5 things I learned about running a small business successfully in 2022
As we’re diving into the new year and getting used to writing 2023 on our agendas, calendars and appointments, the holiday season feels to me like it came and went in a flash, which didn’t seem to leave much time for reflection. So, as I’m finishing up holiday travel and using my time in the clouds on an airplane to get some work done for my business, I wanted to reflect on some of the most valuable takeaways I have from the past year that have helped me to grow and run a successful, profitable and sustainable small business as an illustrator and graphic designer. My favorite part about all these tips is that they’re completely universal, so while I’m speaking specifically from the perspective of an illustrator, you might be reading this and have a completely different business model, but this can still apply to you!
So I’ll cut out the fluff and just get straight to it. Here are five of the most valuable lessons I learned as a small business owner in 2022.
There’s power in the follow up.
Don’t underestimate the power of the follow up! I’ve sent so many follow ups, over and over before I got a response back. Be it busy schedules or conflicted feelings about making the investment with my business, there’s any number of reasons why people may not respond right away, but you still want to stay top of mind for them. I don’t mean follow up with them every single day, I don’t mean be annoying and salesy. To me, this just looks like being present. Giving them time and space but staying present. Giving your potential client time to think about what’s best for their business, but being top of mind.
I go into this with an understanding that I want exactly what is best for them and their business. Whether that’s working with me or someone else, I truly want them to focus on making the investment that’s best for them and their needs. When I believe that we would be a great match and that I’m the one for the job, that’s when I will put the time into following up with them. You wouldn’t believe how many times I thought I had been ghosted but turns out they just had a busy week or two and were just now catching up on emails and very much wanted to work with me! And statistically, it actually takes around 7-12 touch points before a potential customer is ready to buy. So your follow up isn’t annoying, it’s strategic!
Prioritize your email list.
This is one of those “if only I had known this when I first started out moments”. You wouldn’t believe how long I waited to prioritize this! And while I don’t like to dwell on regrets, it is without a doubt one of my biggest regrets in business. I waited SO long in the game to start nurturing my email list. TOO long. There’s several reasons why having an email list is important, but I’ll focus on two of them.
You need a form of communication with your audience that you have total control over.
You need a warm audience to sell to when you’re ready to launch a paid offer.
Instagram feels like a wild and unpredictable place. Things with the algorithm are constantly changing and we have to adapt. There’s also the added insecurity factor because we all know that Instagram has a habit of deleting accounts that haven’t actually done anything to violate their terms. You could put blood, sweat and tears into your Instagram account and it could be taken down in a flash. It’s scary, not fun to think about, but a reality I believe all business owners should be aware of. Want to go full time with your business and feel security in your job? Find ways to succeed as a business owner without Instagram. If Instagram were gone tomorrow, how would you reach your audience? That’s not to say instagram isn’t important, but it can’t be the only marketing effort we spend our time on.
Secondly, having lots of followers is great, but it doesn’t actually mean more money. The amount of money you’ll make as a business owner is not directly correlated to that follower count which can be good news for some, while feeling like bad news for others. It’s actually much more closely related to the amount on your email list, rather than the number on your instagram profile. Why is this? Because your email list is a warm audience. They WANT to hear from you, that’s why they’ve taken the extra step of inviting you into their inbox! Instagram followers are great, but those that are subscribed to your email list are just that much more engaged in your content and they’re ready to hear from you. Sometimes we need a reality check on how valuable that truly is! When you send an email to somebody’s inbox, you’re not fighting with an algorithm, and what a wonderful relief that is!
Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.
I spent wayyyy too much time with my business focusing my marketing efforts on Instagram and Instagram alone. What a mistake that was! It honestly wasn’t until 2022 that I finally realized how much I had been missing out by not prioritizing other platforms like Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok and Youtube. This year, I even discovered how much I enjoy making long form video content by finally doing (mostly) weekly uploads on my Youtube Channel. It’s been a great way for me to have a deeper connection with my audience and show them a look into my daily life, special behind the scenes content, as well as share some of the things I’ve learned with my audience as a business owner like how to attract clients to your business when you’re first starting out.
I also started focusing my efforts on Pinterest and actually saw some pretty quick results in my monthly viewership on the platform. It’s a great way to drive traffic to your site and each individual pin you post has a much longer shelf life than content on Instagram. The only problem is that now that I’ve started putting effort into these other platforms, I’m honestly discouraged at how lopsided the numbers are compared to my audience on Instagram. I have thousands upon thousands of followers on Instagram but less than 200 on YouTube. Sometimes it almost makes me feel a little bit embarrassed! But the bright side of it is that I have a new opportunity to niche down on YouTube and see with fresh eyes what content is working and what isn’t. So while my audience is growing a little slower than what I would like, I’m fully committed to staying consistent over the next year, and I think that consistency overtime is where true success lies in almost anything we do in life.
Network, Network, Network!
I cannot overstate this. It’s so important to network not only with potential customers but also with other creators and small business owners in your industry. I can’t tell you how many times these types of connections have proven to be valuable and even profitable for me. Several of my newest leads and prospective clients have come from networking and word of mouth in my local community. Networking with other artists and designers in my industry has aided me greatly over the years because it’s given me an opportunity to learn from others and ask questions. I became fast friends with another creative in my industry, Ashton Brye of Ashton Creates, and we even just launched our first podcast together! It’s so special to be part of this project with her and to be making long form small business content in our podcast to help educate and inspire others. You can listen to the Art of Small on Spotify + Apple podcasts!
Take the Leap
One thing I really had to remember this year is that all my favorite small business owners and entrepreneurs that I look up to all had to start from somewhere. They all had to take a giant leap to get to the next step, to reach that milestone, to finally focus all their efforts on their business. I have been in two places at once for the last four years of my business. Constantly living in the in between, a balancing act of my full time job and trying to grow my small business. It was exhausting and took a serious toll on my health, mentally and sometimes physically. I finally had to have an honest moment with myself, with my husband and family members, where I realized that it was never going to be the PERFECT time to quit my job and go all in on my business. I just had to go for it. If I was going to be able to continue growing and scaling my business, I knew I couldn’t keep doing it alongside my full time job. SO while it was a scary decision to make in the moment, I’m so glad I did it. So whatever decision you’re contemplating right now in your business, just remember that all great entrepreneurs have to make a leap at some point, so don’t miss out on yours!
There’s so much to be learned in the world of small business, and I think the beauty of entrepreneurship is that you become a permanent student. You’re constantly learning and evolving and there’s always an opportunity to do something new or try something different. These were just a few of the many things I learned this past year, and I can’t wait to see what 2023 will bring.
What did you learn in 2022?
