This design business began with a camera and a simple HTML website. I’ll share it as long as you promise not to judge me too harshly.
Those design projects were college projects because I didn’t actually have any real projects at the time. And those sunglasses were $5 drugstore glasses that I photographed on our Ikea table in our 200 square foot apartment because I thought the light looked cool.
Chances are, if you’re just getting started, you’re further along than I was back then.
I remember being terrified to put this website out there in the world. I was worried that no one would ever hire me as either a photographer or a designer. I worried that my design classmates would think I was reaching too far by trying to take on my own clients as a senior in college.
I had a lot to learn back then. I still have a lot to learn. But I started. And starting is no easy feat. If you ever feel fully prepared when you’re diving into a new venture, I’d say that you’re not really aware of what you’re diving into.
Just because you have a beautifully designed nursery with a closet full of baby clothes and a year of diapers stacked up in the closet doesn’t mean that you grasp the gravity of actually caring for a newborn.
And starting a business is a lot like having a baby. It’s new. It’s exciting. It’s challenging in ways you would never expect… Is that vomit in my hair? I’m so sorry that my child just ran naked through our living room. But it’s also wildly wonderful and something that can truly bring a lot of joy and fulfillment.
Whether you are starting from square one or simply need a mindset refresh, here are five tips I wish I had known when I started this business with Davey. These reminders would have saved us hours of time and energy, and hopefully, they’ll do the same for you!
Table of Contents
Let’s dive in!
1. Start a Mailing List
Everyone has a mailing list. And chances are, they check it at least once a week. Or, if you’re anything like me, several times a day (still chasing inbox zero over here.)
When you’re just getting started, it can be so tempting to invest the majority of your effort in social media channels. After all, it’s something everyone can see, and those likes and views can be addicting. But platforms like Instagram are often one of the lowest converting channels.
If you made me choose between 10K Instagram followers or 2000 email subscribers, I’d choose email subscribers every. damn. time.
Building a list and sending weekly emails to that list creates an engaged audience that trusts you.
These individuals want to consume the content you create. By opting in to receive some sort of free content from you (the best way to build a list,) they’ve essentially raised their hand and said they want to hear what you have to say. You’ve started building a relationship with that audience and by keeping your list active (emailing them regularly), you’re significantly increasing their likelihood of investing in your product or service down the road.
This is one reason why email marketing is usually one of the highest-converting channels. Focus on building a strong email list, and you’ll be well on your way to developing a steady stream of clients.
If you want to learn more about starting an email list, read The Super Simple Guide to Starting a Mailing List. Davey and I teach a number of email marketing platforms you can choose from, how to start collecting emails with a lead magnet, and more.
Related: How to Get Your First 1,000 Email Subscribers
2. Don’t Look at Your Competition
I get it—it’s tempting to look at your competition for inspiration. But rather than finding fuel for your creativity, it often leads to discouragement.
Once you’ve seen what someone else is doing, it can be hard to get those visuals out of your head and it can often lead to your work being less unique.
Trust me. You’ll go SO much farther and create a much better business if you keep those business blinders on.
Be aware of the general market, but do your best to focus on your clients and audience.
And if you do need a bit of inspiration, look to creatives in other industries.
We put together a list of 17 Modern Creatives We Admire for you. This list would be a great starting point.
3. Choose a Focus
You can’t do everything, and if you try you will get burnt out fast.
That fancy first website I shared earlier? I wasn’t exactly a client magnet.
And that’s because people looking for a designer are very different than people looking for a photographer. It’s hard to speak well to everyone. And while being talented at many things is impressive when it comes to cooking-dinner-while-balancing-a-baby-on-your-hip-and-reading-a-book-to-your-two-year-old is necessary for keeping peace at home, doing many things at once is not a helpful business practice.
Instead, choose a niche and serve that niche well. In our industry, we found that our designs sold better when we created them with a specific type of business in mind–websites for photographers.
By narrowing your focus, you can establish a framework for the types of content you’ll add to your business, marketing, and messaging. This will also help your prospective clients connect with you.
There will always be room to expand your business. Stay focused on doing one thing well, and expand later.
4. Seek Out Help
The more help you can receive the quicker your business will thrive. As soon as your time and budget allow, start prioritizing ways to streamline your daily tasks. Here are a few suggestions for how to do this.
An Integrator
A second pair of eyes and hands can make all the difference in the quality of work you produce. Hire someone to help with emails, calendar organization, proofing, systems creation, etc.
One of our good friends (and next door neighbor by design,) Kat Schmoyer, is an Integrator for creatives and the founder of the KS Agency. From tech set-up to blog post writing to social media management, her team handles everything a business owner needs to accomplish their goals and manage projects successfully.
You can listen to our podcast episode with Kat here: How to Utilize an Integrator for a Successful Launch.
Tools
One of the most challenging aspects of starting a business is organizing and managing the content. Nowadays there are so many different social media platforms, mediums, and aspects to marketing your business.
What works on Pinterest may need to be formatted a bit differently to share on Instagram, and what works on Reels might need to be slightly adjusted for YouTube.
Having the right tools can streamline your content-sharing process, making it more organized, efficient, and impactful.
To get you started, here are our Top Marketing Tools for 2024. Our list of tools is continually evolving, but all of these are tried and true.
Related: Our Favorite Tools for Designers
Podcasts
Podcasts are an easy way to get help for your business–it’s one of our favorite sources for fresh ideas and problem-solving.
Explore podcasts in your market and in the business world as a whole. There are so many to choose from, and you will quickly find yourself listening to a podcaster as if they are an old friend.
On our Brands That Book Podcast, a few episodes that may interest you are:
- Top Pinterest Marketing Trends 2024
- How to Choose the Perfect Colors for Your Brand
- Building Community Around Your Business
Free Resources
You’re just starting out, so don’t hesitate to enjoy the free material other business owners provide. Absorb it, learn from it, and one day pay it forward.
We love being able to gift free resources to other creatives; so many talented individuals helped us when we were just starting out. Here are some resources you may enjoy.
For Design:
For Marketing:
For Writing:
5. Failure Isn’t Final
It’s far better to start something and put your idea out there in the world than to never try something because you’re afraid of failing.
Learning how to run a business is a process, and it’s not a linear path. There are ups and downs and everything in between, but there is growth in all of it.
And when you fail, the key is how fast you can shift your mindset.
One of our friends and mindset coaches, Brad Bizjack shares how to shift your mindset in his podcast episode with us.
Listen to: How to Shift Your Mindset
Throughout our business we’ve always made it a point to invest in education and mentors or coaches who could help us overcome roadblocks.
If I could go back in time, one of the first things Davey and I would invest in would be mindset coaching. Over the last few years, we’ve come to realize that mindset really creates the ceiling of what one is able to achieve.
Conclusion
You are in the right place. Starting a business or new launch is challenging, and it’s much easier to look back than to look forward at what’s unknown.
But I hope these five reminders save you the hours of time and energy Davey and I spent as we learned how to run a business together. It hasn’t always been easy, but we’re so thankful we started.
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