A framework for creative businesses
I have worked with multiple creatives who are deeply embedded in the trading-time-for-money business model. They struggle to see how they can build a sustainable business from their skills.
If this sounds like you, fear not. I have developed a simple framework which teaches creatives how to a sustainable business.
The steps of the framework are:
- attract and inspire your target audience;
- engage and motivate them to take action;
- inform and educate them about what you have to offer;
- challenge and transform their lives through the suite of solutions you provide.
As you can see, it is all about your customer. The platform, marketing, communication, and delivery methods are all structured to support your suite of products.
Attract and inspire
Step one in building a sustainable creative business is to attract and inspire people in order to build brand awareness.
Attract people with your brand images on social media. Inspire them with other people’s success stories on your blog.
Help your audience visualise and aspire to what is possible for them.
You can do this by using case studies, inspirational pictures, and before-and-after stories. The goal is to get interested onlookers to engage with your brand and give you their email address so you can continue the conversation.
Engage and motivate
Step two is to Engage and Motivate your audience in order to build brand engagement.
Find ways to engage your audience with your brand.
Motivate them to do something fun and easy.
You can do this using competitions. Get them to submit something, participate in challenges, quizzes, or surveys. Have a show-and-tell or a shareathon.
The goal here is to get them to move from interested onlookers to signing up to your email list in order to continue the conversation.
Inform and educate
Step three is to Inform and Educate people so that they learn to trust you and your brand.
Find ways to inform them about your niche or industry, what’s happening that is of interest, events and special offers. Teach them new skills and useful information. Share snippets of transformation. Give them some quick wins. You can do this with step-by-steps, news stories, blog-style posts, tutorials.
The goal is to get them to become part of your inner circle.
They are on your email list now, you want to nurture them to become customers and then raving fans.
Challenge and transform
The final stage is to challenge and transform the lives of your audience in order to build their brand loyalty and turn them into raving fans.
Challenge them to step outside of their comfort zone and engage with your signature solution. Transform their lives by getting them to take action and grow.
You can do this using structured learning, in-person events, immersion, retreats, discussions, offer one-on-one help, guidance, share their struggles and mentoring.
The goal is to get them to transform their lives and teach others.
At any stage, your audience can become a customer, but the goal of this process is to build a tribe of raving fans who will eventually buy everything you have to offer.
If you lead them smoothly through the four stages, selling your products become easier at each stage.
As we move through this circle, you will also notice we move from giving away mountains of free value in the first stages to then escalating the cost and value of our products and move customers up the value ladder in the later stages.
The goal with this process is to nurture 1000 true fans who will spend $100 on your products year after year.
Do this well, and you have the beginnings of a sustainable business.
