealing with stressful work situations, long hours.

Please treat it every bit as the business that it is. You deserve it. Sorry, that's my two cents. I have a lot to say on that because I think sometimes when people have another income to fall back on, They don't take it as seriously. And I see them working their butts off and they're not getting enough money in return.

And they deserve more. And guys, since you are running a business, treat it that way. I just said that a second ago, but you know, have these policies, know your numbers, be consistent. Your clients will respond to this. Trust me. Guess what happens next when you answer emails or DMS promptly show up on time for your jobs play well with others on the job, you know with a smile being pleasant Even if things aren't going exactly right like be that person Clients other vendors they start saying things like wow, you know Keith and Melissa.

They're so easy to work with It's a pleasure to work with them. I can't wait to work with them again When they have those thoughts going through their head, and then you deliver how you promised, when and how you said you would, then the business builds itself.

I can't stress that enough. These clients that had such a consistent, good experience with you, they remember that.

And when a friend or an associate needs someone that does what you do, guess who they're going to refer. They're going to refer you like you are front in their mind. They had such a good experience working with you. You did everything you said you were going to do. You were working with integrity.

The experience was fantastic. And now you become the creative they refer for everything. That is pretty much how our business was built. And I know everyone loves investing their time and energy in social media, and that can certainly be a great way to attract new clients. But winning the long game with a creative business is mainly about building relationships. And to the point of just a second ago when I was talking about when you're out there working and people are raving about how fun and easy you are to work with and they get what you promise the whole experience is wonderful that right there is the core of building your business, these relationships and everyone you come in contact with becomes your number one marketing piece, not your Instagram feed or your website.

You, if you're pleasant to work with and deliver what you promise, then you get referrals.

But really the relationships that we've built over the years with different people, different creatives we work with, and, you know, fellow industry professionals and clients, of course, the client base is where the business comes from. The name of the game is still the same. You need to create value. You need clients, you need income.

You need to be able to build your business based on it. You need to be able to build your business based on repeat performance. You don't want to constantly have to be looking for new clients. Having a client base that constantly keeps referring you is worth its weight in gold. So having a good relationship with your clients is, in my opinion, right up there at number one, this goes back to the original point and back to my last podcast. When you get it right from the start And each time you're out working in front of people as your number one marketing tool,

 Your success as a creative is imminent. And I can't stress that enough. It's honestly the number one way to build your business. And please take that to heart.

We've been doing this a long time, and the businesses that have been doing this for the long haul, trust me,

they're the ones that are front and center in people's minds. These successful creatives they're getting not only leads from Instagram and other social media channels, SEO to their website, but they're also getting the solid referrals from people that are pretty much they're raving fans. And this is exactly how you build a prosperous business for the long term.

Having raving fans that love what you do, literally who will tell anyone and everyone, you must work with this person, this creative, because they are so amazing. And that's exactly what you want to build your business. 

So the action item for this week's podcast is grab a piece of paper or your journal, create two columns,

column one lists, three people or clients that you've worked with that love what you do, or it would give you a good testimonial or refer you. In column two, write down a strategy for reaching out to these three people. Ask them questions that can help you understand why they like their experience with you, send them an email, a DM, or actually pick up the phone.

These three people could be invaluable to you as they offer insight. That you can use in your marketing materials, but also it gives you a boost of confidence to understand what your secret sauce is and what would make them want to work with you again. Such valuable information.

Make this a regular exercise. I think that we all too often don't give enough attention to our value clients. Let them know you appreciate them. And then think of a small way you can say thank you for taking the time to correspond with you, drop them a handwritten note, email them a photo, offer a piece of valuable information, something personal that will make them remember you further,

and that's how you build a profitable, sustainable business. Thank you for listening all the way to the end. See you in a few days. Bye bye.

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