Need some guidance for reviewing your Q4 sales, communications, and overall efforts?

Fourth quarter is the busiest sales time of year for big box and small retailers alike. Many artists, crafters, makers, and designers find themselves overwhelmed by all of the activity, last minute sales and commissions, not to mention personal obligations that come in October, November, and December.

You might recall this topic from Episode 05. Get Organized in Your Business with this Sales Tracking Process for Creatives.

In Episode 05, I outline a sales tracking process you can use every quarter to review your sales from the previous quarter.

In today's episode, use the same process to review your efforts in the previous quarter — the decisions you made, the energy you put into your communications with your fanbase. It's also a chance to see what’s worth repeating or stopping as you move forward!

Next steps:

1. Listen to Episode 05. Get Organized in Your Business with this Sales Tracking Process for Creatives.

A common challenge we all experience with New Year's goal setting is figuring out how to sustain that energy and intention beyond the start of the year.

You’ve seen those ads or memes about the new exercise bike or treadmill blending in with the furniture, being used as a clothes rack because over time, those exercise goals either change or fade away.

Today, let’s talk about your plan for making your new years goals stick.

You’ve got the goals, the intentions, the vision.

Now lets get you a follow through plan and sustain your current level of enthusiasm at the start of the year over the next twelve months.

Referenced in this episode:

1. Join the Community for support and accountability in 2025! bit.ly/ArtBusinessCommunity

2. Listen to Episode 3: 8 Guiding Principles for Brave Creative Work

3. Introduction to Chelsi Jo Moore's Time Blocking Method

Hearing or reading about economic trends and predictions might cause you to think a little differently about how you’re doing things in your business. And how to prepare for uncertainty and change...

After all, if you’re a commercial artist, designer, or creative business owner, get this – your customers are part of the economic trends you’re hearing about.

So today I’m going over some of some buyer trends that are predicted for 2025 that might apply to you depending on where you are in the world – or more importantly, where your customers are in the world...

I’ll break down my interpretation of what they mean and give you some actionable insights for your business in the new year.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.
3. Listen to Episode ​​04. How to Use AI to Increase Productivity as a Self-Employed Artist, Designer, or Creative Business Owner.

A new year is on the horizon. Pretty soon you’ll be starting a new semester of learning, testing, and growing in your creative business. But before that semester begins, let’s kick off this episode with a Pop quiz!

Question: A self-employed artist wants to earn more in the year ahead. Should she:

1. Have a revenue-ready plan that will lead to higher earning potential
2. Asses the areas in which she wants to grow to see what’s working and what is not
3. Raise her prices for services, product offerings and artwork
4. Stop doing things that take energy but don’t increase revenue
5. All of the above.

That’s right, it’s E. All of the above!

Today we’re talking about earning more in 2025. I know you’re ready for it. I know you’re here for this. So let’s get into it.

particularly overwhelming. There are a lot of overlapping priorities.

You’re wrapping up work, business, project commitments, commissions... You’re trying to make sales while gearing up for a new year with a desire to do things differently in your business.

On top of all of that, you might have family commitments that require your attention – whether you’re keeping young children occupied while they’re out of school, caring for older parents who need extra support.

Maybe you’re somewhere in the middle, with young adult children coming back home and you’re hosting them. There are expectations and dynamics to navigate.

End-of-year to-do's can cause a lot of stress.

In today's episode, I'm providing you with strategies to help you turn overwhelm and anxiety into productivity and presence.

(Not presents... but that would be pretty cool, right?)

Tune in and see how you can move through any overwhelm you might be experiencing this week, to a more productive and peaceful place.

Next Steps:

1. Reach out to Heather to make a custom Revenue Ready Plan you'll stick to, today! Simply email Heather@HeatherAllenOnline.com to get started.
2. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
3. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Calling all workaholics! For creative small business owners, the end of year rush is particularly overwhelming. There are a lot of overlapping priorities.

You’re wrapping up work, business, project commitments, commissions... You’re trying to make sales while gearing up for a new year with a desire to do things differently in your business.

On top of all of that, you might have family commitments that require your attention – whether you’re keeping young children occupied while they’re out of school, caring for older parents who need extra support.

Maybe you’re somewhere in the middle, with young adult children coming back home and you’re hosting them. There are expectations and dynamics to navigate.

End-of-year to-do's can cause a lot of stress.

In today's episode, I'm providing you with strategies to help you turn overwhelm and anxiety into productivity and presence.

(Not presents... but that would be pretty cool, right?)

Tune in and see how you can move through any overwhelm you might be experiencing this week, to a more productive and peaceful place.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Today’s episode is the second in the series, and it’s all about the customer’s point of view.

If you're ready for more commission sales in 2025, then put on your customer hat (maybe it’s a fuzzy red and white hat for the holidays) and think about the custom commission process from the buyer’s point of view.

Here's the common challenges with this. As sellers, it doesn’t always come naturally to see your own business from your customer’s point of view.

In this episode, I walk through the customer's search and decision-making process when it comes to commissioning custom art and design.

From there, I give you guidance for what you need to share with prospects through your website, social, blog, email, etc. to get them primed for their purchase.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

Okay, here’s a common scenario:

Someone out of the blue contacts you or stops by your booth at an art fair. They’re curious about how much it might cost if they hired you to make something for them. They want to know what the cost of a commission is.

So what do you say?

While it might be tempting to give them a solid number up front, doing so might actually limit you in the long run.

Or worse, it might cause them to ghost you if they’re making a quick decision off of limited information.

In this two-episode series, we’re talking about what it takes to get quality information out of a prospect without overwhelming them.

In the next episode (Episode 16), the second part of the series, we’ll discuss the appropriate level of detail and information you should share with prospective buyers upfront to make their decision-making process easier.

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.

If you're curious about what it takes to start and maintain a paid membership community as part of your business offerings, today I’m chatting with just the gal for you.

Since 2004, Christine Mighion has been hand crafting each piece of jewelry in her Northern Indiana studio. Using gold, silver, semi-precious and precious stones, her line is a balanced vision of organic and modern. Imperfections and irregularities that mimic the course of nature greatly inspire Christine. Her jewelry has been featured in numerous national and international fashion and lifestyle magazines including Lucky, Shape, Vogue, and The Knot.

To serve her community of fellow jewelry artists, Christine launched the Slowmade Podcast in November 2023 and the Slowmade Collective later the following year. Through engaging conversations and shared experiences, the Slowmade Podcast and Collective provides a space for learning and growth, helping jewelry artists navigate the challenges and triumphs of building meaningful, sustainable businesses. Find Christine Mighion online here: https://christinemighion.com https://slowmadepodcast.com https://instagram.com/christinemighion

Next Steps:

1. Find more information at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com.
2. Buy a copy of the book "Let Your Creativity Work for You: How to Turn Artwork into Opportunity" by Heather Allen, MGIM-MBA at www.HeatherAllenOnline.com/book.