Savvy Entrepreneur: Hobby vs. Business

found on Pinterest via shopperelias

I work with a number of clients whose goal is to take their business from something they do part-time or on the side to a level of steady, reliable income. This doesn’t necessarily mean a full-time 40-50 hour a week job that’s supporting the family, but they do want their efforts to have a level of value and they want to feel pride in saying this is my business.

They come to me because they think they need marketing and sales help and usually they do. However, the first issue I see in many of these clients is not that they haven’t embraced social media or don’t know how to approach retail accounts, but they still don’t treat their business as a business. It’s very hard to put forth an image you don’t fully embrace yourself.

How you view your business and treat the time that you spend on it makes all the difference in jumping to the next level. It’s a matter of doing things right, taking it all seriously, and giving it the respect you both deserve.

Talking About What You Do

This is often the first place this lack of faith can be seen. Clients will talk about what they do in an offhand manner, diminishing its worth. They use wishy-washy language or beat around the bush when asked what they do. Or the worst offense they don’t actually tell anyone what they’re doing, friends and family included.

Embrace this business you’re creating, tell people how excited you are, how much you love what you’re doing. It’s ok to say you’re just starting out or you’re still small, but then share where you’re going, what big plans you have. Put it all out there, let it shine.

Working In Your Business

If you don’t take your business seriously it’s often hard to find time to get things done because everything else seems more important. You need to set aside uninterrupted blocks of time to work in and on your business. It’s ok if you only have time from 8-10 in evening or Saturday afternoons, but you need to commit and let anyone know who might interrupt you that you need to do this. If you take it seriously they will too.

Hobbyists do their work in short bursts of time on the bus or in front of the TV. Not to say you can’t do that also, but as someone running a successful business you also need to have work hours, a time when things get done on a regular basis.

Giving It Space

You also need a designated work area that is yours alone. You should not be spending valuable time each day setting up and breaking down the materials you need to work. Not only should you be able to leave projects that you’re in the middle of, but you should also be able to create an area that inspires you and helps you focus on what you do.

I’m not saying you can’t work from the comfort of your bed or kitchen table, I do it at least once a week. But you also need to have an area with everything you need to run your business - materials, tools, computer, good lighting and a comfortable chair. You should want to go to this space everyday. You can’t build a successful business if you hate going to the only place you have to work on it.

These shifts in attitude take effort and time, but practice each day thinking of your business as you want it to be. Take it seriously, give it the space and dedication it deserves, and I promise it will grow into something beautiful you can be proud of.

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Genevieve not only writes The Savvy Entrepreneur she is the Co-Founder of Lightbox SF where she empowers creatives to take over the world. Check out the blog or how to work with her.

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Katy or Steph about joining SFEtsy!

Savvy Entrepreneur: Finding A Rhythm

Starting the New Year we often feel full of promise and motivation, but then find ourselves falling behind within a week or two and totally back to our old ways within a month. I have some advice I think might help, but it means adding one more thing to your list of resolutions for the year.

This year I want you to listen to your body and mind to find your natural rhythm and promise to work with the patterns that you already follow. I know the New Year is about quitting bad habits and starting good ones, but think of this as neither good nor bad, but celebrating and using your existing habits to make you more productive.

Finding Your Rhythm

With a little self-awareness you can begin to notice what times of day you’re most productive, when you hit a slump and when you need to admit you’ve done all you can. By being aware of when you can focus best and when you’re easily distracted you can plan your big projects and mindless tasks to coincide.

Work With Your Natural Tendencies

If you wake up early bright-eyed and bushytailed, but find your energy lagging by lunchtime, try jumping into a big project right away and save the stuff that needs less attention for the times when feel your energy waning. The momentum of crossing something major off your list first thing might even carry you through your lunchtime slump.

However if you’re more like me and pulling yourself from sleep seems like minor torture, start with the easy stuff. Do a quick check-in of your calendar, to-do list, and email as you sip that first cup of coffee. Give yourself time to get in the work mindset, map out your day, prioritize what needs to be done, but also give yourself a specific point at which you switch gears and really get to work.

I generally focus on getting a lot of little stuff out of the way first off, it sets my momentum for the day and clears out my late morning and afternoon which is when I focus best. Around 3:00 I often feel myself getting sluggish. So not only do I get a snack to boost my energy, this is when I do my major email catching up and the time I check-in with Facebook and Twitter to do my social media marketing. Short attention span tasks are great for me at this point in the day. However when it gets dark I get a second wind so I knock out one more project between 5-7 and sometimes pick it up again after dinner.

Strict But Flexible

If you’ve never really paid attention to your energy levels you might not know where to start. Make note of how you feel throughout the day for a few days in a row. You don’t need to track every hour, but every time you notice a shift in energy jot down the time. Soon you’ll have a map of your days.

Then work out a schedule that makes the most of your energy levels. Test it for a week staying as close to it as you can before you make changes. Do be sensitive to what works and what doesn’t, you most likely won’t nail it the first time around.

Also be forgiving, if you’re a night owl and there’s no need for you to be up and productive before noon, don’t do it. There’s no rule that your workday needs to resemble anything close to 9-5. Instead don’t start work until 2 or 3pm and work into the week hours of the morning. I have friends that schedule in a half hour nap almost every day because they’ve found that their work and mood both benefit from it.

I realize many of you have kids and husbands to work around and this might all seem easier said than done. However, I promise that with a little awareness you’ll find out when you’re most productive and when you’re least focused, then just accept and plan for them.

What scheduling tricks help you stay productive?

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Savvy Entrepreneur: Embracing Failure

Happy New Year!

I love that feeling of turning a corner that the New Year brings. I know it's only psychological, but I truly do feel I have a fresh new outlook and sort of second chance. For me this year will be about facing fears and embracing failure. I am scared and exhilarated and I hope the feeling lasts all year long.

First a confession: I am a perfectionist. While much of the time my attention to detail serves me well it can also hold me back. I want to know everything I can before I jump into any project. I want to fit all pieces into place before I call something done. And most importantly I want to know I'll succeed before I try anything new.

This year will be different. I'm going to try to fail. I am going to fight my tendencies and jump into things without having all the knowledge. Don't worry I have a good reason for this. First it's because I suspect in the long run I'll accomplish more, both good and bad, but will certainly have a sense of forward movement that I feel last year lacked. I also suspect that by embracing failure I'll not only learn more, but might actually fail less. If I get an idea and put it into action without over thinking I'll begin to see results, good or bad much quicker. If I'm not getting the results I want I can tweak my idea and make changes just as quickly. Chances are very few will ever notice that there was a period of time where my idea wasn't working.

However the biggest reason for setting myself on a path to failure, actively trying to make mistakes, big mistakes, is that I'll truly begin to see that it's really not such a bad thing. I will know first hand that I can recover, that most people don't notice, that the world doesn't stop. I'll be less afraid in the future.

So while you may not be ready to actively try to fail I do encourage you to face your fears. Here's a little trick to make it easier. Imagine that thing you're afraid of - launching a new product, cutting your day job down to part-time, approaching retail shops. Imagine the absolute worst case scenario. If every bad thing you can imagine in relation to your fear were to happen what would it look like? I suspect it's really not all that bad. I suspect you could easily get out of the situation with only a few bruises and scrapes. By imagining your worst case fears you take away their power, you see they're not really that bad. You might even be able to see a way to avoid them entirely and still face your fear.

So here's to a year full of cuts, scrapes, bruises and failure! May we all brush ourselves off gracefully and walk away smiling.

What are your biggest fears for the year to come?

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Savvy Entrepreneur: You Don't Have To Be Super Woman

I'm sure many of you suffer from the same affliction I do... the need to do it all, perfectly, right now. However today I'm admitting defeat, not failure, just defeat. The holidays got the better of me, I made too many plans and promises to myself and it's just not all going to happen the way I want it to.

I'm raising the white flag of surrender, saying I just can't do it all and most importantly acknowledging this before I have any true battle wounds. I am not beat down and I didn't fail, I just bit off more than I could chew (pardon the mixing of metaphors, my brain isn't too sharp today).

I'm writing this because I had intended for a much more in-depth post on finding your rhythm to make your days more productive, but that's not happening. And after a little fighting back I realized that was ok. I don't always have to do it all, all the time, perfectly.

I'm writing this to remind you of that fact for two reasons. This is the time of year when we're most likely to overextend ourselves and pay for it in the end. It's also the time of year that we tend to reflect and turn toward what we wished had gone better.

I'm begging you not to do either. Most likely many of the promises you made over these past few weeks were only to yourself. Pick one thing, decide not to do it and relish the slightly lighter feeling your shoulders have. Then when you feel yourself starting to drift toward the "should haves" and "wish I would haves" of the past year, stop! Look instead toward all you did accomplish and what you learned that will take you further next year.

Now go enjoy your holidays knowing that even though you're not Super Woman, no one else is either and you're the smarter one for admitting it.

Happy Holidays!!!

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Who's Your True Fan?

I recently read the original article that Seth Godin and Chris Guillebeau have referred to many times, "1000 True Fans" written by Kevin Kelly back in 2008. Since then I haven't really been able to let it go. It brought up two core ideas for me that are extremely powerful when trying to get a perspective on your business model and ideal client. 

Let's start with the business model first. Kelly's premise is that if an artist has 1000 true fans that support him by spending $100 a year, the artist can make a decent living and not have to worry about appealing to the masses. While a valid and interesting argument there are many ways to debate its merit. I won't bother with poking holes, instead I want to focus on the numbers. Ugh I know, I promise to keep them simple.

To me the idea of having 1000 true fans or ideal clients for my business seems like a high number. We're not talking mailing list subscribers or blog readers, we're talking people who buy what you're selling regularly. But I'm also not an individual artist, I'm a consultant. So I played with the numbers a little and thought, what if I had 200 ideal clients that paid me $500/year? Same end number and that seems much more doable for my business model. That's 2 e-courses or only 5 in-person sessions. I can see that happening.

Then I started thinking in terms of clients, what if I'm talking to someone who sells t-shirts at $25 each. They would need 1000 true fans to buy 4 t-shirts a year to make those numbers, is that realistic? I'm thinking that might be a little high, but what if they sold something else at a $50 price point? Do you see where I'm going with this?

Playing with the numbers is this way gives you a whole new perspective on how many people you need to reach and what you need to sell them. Maybe you really only need $50,000 a year or even less, or perhaps your work sells for $100-$500. Play with the numbers the same way to see what that really means in terms of items/services sold and total number of customers. You might even begin to find it fun.

The second idea that stuck with me was the definition of a true fan. Kelly talks about it terms of someone who loves everything you do and buys it all, he was focusing a lot on musicians. But I started to think, who is that person who would be so excited by every course, e-book, and workshop I could think of that they would sign up? What would I have to give in terms of information, support, and/or guidance to keep them coming back? I'm still working on that answer, but I'm pretty sure it'll help me grow the business.

Imagine who that person is that would want to own every piece of jewelry you make or would be so excited by the colors of yarn you dye that they buy some of each. Can you picture who they are? Do you know why they love what you do so much? Do you know how they found you and why they keep coming back? You are certainly on to something if you can answer those questions.

There is no solid right answer to either of these ideas, but I'm sure that if you even attempt to answer them both for yourself you'll gain some serious insight into what structure your business needs to take and who's going to support it.

I'd love to hear some of the answers you come up with.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

It's Time To Plan Your Holiday Marketing

We have officially hit Indian summer here in San Francisco and all I honestly want to do is soak up the sun with a beer in hand. So the shift to thinking about holiday marketing is a bit hard, but must be done.

What I want to inspire you to do today is to make a marketing plan for the holidays. Mapping everything out will help insure you don't get caught running out of product, will help you maximize all you marketing possibilities and take advantage of publicity opportunities. Consider each of the areas below in planning for the coming months.

Product Lines

If you have plans to offer any promotions or participate in trunk shows or fairs this season now is the time to stock up on inventory. You want plentiful looking displays to entice customers. You also don't want to run out of your best selling item just as your new retail account places an order. Take honest stock of what you have and what you'll need then place your materials orders now.

Publicity

At the beginning of August I wrote a post on Lightbox SF blog saying that you were already behind the gun for getting holiday publicity and generally that's true. However with the shorter lead time of blogs, there's still plenty of outlets to contact in hopes of getting into a gift guide or two, but you need to jump on it. Look to your favorite blogs first, have they made a call for products or did they do a round up in the past? Make sure your press kit is up to date and send along any appropriate samples. October is certainly not too early to get things in the mail.

Special Advertisements

This is the one time of year that spending a little on advertising can really be worth it, especially for marketplace promotions or shopping guides. But do take the time to do the research, how big an audience do they reach, is it really your target market, do they have any testimonials from past advertisers? Look to local papers who might feature a local or handmade shopping guide. Blogs that do a lot of product reviews often offer special holiday advertising also. It never hurts to look into it. Planning now will also help you keep on budget and not miss out on great opportunities because the money wasn't in the bank.

Marketing Materials

Do you have enough business cards and/or postcards for the holiday fairs you're participating in? Do you have enough boxes, stickers, envelopes or whatever you use to package and ship orders? You might even think of doing something a little different for the season to stand out. Holiday packaging and gift wrapping are nice marketing touches that customers remember. It can be as simple as themed tissue paper or ribbon with your standard packaging. This is also the time to think about refreshing or upgrading your display. A new banner or Christmas lights can go a long way to getting people into your booth and picking up merchandise.

Communications and Announcements

Use your mailing list, blog, Twitter and Facebook to keep your loyal customers up to date on everything you're doing this season, events, promotions, and new products. Encourage early ordering by offering a discount, provide dates, times, and links for all the trunks shows and craft fairs you'll be selling at, and remind them of all the online and brick and mortar locations where they can purchase your stuff. Make it as easy as possible for your customers to buy.

Use Your Calendar

Get everything on one calendar. Fill out whatever sort of calendar works best for you (online, planner, drawing your own grid) with all your holiday events, deadlines and promotions. Work backwards from event dates to schedule all the prep you need to do, that includes posting to Twitter and Facebook, sending out invites, and creating inventory. Make sure to give yourself plenty of time for shipping delays, possible mix ups, and the general chaos that accompanies this time of year.

If all that seems like an overwhelming amount of planning, trust me when I say taking the time to make a plan now will save you from most of the last minute chaos that the holiday season seems to bring. Start with the big events, the stuff already set in stone and plan backwards. Look to what you did last year if possible and plan for all the details you wish you'd been able to take care of.

Jordan of Handmade Success also has this great free planner to help you map it all out. You just need to sign up for her newsletter.

Now get planning!

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Time Travel

My mind has been in the future a lot lately. Creating a future vision for your business is the first week's lesson in our e-course. The chaos at Lightbox SF has settled down a bit and we're planning to get some bigger, long term projects underway. I also see the holidays quickly approaching and I'm starting to think about what I want next year to look like.

We often hear advice telling us to stay in the present and focus on the here and now. And most of the time I would agree, having your head too far into the future makes you miss the amazing experiences and opportunities that are around you right now. However, when it comes to reaching goals and making big things happen, you have to be able to imagine the future.

Taking the time to create a vision of your business in the future, or any part of your life for that matter, makes it tangible. You can imagine how you'll feel when you get there, who you'll interact with, what it all looks like and suddenly the path getting there seems clearer. It makes it all more real when you can see the picture in your head.

So yesterday I was reading a blog post and saw a reference to this website futureme.org. It couldn't have come at a more perfect time. It's a simple website that allows you to send an email to yourself in the future. You schedule it for when you want it sent, a few days, a few months or a few years into the future, say what you have to say, and hit send.

It was a great reminder that while looking to the future for a path helps you get where you want to go, looking to the past for how far you've come helps keep you moving. We often forget to acknowledge all the hard work we put in and only focus on what we're going through or heading towards. Here's to taking the time to appreciate the past, present and future equally as we build the businesses and lives we truly crave.

Visit futureme.org and write yourself a note about what you hope you accomplish in the next 3 months, then sit back and see how close you come.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Branding E-Course Just In Time For Back To School

It's back to school time and if you're anything like me September always brings on feelings of needing to take a class, add a new skill, or at the least visit a bookstore (I was an English major). If you're feeling the urge to learn, especially something new related to your business, you're in luck. Lightbox SF just launched a new e-course focused on defining your brand identity and target market called Ink Yourself.

This is the first phase we walk all of our one-on-one clients through as we feel it is the most crucial of building blocks for a successful creative business. After all it's hard to market a business you can't sum up in a simple sentence or to a group of people who's needs you don't understand.

For Ink Yourself: Discover Your Unique Story we've taken the information, advice, and insight we give to our clients over the first 2-4 meetings and packaged it into 5 weekly installments of a lesson, assignment and follow-up. The idea is smaller digestible chunks, but in a shorter period of time. Each Monday you'll receive an email with a link to download that week's lesson and assignment. Then on Thursdays you'll receive another email with further insights and a little added motivation. We've also set up a forum so that you can share questions, experience and successes with the group. We want to you to finish this course with new friends in addition to a more polished brand and clear idea of your target market.

The course begins this Monday, September 19th so register now!

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve [at] lightboxsf [dot] com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

What Does It Mean To Be a Creative Entrepreneur?

I am still processing my weekend at CCE West. The first day was so full of inspiration I couldn't keep up with all the ideas that were coming to me. I'm afraid I lost a few, however I did make some new friends, connected with old, learned a few things and taught a few things. You can read my two recaps here and here.

With a bit of distance and taking the time to write about my takeaways for the 3 days I keep coming back to two ideas that I heard conveyed in many different ways. It's these two ideas that I think really define what it is to be a creative entrepreneur.

Be Open To The Possibilities

I can't tell you how many times I heard the phrase, "Say yes." I'm glad it came up numerous times because it bears repeating. I suspect you may react like me. The idea sounds great, inspiring even. You hear it, nod your head and smile. You think, "Say yes. I need to just say yes and figure it out later." And then you settle into your routine, back to business as usual. Then an opportunity presents itself and without thinking you begin to question how much time and/or effort it will take, you wonder if you can pull it off, you poke holes, question ability, and hesitate to "Just say yes."

I understand. I have a hard time jumping in, trusting, saying yes. I am a doubter full of question and uncertainty. I hide behind logic and practicality as a reason for not saying yes, when in fact it's fear.

A healthy dose of fear is good. It keeps us on our toes, but don't let it be the reason you say no or even don't say anything at all. In the stories I heard from all the panelists and attendees over the the weekend about lessons learned and experience gained there was one undeniable common thread. Going toward the fear, taking the scariest option, lead to the biggest gain. The ability to put your fears aside and trust that you are capable of figuring it out is the mark of a true entrepreneur.

Follow Your Passion And Strengths

Knowing what's most important to you and what you're good at gives you a whole new perspective on saying yes or no to the seemingly crazy ideas. This is where the creative part of being an entrepreneur comes in.

Ask yourself what it is you really want to do, what excites you the most and give yourself the freedom to come up with the "money, time, effort does not factor in" answer. If you allow this passion to be the driving force behind the paths you follow and the opportunities you take; if you say yes to that opportunity that excites you no matter how crazy or impossible it seems that it will be any sort of career; you are truly a creative entrepreneur.

I throw all this out there not only to encourage and inspire you, but to remind myself. Hold on to the passion and push toward the fear. There are so many amazing things waiting to be done.
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The Savvy Entrepreneur is going on a break for the next two weeks. I'll be out in the desert practicing saying yes and being open to possibilities.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Writing a Press Release That Gets Attention

As promised a little primer on writing a killer press release. They're really not that hard, but you can't just whip one out in 30 minutes. Well most of us can't anyway.

Press releases are often a daunting area for small business owners. Writing about yourself or your business is hard, not to mention the time it takes out of your already busy day and generally there’s little to no money available to hire someone else to do it for you. I get it, I’m guilty of neglecting press releases for myself in lieu of writing them for our paying clients. But I've see how powerful they can be time and time again, so I want to impress upon you their importance and give you a few tips to make them less scary.

The Basics

A press release should follow a basic format, be only one page in length and only be used when you have something of interest to share: an event, new product, or tie in to a current trend.

Well-written press releases will attract the attention of writers and editors. They may take your press release and turn it into a short story for their next publication or they may do a little more research and put you into a larger piece they're working on. Writers and editors always need story ideas so you're doing them a favor by giving them interesting news. The stories they then write are free advertising of the best kind. How many blog and newspaper links do you see shared on Facebook each day? I think you get the idea.

Being written about in the press also gives you credibility, broadens your audience, and reminds previous customers how wonderful you are. Plus it sparks other publications to pay attention to you. Nobody wants to miss out on talking about the hot new product, trend, business, etc. in town.

Just to give you an example of how this can work. Earlier this year I sent out a press release for a client of ours, Amy Ahlstrom. The next day I got an email from The Jealous Curator saying that she loved Amy’s work and would write about it the next day. A couple gracious sentences and a few photos was all the post contained, but that was all it took. The next day there were 4 more blogs that had posted something about Amy’s quilts. Mentions on other blogs continued for the next 3 days, 11 mentions in total and none of them except The Jealous Curator had been sent the press release.

I’m Convinced, But What Do I Say?

If your first instinct is to say, “What’s newsworthy about my business” or “Why would the press pay any attention to me?” Then you need a new perspective.

First try looking at your business from a customer’s point of view. What are you doing that benefits them? Do you solve a problem? Are you great with customer service? Does your product make people laugh or make them feel better?

Then look at your business in the larger context of current trends. Are you addressing a growing awareness or concern? Do you fit into a trend or buck a trend? Do you or your business have a connection to a country or issue that’s in the news? Or can you provide insight on a current news focus?

Be sure to think both National and Local when looking for your angle. Human interest is always a great focus, giving back to the community, helping an under served population, hosting a fundraiser, or simply beating the odds and doing something most wouldn’t.

Now Dig Deeper

After you’ve decided what the general angle or focus of the press release will be use as many details as you can to really target your message. Show that you know your audience by speaking to their needs, concerns and/or interests. My favorite analogy for this is dressing for an interview. I would guess that you would wear something very different to an interview at a bank than you would for an interview with a design start-up. Tailor (pardon the pun) your language accordingly. If you’re sending to DIY craft magazines you’ll have a different tone than if you’re sending to fine art publication or even a small business magazine.

However this doesn't mean you should fill your press release with industry jargon. Use plain language and lots of details that really speak to the readers of the publication you're sending to. Are they looking for light fluffy pieces on new products to buy or real problem solving tips to make their life easier?

I started this series by warning you that you should be sending out holiday pitches now, but be aware of the timing no matter what month you're in. Is there another holiday coming up that your news would be perfect for? Is one of your target publications doing a special issue on handmade or San Francisco? Also be aware of lead times. Blogs generally only need a few days, but giving them a few weeks with time sensitive information is a nice courtesy. On the other hand many newspapers and weeklies need 4-6 weeks lead time and national magazines can need as much as 9 months lead time. So plan ahead.

Next week I'll lay out some strategies for cultivating a list of contacts and reaching out to them. But for now start thinking about pitch angles.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Getting Some Ink

I’m going to keep today’s post short. I’ve managed to break through my feeling unmotivated and stuck period, hurray!!! However now I’m feeling overwhelmed with the impending Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs, 200 Yards opening, and building an e-course. Hmmmmm, I wonder why?

Today I just want to wet your appetites and get your mind working. I haven’t talked much about PR, writing press releases, or reaching out to the press here and I’ve been amiss to do so. In my former life I was a publicist for restaurants, wineries, and spirits companies. It’s something I do quiet well. My husband commented last night when I showed him the latest mention for the 200 Yards opening, “I’ve never known someone who’s in the paper as often as you.” To which I replied, “It’s what I’m supposed to do. It’s the best way I know to market my business.”

That’s it in a nutshell. Getting a reporter, blogger or editor to cover your business not only spreads the word about what you’re doing, it gives you validity. People trust these sources to tell them about cool things they haven’t yet discovered. And the best part about publicity, it’s free. All it takes is a little effort and strategic thinking.

The story of the latest mention for a little context... About a month and a half ago I was reading the Chronicle when I saw an article about the Tenderloin being the new spot for hipster restaurants and coffee shops. My first reaction was, damn, I missed it. Not the Tenderloin trend, but reaching this reporter. (The upcoming 200 Yards show focuses on the Tenderloin and will open August 4^th at Café Royale.) But the writer had a voice I liked, a little snarky, and nothing about the piece was hard news, so I reached out anyway. I found his email on the Chronicle website and forwarded him my most recent press release with a personal note mentioning that I had seen his story and that we were also bringing some interesting new attention to the neighborhood. Earlier this week he gave me a call, we chatted for about 15 minutes, and a little blurb (it's the second item down) ran in the next day's paper.

I’m not going to overload you with tips, tricks and strategies right now. Instead I just want to get you thinking about the stories that could be told about your business, something newsworthy, human interest, or just play WOW! What trends have you been reading about that you fit into or even buck?

July is the month you should be reaching out to glossy magazines for holiday articles so I’m a little behind in coaching you on that, but we’ve still got time for newspapers and most importantly blogs.

Over the next few weeks I’ll lay out some lessons on getting your own publicity that will have you feeling confident enough to give it a go and savvy enough to get results. It will be fun I promise!

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

It's Ok To Not Want To

Last week's post about giving yourself some time away from the chaos and putting things in perspective was inspired by my personal state of feeling overwhelmed by the list of things I want to have done and general lack of motivation to do them. A couple days in Tahoe with no computer and no phone weren't enough for the motivation to kick back in. In fact I came back with a mild tension headache that hasn't left me for 5 days now.

The oddest part about my current state is that I'm not lacking inspiration. We've got some amazing projects underway and I'm getting new ideas about them all the time. I've got two new clients I'm working with and I keep seeing the light bulbs go off when we meet. I even started listening the audio version of Made To Stick by Chip and Dan Heath and my own light bulbs are sparking up all over the place. The thing is my brain is in overdrive, but I just can't seem to act on any of the inspiration. I feel unfocused and totally lacking in energy.

I'm not writing this post because I suddenly found the cure the blasé feeling, I'm writing to remind you that we all feel it. It's part of the cycle of creativity and a part of being a creative business owner. However what I will tell you is the advice I would give any of my clients... It's ok, it will pass.

When you feel any of the feelings I mentioned above or others, no motivation, no inspiration, lack of focus, or even anxious overwhelm, listen to you body. Sit with the feeling and let your mind tell you what it needs. You may want to stare into space letting all the thoughts swirl around, you may want to be distracted by a movie or book to quiet your brain, you may simply want to take a nap or hang out with a friend. Be kind and let yourself. Fighting it doesn't get you anywhere but more frustrated with how things aren't as you'd like them.

So give in and go nap in the sun or watch a few hours of hoarders and most importantly don't feel guilty. Your mind and body will repay you by bouncing back with a renewed spark after it gets the chance to cycle through and recover.

What do you crave on those hardest of days to motivate?

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Take a Break This Summer

These last few weeks of summer weather has had me feeling a little down. I've been sitting at home working all day feeling overwhelmed by new projects and wishing I could just skip out for the afternoon and have a few beers in the sun. I started to feel a little bitter toward friends whose salaried jobs seem to afford them the luxury of long lunches and cutting out early on Fridays.

But I stopped myself. That line of thinking doesn't get you anywhere and then I reminded myself of what I'm working toward. Creating your own business is hard work, but the payoff can be grand. I'm not necessarily talking money, although we all hope that comes at some point, I'm talking about having a vision and making it happen. Having the guts to fail and keep going. Being brave enough to walk the tightrope without a safety net.

So when the long days and endless to do lists have you wondering why it is you're doing this again, make sure to take a moment to focus on what you're creating. Imagine the business a year from now, three years from now and bask in the accomplishment of it all.

However it's not enough to just keep slogging along toward the light at the end of the tunnel. This is your life right and you deserve a little distance from it all, actually you require it. You need to take the time to clear your head, bring things back into focus, and give yourself a little boost to keep going. Take a 20 minute walk to enjoy the afternoon sun or an extra 15 minutes with your coffee in the morning before you turn on the computer. Build little treats into your day and your week to keep yourself sane.

When you feel most like you can't take the time is probably when you need it the most. Put yourself in a place where you can't do anything about the tasks swirling around in your head and let them swirl. When you can't jump from one to another distracted by new thoughts and ideas the most important tasks have a way of floating to the top and giving you a whole new focus for where best to spend your energies.

To that end I am off early tomorrow morning for a weekend of camping in Tahoe. No phone or computer for almost 3 days.

If you do nothing else this weekend at least take a long walk without your phone, no ipod, just you and your thoughts. Let them go and see where they take you.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Worth vs Cost

Money, we hate to talk about, we hate to think about it, but we can’t get away from it. If you’re running your own business you must deal with it on a daily basis. How much is coming in, how much is going out, and how much you’re charging.

It’s the charging part that’s been on my mind lately. Shelly and I are developing an e-course and trying to decide how much it should cost. I’ve been thinking about the amount we charge for an hour meeting versus the amount of time actually spent working on the clients behalf. I’ve been looking at the tasks I spend my time on each day and how much each contributes to the bank. Often there doesn’t seem to be an equal exchange.

What it really comes down to is a matter of what your time, expertise, product, and/or skill is worth and the value the customer gets. It’s more than what they walk away with in their hand, it’s the experience you gave them, the new story they now to have to tell, the feeling that they’re supporting or a part of something bigger. The trick is communicating this in a way that your clients can connect with.

I used to think value was much easier to communicate for tangible products. You got something you could hold and you knew exactly what you’d do with it. With a product people can’t help but focus on the thing in their hand, but unfortunately the how and they why of it often passes right by them. It’s also much easier to compare the cost of object A to object B and see that one is significantly better made or cheaper. Hopefully yours isn’t one that gets put down.

These days I’m actually beginning to think that communicating the value of a service is easier. Since there’s nothing to hold you must paint a picture of what the customer is paying for. They are more inclined to listen to the how and why before making any judgments, because there’s nothing to influence them. Our imaginations are highly suggestible and we want to believe, we want to be better.

So in my round about way, what I’m trying to impress upon you is not losing sight of why you’re doing all this in the first place. When deciding on the price of anything, an hour of your time, a piece of jewelry or your amazing design skills, you should never say to yourself, “I’d be ok with that.” Instead you need to decide what you really need to make to pay yourself what your worth, to grow your business, to allow you love doing what you do. Then you need to unabashedly tell you’re customers why you’re product or service is so great. Toot your horn and don’t back down. Not only am I sure you deserve it, I’m also sure you could still be charging more.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Using Twitter Effectively

Twitter, it can be a time suck. I’m currently struggling with using it in an effective way that doesn’t eat up hours of my time each day. So far Twitter is winning, but I’m gaining some ground. And since it appears that I may be getting the upper hand I thought I’d share a few of the tips that I’ve implemented and offer my thoughts on whether they helped.

Automated Postings

So far I’m not a fan. What I mean by automated posting is linking other sources like your blog or Facebook to Twitter so that updates are automatically tweeted. It is a great way to make sure you’re updating your content and that is very important, but it lacks the personality that I want to have. I’m primarily using Twitter to connect with people I wouldn’t otherwise cross paths with and the automated posts stick out like a sore thumb. So for now I’ve disabled all automatic tweeting.

However, those of you who’ve decided your Twitter account is just a source for sharing information may really like the options out there. I would recommend dlvr.it. I like what they do; it just doesn’t fit my goals and style.

Twitter Lists

I love lists, both lists in general and Twitter lists. They make finding what I’m looking for so much easier. I’ve set up both public and private lists that I check in with regularly. To give you a quick run-down, lists are a way to organize people on Twitter. The even cooler thing is you don’t need to be following someone to put them in a list.

So what kind of lists do I create? I started with public lists that were pretty simple like local happenings, artists that I liked or knew, galleries, and photography related stuff. Then I created my private lists that are more about why I’m really on Twitter. One is a list of people I consider movers and shakers, they are peers, competition, people I’d like to work with and people I am working with (I stole the idea from Tara Gentile). I also have a private list that I call “ideal client”, they are people that fit the profile of my target market.

It’s these last two lists that I pay the most attention to. I watch for what everyone is talking about, I look for new people to follow or introduce myself to, and I make a point to add to these conversations. When I look at my ideal client list I’m also looking for the type of information these individuals are looking for and sharing.

You can also browse other peoples public lists if your looking for more people to follow and connect with.

Defining A Purpose

This is both one of the best things I’ve done and the hardest for me to stick with. Once I really thought about how I wanted to use Twitter I was able to Tweet more consistently, build a larger following, and started to see positive effects. I chose to use Twitter as a way to connect to potential customers, peers and mentors. So with that in mind I look for conversations I can join and add some value to, I share information that I feel will be valuable to my followers and I look for people that I wouldn’t come in contact with in any other way.

That said I waste a lot of time some days reading through posted links, looking at photos and just generally getting lost in the Twitter chatter. But if I quickly remind myself why I’m there I can interact in a way that furthers my goal, but still feels fun.

I highly encourage you to find the best way for you to use Twitter to your benefit and let it guide you. Find what works, stick with it and by all means remember it’s just a tool.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Stop and Smell the Roses

I’m running a bit behind this week for two reasons. I’ve been busy with lots of projects, catching up, and events. I was also struggling with what to write. The overwhelm has me focusing more on to-do lists than nuggets of advice, information or encouragement. But yesterday I was looking back on my past two weeks, searching for that tidbit that would become this week’s post and I found myself reveling in what Shelly and I had created and what my job had become.

In June of 2010, Shelly and I launched the coaching and consulting side of Lightbox SF. (That makes this month a very quiet anniversary for us). It was both exciting and terrifying. We had a lot of theories and had made a lot of assumptions and now we were going to test them. The perfect set up for greatness or serious failure. In this last year I can happily say we landed somewhere in between. We had some amazing successes, met some amazing people, learned a lot about what we really want to be doing, and what just isn’t working.

So when I took a moment to look back at my two weeks the things that were keeping me from getting this post written were helping some amazingly talented artists promote themselves and upcoming shows, the details of organizing different phases of both our 4^th and 5^th 200 Yards photo shows, interviewing gallerists for an article I’m writing for the ArtSpan Open Studios guide, and just generally connecting with great people who will be or are pieces of this great equation.

The fabulousness of it all is pretty amazing. I must say if I didn’t have my job I’d be a bit jealous. Sure we’re not nearly as profitable as we’d like to be and there is always more to do than we can accomplish, but overall it’s pretty damn great. And the best part about it is we created it.

I tell you all that because just the day before I was feeling overwhelmed with my to-do list, wondering how I was going to make some of my current goals happen, and feeling a little down on the state of my bank account. We so often forget to look at our successes, stop and smell the roses if you will. Take it all in, acknowledge what you’ve accomplished and the amazing things further ahead on the path.

Are you about to be a part of a craft fair that you used to attend and think “Some day I’d like to have my own table?” Are you struggling with how to transport your product and set-up to a show in another city instead of struggling with how to let people know you make something? Are you staying up late to write blog posts because you know your readers will notice if you don’t? These stresses are signs of progress and growth; these are the stresses of making something great happen.

This week’s lesson: Take a moment, survey where you are compared to where you were a year ago. The craziness and chaos looks so much better in the light of realizing your dreams.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Dream Big and Then Dream Bigger

I am going to apologize upfront, this post is a little emotional and sappy. It comes from two places: a comment a potential client made during an initial meeting and the fact that I'm getting married in just over a week.

As we were wrapping up our meeting the potential client asked me if we worked with any men. I said yes, but only a few, our clients are roughly 90% female. The she asked if the men we worked with had the same doubts that they deserved to or could succeed that women did. I hadn't really thought about it, but the answer was no. One of the things most of our clients have in common is the fear of dreaming big and the inability to trust that they can have what they want. I'm no exception.

Not only can they not really picture what this dream job they're creating looks like, they don't really think they can ever attain it. They think they'll get close, but never all the way there. In contrast, the men seem to have no doubt they'll get there, they're just looking for advice on how to get there faster.

That brings me to the second reason for being sappy, my upcoming nuptials. My fiance and I have been working on our vows and one of the things that has come up is my self-doubt and the encouragement and support he's given me to do what I want to do despite it. I can honestly say had I not met him I would still be working two jobs, struggling with both and wondering if I was ever going like my work life.

Did you feel the tug at those heartstrings? Just wait there's more.

It's one thing to have the vision it's another to believe that you deserve it. I wish that all of you are lucky enough to find someone in your life, friend, family or spouse that gives you the permission to live out your dreams, supports you through the rough times and failures, and then still has faith that you will succeed, especially when you can't find the faith yourself.

In the chance that you still haven't found that person I want to propose two things. First, try to find it within yourself. We are all capable of giving ourselves this gift. Believe that you are worthy of all you can dream and then dream bigger than you possibly dare. There is no reason you can come up with that will convince me you don't deserve it all. I'm sure of it.

I also know this takes time. You will need to work through fear and doubt and many other scary feelings. You won't know where to begin or what your next step should be. So while you're working to be the best cheerleader in the world for yourself, tell someone else your dream. I bet you'll be surprised by their reaction. Tell a total stranger if you're afraid you'll get laughed at, but I bet you won't.

Or tell Shelly and I. That's why we're here. We want to support you, we want to lead by example and we want to surround you with a community of like-minded, empowered people doing exactly what they want.

I'm going to leave you with that thought for the next two weeks while I go marry the man who has given me the strength to try the things that scare me most.

I challenge you to do the very tangible task of describing this life you're working so hard for. Write the story of your day from waking up to sleep. Who is there? What do you do? Where are you? How do you feel?

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Your Ideal Customer

In many of my past articles I've talked about looking at the customers you already have to define your target market. As I've been coaching some key clients lately and doing a bit more reading of philosophies on target markets I've had a bit of a shift in thought.

Instead of looking to who you're already reaching, I challenge you to define who your ideal customer is. Not only the key characteristics of who they are and how they buy, but why they buy from you and why you want to sell to them.

Why, you ask?

Because I've come to believe that defining your target market is really not all that different than choosing the career you want to have. I coach clients to follow their passions and dreams, not look for the easy win. I coach them to imagine the biggest dreams possible and then figure out how to reach them, not settle for what comes your way.

Using that same philosophy to define your ideal client means you'll be serving someone you understand. You'll be able to create exactly what they need. They won't be able to help but buy it. They'll feel like they found the perfect item or solution and tell all their friends.

But even beyond just simply buying, you'll be able to communicate in a way that resonates. You'll connect over a shared experience or concern. You'll be more than just a jeweler, knitter or illustrator, you'll be that amazing person who sells the most amazing ____. It's called creating a niche.

Why force yourself to appeal to people you don't understand? This may mean alienating some previous customers. This may also mean it takes you a little longer to reach those who you really want to, but in the end you will understand them so well that serving them, producing new products will be as easy as dreaming.

So here's your challenge. Dream up your ideal customer. Who are they? Why are they attracted to what you make? Why must they have it? Why will the buy more and tell all their friends? Now look at what you're already doing. How can you change the wording on your website or tweak the presentation of your product to speak directly to this ideal customer?

Now go do it!

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Connecting With Customers - What Marketing is Really About

For many marketing still has the slimy connotation of trickery, of being talked into something. In a way I get this especially given that many see advertising as synonymous with marketing. You might have seen the recent YouTube video where the ball girl makes an amazing catch and the later disclosure that it was produced by an advertising agency for Gatorade. Stunts like that definitely leave us a little jaded.

While the obvious argument is that not all advertising needs to be such a set-up, I would also argue that marketing is very different than advertising on many levels. I define advertising as talking at your customers and marketing as talking with your customers or connecting with them.

There's nothing underhanded in marketing. You're defining a customer base, identifying their needs and communicating how you can satisfy them. You are letting them know that you have something they already wanted and were looking for.

To do this successfully you need to know who your customer base is, where they're searching and you need to communicate the value that you offer. Marketing is explaining why they would want to choose your product over a competitor's. I see the ruffled feathers again, you're thinking sales, talking them into buying your product. Stop!

If you can clearly state the benefits of your product or service and how it's different, not necessarily better, than the competition, not only does the decision become clear, you leave it completely in the hands of the customer. If you've communicated well and they don't choose you, it only means they weren't the right customer in the first place.

Marketing is telling the best possible story to the most interested person. To market well you need to find your unique story, your target market and then connect with them by sharing that story.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!

Customers - You Can Learn So Much From Them

Shelly and I have been taking on a lot of new clients lately, yeah for us, and it's made me shift my focus a little on what it is people are really looking for when they come to us. This is great because it's allowed us to focus more and also kickstart the development of a few products that have been gathering dust.

I bring this up for two reasons, first I think we can all learn from our customers when we listen to them, but this shift has also given me some insight into how and why people buy.

Learn From Your Customers

I want to encourage you to really look at what your customers are buying, what sort of feedback they give, and what they're general comments are. This insight will not only allow you to continue to produce meaningful products that sell, but will help to define your target audience.

Knowing who you're selling to allows you to find new needs you can fill, reach more of your audience, and more successfully market your business. If you realize that everyone who's buying your jewelry is over the age of 40, looks at your $60 necklaces as impulse buys, and lives in Marin County you'll know you're wasting your time trying to get into a hipster Mission boutique. Yeah to knowing where to focus your energy.

Additionally if you start getting feedback that buying your notebooks makes customers feel good because they're buying sustainably and they get tons of compliments about their great taste, you can use that in your marketing to attract even more customers who want to feel that way.

Ask for feedback, interact and be sure to note both what's working and what isn't. You may find that your favorite items just don't sell, but that little trinket you created to use up some scrap is your biggest seller. Use that knowledge to help you decide how to best put your creative energy to use.

Observations on Buying Habits

I can't profess to tell you that I know the secrets of why and how people buy. If I did I would be laying on my private beach in Mexico drinking a beer and eating guacamole instead of writing this blog post. Just saying. However, I have noticed a few things in the last year in trying to second guess my clients and give them what they want.

People really like something tangible they also like added value. Many of you are selling a product and are already working in the tangible, but I challenge you to also create a tangible benefit. Besides your product what do customers get from choosing you? Are you solving a problem? Do you fill a need? Do you confirm their image as cutting edge, a foodie, or socially conscious? The benefit you find is your added value and the answer to the question, "Why buy from you and not your competition?"

Those of you selling a service know this is sometimes a harder problem to solve. If you're offering consulting or coaching the results vary based on the individual and how much energy they put in, but if you can structure your services in such a way that you can offer tangible results if steps are followed the value of your service becomes more clear. And don't forget the added value part. You also have a distinction from your competition, key into the customers that want that benefit.

To put it simply you need to be as clear about what people are getting for their money as you can. Be sure to let them know about the additional warm fuzzy feelings, boost to cred, and self-care that come along with the purchase.

30-Minute Consults

If you're struggling with how to figure this out for yourself, Shelly and I can help. A lot of what we do is provide the outside perspective to look at your business and really key in on those added values and target market.

On Saturday, April 30th we're offering 30-minute free consultations between the hours of noon and 2pm. Book your session to get some initial insight and feedback as well as discuss how we might be able to help you further. Just send me an email and we'll book your time now.

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I encourage comments directly to this post, but also feel free to email me directly with questions, reactions, struggles, etc. genevieve@lightboxsf.com

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If you're an Etsy seller in the San Francisco Bay Area, contact Jen from Mama's Magic Studio about joining SFEtsy!