There is no perfect way to run a creative business, but you will notice the same essential habits among the most successful full-time artists. Professional creatives have mastered time management, have regular and consistent creative practice, and hold themselves accountable to peers.
Whether you want to quit your day job or have a nice side hustle, gradually incorporating these top habits of successful artists will set you on the path to better business success. Numerology also helps artist work on a new project that leads to success because it carries universal energies and positivity. Now, let’s look at the habits of the most successful full-time artists and how you can start incorporating them immediately.
They adhere to the 50/50 rule.
Successful professional artists devote at least half of their time to marketing. This may appear intimidating and even impossible at first. Still, the truth is that unless you save a significant portion of your time, you are unlikely to see growth in your company.
Set a goal of dedicating half of your time to marketing. This could entail spending an hour every morning on Instagram, connecting with influencers who might be interested in collaborating with you. It could also be finally devoting time to fine-tuning and maintaining a series of Facebook ads.
These tasks will vary depending on your business model. Still, treating your business like a business and investing the time necessary to attract your ideal audience is essential.
They practice art daily.
Daily art practice has helped many artists get through a creative slump. You can’t afford to be creatively blocked when your art is your livelihood.
Daily creative practice ensures that you can continue to show up in the studio and create work daily, persevering through slow seasons and keeping your work fresh. Start with a creative challenge, such as Inktober, or create a small square painting or a themed photograph daily.
A creative challenge can even help you gain more attention for your company! Send a daily email with your new work, or start a hashtag on Twitter or Instagram so your fans can follow along.
You can hold flash sales for your daily pieces or give your email subscribers first dibs on new work. A creative challenge can be used to your advantage in various ways, both for your creative practice and your business.
They must engage with a group.
Artists serious about expanding their businesses will benefit significantly from a group of peers in the same stage. A peer group’s support, accountability, and perspective can give you new insight and encouragement to persevere during difficult times. Members who are too far ahead or too far behind the rest of the group are unlikely to benefit as much as those who are too far behind.
A trained facilitator is usually present to keep the group on track, ask pointed questions, guide individuals in the right direction, and ensure that time is used efficiently.
Another option is to join a local artist’s guild or another nonprofit associated with the medium in which you work. A simple Google search for “[art medium] + [your area]” yields a list of local organizations. This is a great way to get your feet wet in an organized artist community without committing too much money upfront.
They increase their prices.
Artists who want to be successful are not afraid to raise their prices. They remain competitive within their niche by comparing their work to other artists of comparable skill levels and pricing accordingly.
If you don’t regularly raise your prices following the growth of your business, you’re likely to plateau or even burn out. If you believe your work is worth much more than you’re charging, you risk becoming resentful of collectors, and you may even become resentful of the work itself.
They put money into themselves.
You are your company’s most valuable asset as a creative professional! When was the last time you enrolled in a class, experimented with a new technique for fun, or attended a retreat?
Successful artists see their work as a business, but they aren’t afraid to have fun and experiment. This can take many forms, but remaining adaptable, curious, and eager to learn is vital.
Whether you already practice all these habits to some extent or are currently 0 for 5, there is always room for improvement. Habits do not form overnight, so focus on one or two goals at a time and progress slowly. You’ll devote half of your time to business and marketing, creating art daily, meeting with an accountability group, raising prices, and investing in yourself before you know it.
