by Rebecca Sciullo | Jan 11, 2017 | Planning
It’s January! What are you going to do to make 2017 your best year ever? Read on for…
5 Tips to Make 2017 Your Best Art Business Year Ever
1.) If you didn’t do it in December, it’s time to get organized. Get your paperwork for 2016 taxes together, set up your calendar, organize your studio or clean up your website….Whatever end of year activity that was planned but not completed – finish it now.
2.) Prepare. Take time to fine tune your 2017 business plan. Who are the customers that you are going to reach? How are you going to spend your time. Revisit and refine your plan.
3.) Did you hit all of your goals for 2016? Figure out why or why not. If there is something you can change moving forward to get a better result – do it!
4.) Did you miss any opportunities in 2016? Get in touch with your prospective customers. Wish them a Happy New Year and ask them about the status of any projects you were discussing. Determine whether or not you can breathe new life into this old opportunity.
5.) Take a look at all of your activity from last year. What activities helped you to make sales or get closer to a goal? Identify the top two or three and do more of those activities and less of the ones that didn’t work as well.
Then, have your best year ever!
What are you going to do to have your best year ever? Share your ideas here!
by Rebecca Sciullo | Sep 14, 2016 | Planning, Productivity, Time Management, Uncategorized
The most important part of your visual art business, creating, can easily fall off your to do list when you’re faced with other pressing tasks in your business and life. Yet, making art regularly is the lifeblood of your business. While I’m not a visual artist, I am trying to set aside consistent time for writing. Maybe you can try these nine ways I use to protect my daily writing time.
1. Put it first
While it seems counter-intuitive, try creating before doing anything else in the day. I have a set time goal for myself and get busy as soon as I’m ready to work. You can do the same devoting your time to your creative work. The accomplishment of making progress on your art will boost your confidence for the rest of the day.
2. Schedule it as an appointment
Block out the time on your calendar. Treat the time as the same as any important commitment.
3. Say no to myself.
If I am so busy that I can’t find twenty minutes at the start of each day to write, I know there is too much on my plate and something has to give. This is a life issue, not a creativity issue. If you’re have the same struggle, stop taking on too much and get smarter about delegating what is already on your plate.
4. Say no to other people
While in the studio, close the door, turn off your phone, and stay away from email. What happens when you need to do something during the time you’ve pre-blocked for your creative work? Don’t cancel it, but reschedule it for later in the day.
5. Change the environment. Make your work space a place that you want to retreat to. This can be done with lighting, music, or a great cup of coffee. Take some time to figure out what is going to motivate you to get into that space.
6. Control your environment
Stay off your computer and put your phone on forward. I turn my phone ringer down and only answer if it is school calling. You can do the same. If you must be available to a sitter, school, or family member..have a hard and fast rule that you only answer for that one specific number.
7. Record other ideas to maintain focus.
Keep a notebook handy to write down unrelated thoughts and to-dos that pop into your head. This puts your mind at east knowing you won’t forget that thought later.
8. Stick with it
Try the Pomodoro Technique which keeps you focused or a 25 minute block of time. Set a timer and force yourself to sit through periods of creative block, discomfort, or even boredom.
9. Match the task to the time
I am at my best first thing in the morning. I have a lot of mental energy at this time. This is when I try to schedule my writing time. Later in the day, my mind is more easily distracted and my mental energy fades. More mundane business and personal tasks are taken care of in the middle of the day. Figure out when you are most creative and structure your studio time around this peak.
Do you have a trick or technique that has helped you to stay in the studio on a regular basis? I’d love to hear your ideas below.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Sep 12, 2016 | Planning
Are you ready to take your art business to the next level, but not sure how to do it?
Consider a simple switch in mindset. It can be tough balancing day-to-day tasks with business planning. It is natural to focus most of your time on the details of your business, leaving little time to think strategically. Instead of just “running” a business’, think of yourself as the CEO of your art enterprise. It could give you the boost you need to take things to the next level.
Here are three ideas on how to do this.
Look forward with an eye to the past.
Make educated guesses about where your business needs to go. Review sales on a quarterly basis. Note where they are coming from, which pieces are selling, and where are your expenses coming from. Once you have a track record, you can see how you are doing against past projections and use the information to make better decisions about both short and long-term plans for your art business.
Track the important.
Decide what information you should keep track of on a regular basis. For example, if your goal is that the bulk of your sales are made at art festivals then you should keep track of all of the events that you might want to attend, along with important deadlines for those shows. You’ll also want to keep track of your sales, what is selling and who is buying, at each show and finally net sales for the event. This tracking will allow you to make smart decisions in the future about which shows to attend and how to present yourself at these shows. Ask yourself questions about what it is that is important in your business, and make sure that you are covering these bases.
Continuously develop your work.
While you should be focusing on a consistent body of work that is appealing to your collector base, you don’t want to stagnate. Be looking ahead to the next phase or version of your work. Take classes and look at what other artists are doing to get the creative juices flowing.
Commit to working on these three objectives on a regular basis. Block the time on your calendar to do it. Time invested working at a higher level will lead to decisions and opportunities that create long-term success.
Question: Do you have any other ideas of how you can shift your mindset in your art business? Leave a comment below.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Jul 1, 2016 | Planning, Productivity, Resources
A question I get asked frequently by artists trying to start or manage a visual art business is, “How will I find the time to do everything I need to do?” I find the single most effective way at finding more time in my day is to get up early. Here are some great tips from Michael Hyatt on becoming a morning person.
by Rebecca Sciullo | Jun 20, 2016 | Planning
Do you want your art to be a business or a hobby? If your answer is “hobby”, great! I’m guessing, though, if you’re on this blog, your answer is more likely “business”. For those of you who say business, here are seven ways to start a solid art business.
1. Produce a solid and consistent body of work.
2. Figure out what will differentiate your work from other artists. You will be competing for eyes, attention and money. Find something to make you and your art stand out from the pack.
3. Have a vision. Put together a picture of what your successful business looks like. Every decision that you make should work towards your vision for your business. Always be asking yourself, does this piece of art, this event, or this activity improve my business and move me towards my vision?
4. Make a plan. Figure out how you will get in front of buyers and collectors. There are many ways to do this. Start with what you are naturally good at doing. If you like to meet new people, then consider some networking opportunities. If you have a gift for writing and media, then consider starting with a blog about your work. Become great at what you’re already good at doing.
5. Have systems. Figure out what works for you and put systems in place that allow you to repeat those actions consistently over time.
6. Build relationships. Make a point to meet new people and then make sure to stay in touch with them.
7. Follow up with everyone who shows interest or purchases your work.
8. Be patient. Stay true to your vision, but don’t be afraid to tweak your plans and systems as you go.
by Rebecca Sciullo | May 25, 2016 | Planning, Productivity
I read recently that May is National Re-commitment Month. Even with research I can’t quite figure out who started it, but I think it’s a great idea.
May is about the time of year that we start to get off track, ease up on our plans, or give up on those New Year Resolutions. As I write this, my mind is distracted with plans for Memorial Day and an upcoming vacation.
It’s natural, despite best laid plans, to get distracted by the comings and goings of life. We get out of routine, and with it go the daily actions that move us forward in our business plans. With summer, the mother of all distractions, right around the corner, what better time to recommit to your business. Before we’re into the thick of summer, take some time to re-evaluate your plans and recommit to any actions that you’ve eased up on;
Maybe you started a blog, but haven’t been posting. Recommit to at least one post a week.
Maybe you joined an art group, but stopped attending the regular meetings. Get the next meeting on your calendar.
Maybe you committed to blocking off hard and fast studio time on your calendar, but find other things creeping into your day and eating up the time. Sit down right now and revisit your calendar, re-committing to maintaining that critical time for your business.
What is it that you need to recommit to? Drop me a line at becky@artisan-advantage.com and let me know so that I can encourage you along the way.
