Organization Archives : The Artistic Divas World

Starting An Online Art Business

You’re thinking about starting an online art business to sell your art and digital products? That’s awesome! It’s such an exciting journey, and with the right steps, you can turn your passion into a thriving business. Here’s how you can get started and keep things running smoothly.

Start by defining your niche and learning who your audience is. What kind of art or digital products do you create? Are you into abstract paintings, digital illustrations, or maybe printable planners? Figuring out your niche helps you target the right audience. It’s like finding your tribe who loves what you create as much as you do.

Next up, creating a business plan is essential. I know, it sounds a bit formal, but it’s just a roadmap for your business. Think about your goals, who your customers are, and how you’re going to reach them. Also, consider your finances – how much you need to invest upfront and what kind of profit you’re aiming for. It doesn’t have to be super detailed, just enough to give you a clear direction.

Now, setting up your online store is where the fun begins. There are plenty of e-commerce platforms out there like Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, GumRoad, Redbubble, and Big Cartel. Choose one that fits your needs and budget. These platforms make it easy to showcase your products, manage inventory, process payments, and handle shipping. It’s like setting up a virtual shop where people can browse and buy your creations.

Your website is your online storefront, so make it look professional. Invest in a clean design that’s easy to navigate. High-quality images of your products are a must – they should make people go, “Wow, I need this!” Write detailed descriptions, set your prices, and make the checkout process as smooth as possible. Adding a blog is a great idea too. You can share your journey, tips, and updates, which helps build a connection with your audience.

SEO, or search engine optimization, is all about making your website easy to find on Google. Use relevant keywords in your product titles, descriptions, and blog posts. Make sure your site is mobile-friendly, loads quickly, and has quality backlinks. SEO might sound complicated, but once you get the hang of it, it’s a game-changer for attracting more visitors to your site.

Marketing your products effectively is crucial. Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest are fantastic for showcasing your work and engaging with your audience. Share behind-the-scenes looks, work-in-progress shots, and finished pieces. Consider running ads to reach a larger audience. And don’t forget about email marketing – it’s a powerful tool for keeping your subscribers informed about new products, promotions, and updates.

Customer service can make or break your business. Providing responsive and excellent customer service will set you apart from most others. Respond to inquiries promptly, address any issues professionally, and strive to exceed customer expectations. Offer special customer savings coupons, or add free items into each package sold. Happy customers are more likely to leave positive reviews and recommend your business to others. Word of mouth is incredibly powerful!

If you’re an artist, print-on-demand services like Printful, Printify,Redbubble, and Society6 can be a lifesaver. They let you offer a wide range of products without needing to keep inventory. These services handle printing, shipping, and customer service, freeing you up to focus on creating.

Diversifying your product offerings is a smart move. In addition to your original art, think about selling digital products like printable art, e-books, online courses, and design templates. Digital products, like journals and ephemera have low overhead costs and can be sold repeatedly, providing a steady stream of income.

Keep an eye on your performance. Regularly review your sales data, website traffic, and marketing metrics to see what’s working and what’s not. Tools like Google Analytics can help you track your performance and make informed decisions to improve your business.

Lastly, stay inspired and keep creating. Running an online business can be demanding, but it’s essential to stay motivated. Join online communities, attend workshops, and connect with other artists to keep your creativity flowing. Here is a video that will help you see how to get started and how to keep on top of everything: https://youtu.be/Rc6LakZ_Fvc?si=HU8ds6eqN6WjDSeV

Starting and running an online business selling your art and digital products is a journey full of passion, dedication, and strategic planning. Follow these steps, stay committed to your vision, and watch your creative talents turn into a successful online business. You’ve got this!

Be sure to check out some of our other previous posts about art and crafts here: theartisticdiva.com

Disorganization from Distractions

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Disorganization from distractions happen to all of us. We have never been so productive, so busy and at the same time so distracted. Throughout history there have always been issues that have prevented us from doing what we set out to do. But, it’s never been as hard as it is today to try staying organized in this age of distractions. Technology has its benefits but also its drawbacks.

The very fact that we have so many choices in terms of technology can also cause problems. Having instant access to family, friends, work and the rest of the noise can be very distracting. Email, smartphones, mobile devices, laptops and other “screens” can get in the way of staying organized, even though the technology was originally created to make you more productive and organized.

Identify Areas of Disorganization

The very first thing to do is take an honest look at your life. Look at your home, work, extra activities and more. Make a list of the areas where you see a lack of organization and then start to tackle them. There are different types of disorganization from distractions to deal with. You can learn to capture what you need to do, break it down into logical steps, prioritize those steps, figure out what’s next and then get to work doing what needs to be done − without feeling distracted, overworked, stressed out, and out of control. You just need to have a plan of action and an understanding of why you need to do things in a certain way. Then you’ll finally really be organized. Here’s a short article on ways to get organized.

Technology

The technology can actually cause you to feel pressure to do even more. No matter how amazing you are, you start feeling inadequate that you cannot do more. The technology ends up becoming more of a distraction rather than a useful helper. Take heart, though; you can learn how to wrangle the technology and make it work for you. You can become more organized even if it doesn’t come naturally. You can give yourself permission to do things differently.

Life Event

– Circumstances can happen that interrupt your normal way of life, such as a death, a wedding, a birth, or other once-in-a-blue-moon event. This can also happen if you have a special deadline at work or other situation. These things can cause you to lose track of what you planned to do for a short period of time, although usually you can get back on track. Simple things like your family dropping in unexpectedly to visit when you have a full day scheduled, or you get a call from a friend who needs your help when you are working on a big project with an upcoming deadline. All of us have been there. These issues lead to disorganization from distractions while preventing our ability to remain focused on our goals.

Bad Habits

– Many people just develop bad habits over time that get out of hand. For example, you start stacking your mail on the corner of your desk without a plan of action and then before you know it, you have no idea where to find the phone bill and you end up paying it late. Or when you come home, you simply throw your coat on the couch and take off your shoes right then. Unfortunately, they may end up staying there and creating disorganization and distraction for you. Maybe, over time, you have started to stack dirty dishes on the counter in the kitchen and simply forget them until much, much later. Not only is this a health issue (bugs anyone?) but it creates a very disorganized kitchen.

Your Upbring

– Disorganization from distractions can manifest in various ways. It can be because of the way you were raised , or the opposite of your upbringing. Some of this depends on your personality and how rebellious you might be. Not everyone lives and grows up in a picture perfect home and not everyone was raised by a family who had the time to teach correct behaviors. Today, most parents have to work just to feed everyone, so children end up spending time raising themselves.

Your Social Network

– These days, we are all encouraged to have a lot of things and do a lot of things, and the people who you hang out with seem to determine what kind disorganization you have in your life. If you hang with the partying crowd, you will not put much emphasis on being organized because having fun is such a distraction. Who wants to become organized when you could be out having fun? While these distractions are temporarily fun, if you live your whole life with this mind set you will find that you may spin out of control. What works for teens and very young adults does not always translate to being productive for the older adult.

Habitual

– If your home or workspace or both are piled high with disorder, there is a possibility that you have a situation called “chronic disorganization” which is a real condition that can require professional help to overcome. There are many people who love to organized and will help you straighten out your environment to help you become a more productive and happier person.

Regardless of your personal situation, the best thing that you can do is to try some of the tips, suggestions, and ideas that will follow. You can prevent disorganization from distractions if you know what to do. Next we will look at goal setting and how that can help with organization.

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