Whether it’s a new client, a bigger audience – by preparing well and not being afraid of rejection
The Rolling Stones were wrong: You can always get what you want. You might just have to manage your wants a little better.
I have an incredibly talented friend who deals with corporate numbers all day, and then designs jewelry as soon as she gets home from work. And not just any jewelry: the gaudiest, most non number-crunching pieces you’ve ever seen. Think stuff your coolest great aunt wore for special occasions back in the day. It’s crazy amazing.
So this friend of mine was getting a little frustrated with the amount of hours she was putting into her main and side gigs, wishing she could somehow stop with the conference rooms and negotiations and all those numbers…and just make jewelry. Of course, she came to us for help. Here’s what we advised:
- Set real goals. There are goals, and then there are real goals. It’s easy to say, “I want to quit my job and design jewelry for a living,” and much more difficult to achieve a specific goal like, “I want to set up an online shop and social media accounts, and sell at least $25,000 of my designs the first year. Then triple that the next. Then sell directly through Neiman Marcus and other luxury outlets.” Whoa. See the difference? When you’re starting a business, be precise about your goals.
- Enlist some help. Sure, we’ve got her back. We’re a highly effective content marketing group who knows exactly what, when, and how she needs to do this. But she’s going to need more. She’ll need social media partners to spread her goodness through native marketing, peers in her desired demographic to be seen in her wares, and friends involved in the same line of work, from design to production to retail.
- Collaborate wisely. If your end game involves luxury retailers, do you really want to sign an exclusive with a dime store? I know, I know, it sounds amazing and it’s your first meaningful purchase order, and when you’re starting a business this is huge, but I encourage you to resist. Keep your real goal always at the forefront of your brand actions and decisions.
- Collaborate on the fly. Wise is usually the way to go, but sometimes an opportunity pops upthat completely changes your path. Be open to those collaborations.Trust your gut. They might be the way to go.
- Craft your message with care. From the minute my friend decided on her real goal, I advised her to refresh her current social media. No more mixed messages about the lunch she just ate, the socks she’s wearing, the table her puppy chewed up, or anything unrelated to her jewelry. Her content had to be pure in at least the early days of her branding.
We decided on her primary sharing platform, which was a blog connected to an Etsy shop, and got to work. Later, we added support platforms through Facebook Live and Instagram, where most of her customers hang out. Starting a business: that’s really all it takes (note: you should also speak to an attorney and an accountant — we know some great people that would be more than happy to help you out).
I could tell you the rest of the story, but it’s still in progress. (Neiman Marcus, she’s coming for you!) If you’d like help forming your own wants into reality, we’re right here. Just ask.