Have you ever had someone supply you with one of their great ideas and then say, “You can have that idea.” As if coming up with the idea were the gut wrenching hard part.
If you are or ever have been in the arena, you know intimately that the idea and the creativity is the easy part and that execution and action is where the real dynamic and difficult work is.
I like this quote,
“Creative talent or ideas is the minimum price of admission.”
Anyone can have a great idea. That bar is low. Executing, developing and profiting from a great idea is the work.
The secret to building a business that you love is finding and engaging in a system that has intelligent, actionable goals in which you can take your creative ideas and see them through. It takes both creativity and action. And the action must point to a revenue stream in order to make money.
Why the serious, businessy blog post? Because I know what it’s like to be in pain from not making money from your coaching, writing or ideas and deeply and desperately wanting to and not knowing the first freaking thing about it.
What is more painful than knowing that you have something super valuable to share with the world and feeling like people could care less about it?
I have great news for you if you are reading this and feel this way.
You have value.
You might just not know how to put it out there in a way that showcases that value.
Here are 6 ways to start highlighting the value of your creative work:
♥ Figure out who you are creating for? Whatever you create must serve a need or solve a problem. Even if it is art. Especially if it is art.
♥ Cultivate and create for loyal fans. Not some nameless faceless many.
♥ Ask yourself if you truly like and believe in your work. If you don’t appreciate its value, no one else will.
♥ Become dedicated to setting goals and taking action. Results follow energy. It may be slow going, but if you continually and steadily put your time and attention on building something, it will happen.
♥ Identify the benefit of what you create. The creative process is a feature. How it makes people feel is a benefit.
♥ Eliminate competition and scarce thinking by identifying the unique value of what you offer, then direct it toward your intended market.
For example, take cupcakes. How would you make this ubiquitous tiny and delicious treat have a unique selling proposition? Identifying your target market, say a busy mom whose turn it is to bring treats to the class party. She doesn’t want to fill a bunch of first graders up with sugar and crap, but she wants to bring something delicious, fun and healthy. And she doesn’t have time to bake them herself.
Enter Kinder Cakes. The adorable cupcakes made from whole grains, bananas and spinach. Sweetened with agave. Delivered to you in recyclable travel packs. Or something. You get the idea.
Find a niche market that has a need and then fill it.
Sounds easy, it’s not. But it is fun and fulfilling.
Oh, and you can have the Kinder Cakes idea.
