Running a small creative business can be a fulfilling and rewarding experience, but it can also be overwhelming at times.
If you're feeling stuck or stagnant in your business, it may be time to tidy up and level up.
Currently I am working with a hugely talented stationery designer to help streamline the workload and increase profits.
What started as a 'pandemic project', has amazingly turned into a gorgeous business but trying to juggle family life and have happy clients was becoming challenging. There is only 24 hours for all of us in one day.
Previously I talked about the 'Elephant in the Room' and it was this blog post that resonated.
How to start streamlining your Creative Business.
Every creative business is different and I love getting to know the business owner, what makes them tick and why they started their business.
In this case, with my one month 1 to 1, we have covered the following so far.
Reviewed her Website and Current Products
Firstly we took a look at her existing products and website and stripped it back as there is such an array of different products it was hard to navigate.
Whilst she knows what she is offering I realised any potential customer landing on the website would find it hard to match up her products.
She was also spending way too much time on admin explaining to potential clients what they could have and answering questions.
Bringing Clarification to her Business Model
With so many offerings we decided to put products together to create individual stationery suites, as an example 'The Floral Collection'.
Within each suite there are now options, an invitation and wedding details card pack and if you wish to add the RSVP.
The 'on the day' option, table seating plan, table names and placecards with the option to add menus.
All these stationery products are now being added into a downloadable PDF. This will take a huge amount of admin time out of the work week.
It has also made it easy now to see how much profit she is making and how much to charge for each option, still work in progress!
Taking on help or outsourcing tasks for your Creative Business
Time is a precious commodity in a small business, so it's important to decide where you are best placed within it in order to grow sustainably.
We looked at what she could automate, already on Etsy, and what tasks she could comfortably outsource that are time-consuming but necessary.
She wrote a list of what could be done easily by an assistant, wax stamps, checking stock levels and ordering stock, packing up orders and shipping them.
I asked to her to evaluate how much time she would be able to hire an assistant for each week and how much this will cost as we need to build this into her updated pricing.
By creating the 'collections' has also made it easier for someone to join her and take this over.
Pricing a Bespoke Wedding Stationery Service
Having simplified her ranges and streamlined this part of her business we are now taking a look at the gorgeous bespoke watercolours she creates for clients.
The bespoke service offers watercolours and ink drawings of her clients venues, personalised wedding crests, etc and her work is amazing.
I nearly fell off my chair when she told me what she currently charges!
It isn't a hobby, she now has business overheads, an office space, materials, phone, childcare to pay for, etc and yet was charging less than a cleaner when we broke it down into what she currently charges and the time spent.
With a two week break now, the website is being moved to a far nicer Shopify platform, brochure is being created, photographer is booked to take updated images of the collections and been sent branding boards.
A few more tweaks and setting her new prices, what had become her 'Elephant in the Room' has been well and truly booted out!
Tidying up and leveling up your small creative business requires a combination of practical and strategic changes.
By decluttering and organizing your workspace, reviewing your product offerings, improving your branding and marketing, streamlining your processes, checking your prices and investing in professional development you can take your business to the next level and achieve your entrepreneurial goals.
If you would love to have my eyes on your business I offer a month which is a weekly zoom, recorded and sent to you and set you to task each week!
Send me an email to lauracbow@gmail.com and we can see if I can help you and are a good fit.
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