How to grow your creative business in your first year - the full guide

A strategy for your first year is vital, with specific targets or goals for audience growth, sales and PR.

Once you have a strategy you can put plans in place, and can start taking steps to grow your business.

Here are 9 tips to help you grow your creative business in the first year:

• Build your audience with people that love what you do

You know your target audience, so you can tailor your marketing and sales efforts to reach them. Building an email list is one of my most favoured ways of reaching people, followed by online advertising (targeted with measurable results) and PR opportunities (raising your profile and creating brand recognition). Social media can be a great organic way to build an audience, but make sure you don’t spread yourself too thinly – focussing on one channel and doing it well is better than trying to do 3 or 4 and being inconsistent.

• Create a strong brand

Your brand is what will set you apart from the competition. It's important to create a strong brand that reflects your unique style and personality. Your brand should be consistent across all of your marketing materials, from your website to your social media profiles. If you launched with the basics, year one is the time to start expanding on this and getting known within your niche.

• Provide excellent customer service

Customer service is essential for any business, but it's especially important for creative businesses. Your customers are your lifeblood, so you need to make sure they're happy with the products or services you provide. Go above and beyond to meet their needs and exceed their expectations. Gather as many testimonials as possible from satisfied customers to help build trust and credibility.

• Network with other businesses

Networking is a great way to meet potential customers, partners, and investors. Attend industry events, join online forums, and connect with other businesses on social media. The more people you know, the more opportunities you'll have to grow your business.

• Stay up-to-date with industry trends

The creative industry is constantly changing. Read industry publications, attend conferences, and follow thought leaders on social media. The more you know about the industry, the better equipped you'll be to make decisions that will help your business grow. It doesn’t have to mean that you conform to trends at all, by all means stand out by doing things your own way, but being aware of what is going on in your industry is vital.

• Build a strong online presence.

In today's digital age, it's essential to have a strong online presence. Spending time working on creating great online content via your blog or something like Substack or your own email list increases the likelihood of you getting found by your potential clients.

• Offer high-quality products or services.

Of course, no one is going to want to buy your products or services if they're not high quality. Make sure you offer products or services that are well-made, exquisitely thought-through and meet the needs of your target audience. This doesn’t have to equate to being the most expensive, simply that you are providing the very best on offer within your niche.

• Invest in your business. 

In order to grow your business, you need to invest in it. This could mean investing in professional photography, new equipment, software, or marketing materials. It could also mean investing in your own skills with coaching, training or development opportunities. Prioritise your spending on the things that will allow growth in year one on your existing offerings (ie don’t pursue developing new products or offerings until you are selling your existing ones effectively UNLESS they are not selling at all and you need to revisit your business strategy entirely).

• Be patient and persistent. 

Don’t let fear of failure hold you back. Growing a business takes time and effort. There will be setbacks along the way, but if you are patient and persistent and listen to your customers, you will eventually achieve success.

•  Be money savvy.

The income of creative businesses can be unpredictable, which can make it difficult to plan for the future or make financial decisions. Seeking investment and/or saving as much as you can to begin with will allow you to get through the peaks and troughs that inevitably come with a first year of business. It can help to add 20% onto all your cost projections as a safety net until you learn what your true costs are in Year 2.