PART ONE
Paper to Profits Handbook
With over 250 pages and 9 in-depth Chapters, our Paper to Profits Handbook covers the essential topics any creative entrepreneur should know so you can launch and run a creative business sustainably. Each week, one or two chapters will become available for download as a PDF that you can print out and/or read on your electronic device.
Here is a summary of the topics we'll cover:
CHAPTER 1:
From Paper to Profits: Your Vision for the Next Five Years
► We will guide you through exercises to help you articulate your dreams for the next 5-years so that you have a solid foundation for decision-making and success. You will learn to assess potential challenges to your sales offerings and craft a clear roadmap for sustainable growth towards your goals.
CHAPTER 2:
Engaging Your Audience Through Effective Branding & Defining Your Signature Offerings
► We will teach you how to create a compelling brand that resonates with your target audience. Specific exercises will guide you to craft your unique Why statements, understand your audience, and differentiate yourself in the market.
CHAPTER 3:
Establishing a Unique Brand Presence Online & Marketing and Growing Your Customer Base
► Build a robust online presence that attracts and nurtures a loyal community. We will go over essential components of an e-commerce website and help set you up with a business name. Explore strategies for growing and communicating with your mailing list.
CHAPTER 4:
Pricing Your Artwork with Confidence & Reinforcing their Value
► Understanding the true value of our work helped us gain confidence in pricing our creations. We will consider pricing holistically in light of other potential sources of revenue and your bottom line. We will also talk about marketing strategies and branding that increase the perceived value of your work.
CHAPTER 5:
Maximizing Your Profit & Diversifying Revenue Streams: Commissions, Teaching, Subscriptions, Content Creation and more
► We provide insight into the various ways to increase our profits beyond the direct sale of our artwork, from our experiences of managing bespoke commissions, planner and designer partnerships, teaching workshops and online courses, selling digital templates, material kits, and subscription boxes to engaging in content creation and sponsorships. We will also touch upon affiliate programs and partnerships, as well as rentals, as further ways to diversify your revenue streams.
CHAPTER 6:
Growing Brand Awareness Through Partnerships, Books, Speaking Engagements, Giveaway and Art Fairs
► We will talk about different ways of expanding your brand’s reach and exposure through strategic partnerships like wholesale partnerships and consignments, writing and promoting a book, online marketplaces, and participating in giveaways, as well as in-person marketing opportunities like art fairs and craft shows, exhibitions, and speaking engagements. These strategies will help you tap into new markets and build a broader audience for your work.
CHAPTER 7:
Extending Your Reach with Social Media and Press
► Leveraging the power of social media and press coverage has been a powerful way of amplifying our brand’s visibility. We will explore our effective use of platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and TikTok. Learn how to attract media attention and handle press interactions to enhance your brand's reputation and reach.
CHAPTER 8:
Optimizing Your Time: Using AI and Other Apps for Efficiency
► From AI for content creation to online tools that gather website traffic statistics to social management apps that manage our online presence, we will share the technologies that we use to streamline our business operations and boost our productivity.
CHAPTER 9:
Creating Your Roadmap to Sustainable Success
► We will share how we keep the goals we set out in Chapter 1 on track and create actionable tasks, set deadlines, and track progress to ensure your vision for the next five years becomes a reality.
