Jun

// map it…how to market creatively (& not spend a fortune!)

i have to tell you that i’m really excited to be writing this “map it” series for creative (and aspiring) biz owners! it’s become a passion of mine to help artists on the business side of things. (the first step was getting the pop-up shop up & running- now it’s on to getting you answers & tips!) you’ll be seeing lots more coming on ways to merchandise & promote your work and business. marketing is one of those areas that a lot of people want to run & hide when thinking about! i want to help make it easier on you!

this week’s map it question comes from ashley over at the big white farmhouse. she asked the following:

“my question is about marketing. do you have any low-cost ways to market creatively?”

great question, right?! unfortunately i don’t think there’s a “one size fits all” solution. but i do think there are some definite things to have on your marketing checklist. here’s a great checklist from create + connect project to use.

now let’s get creative! first steps first…think about your customer. most of us hate being “sold” to…probably why so many dislike the act of marketing. so start by only doing marketing steps that you would enjoy doing or being a part of. here are a few ideas to get you started:

marketing becomes much easier if you enjoy it too! keep finding ways to engage with your customers. it can be tricky when you’re online but the more that your customers see you responding and recognizing them, they’ll respond in kind!

thanks ashley for the question! hope that gets you started!

keep those questions coming! if you want to be featured and have specifics given for your own business, feel free to leave a comment or email me or send up a smoke signal – we’ve got you covered! – piper

2 years ago Short URL 4 Comments

map it

creative marketing ideas/how to market creatively/small business advice

May

// map it…who’s your ideal customer?

you ready for a new weekly column that’s all about helping you?? 3 cheers if you said YES because that’s what i’m kicking off today! every week, i get emails asking me biz questions…so i thought it would be cool to answer some of the most frequently asked questions and give specific examples and/or steps. if there’s one thing i can’t stand, it’s not having a checklist, steps & actions to take…oh, and VISUALS!

that’s my mission – to help you navigate the twisty, turny road of entrepreneurship! think of it like your biz road map!

i’ve asked my intern, mariah, to lend a hand on some of these posts since she’s an award-winning graphic designer, marketer AND she just co-founded the create + connect project - a program that helps creative entrepreneurs turn their passion into profit. (i’m excited to be a part of this program – i’ll be doing a live call at the end of it – check it out, this 8 week class kicks off 6/6!)

we’re kicking the series off with an important, yet somehow incredibly tough question…who is your ideal customer?
take it away, mariah!

10 Questions to Ask About Your Ideal Customer
One of the first steps to take when you decide to start your own business is to figure out who you want your customer to be in an ideal situation – who exactly would you like to work with?

This is a great thing to figure out early on because you can learn to market your products to the exactly right people from the start, saving you months or years of dealing with customers that aren’t fun to work with.

You’ll want to get to know everything about this person and you’ll need to get inside their mind and dig deep into what they think and feel.

Here are 10 key questions to ask yourself about your ideal customer (Use this worksheet we’ve provided to write your answers on):

What are their demographics? (Location, Age, Gender, Income, Family Life)
What are their likes/dislikes?
What are their hobbies?
What are their core values?
What are their favorite blogs or websites?
What conferences do they attend?
What fears do they have about your product or service?
What would they need to hand a dream experience with you?
Who influences their decisions? (Family/Celebs/Mentors)
What words describe their style?

Once you get to know your ideal customer in depth, you’ll be able to develop marketing messages that speak directly to them, and you’ll have happier customers that you’re excited to work with.

piper says: it’s okay to start with yourself but it helps if you can even think of a friend that would be your ideal customer. start there & write down all the things about her. and it really does help if you name her!

if you have questions you want answered, feel free to leave a comment or email me or send up a smoke signal – we’ve got you covered