This quote is from a truly excellent article on The Holborn, written by founder of Hiut Denim Co. David Hieatt. The article – Ten Lessons from a Maker (This site/resource is no longer available) – was shared by one of my Set Up Shop students in our private class forum (thanks Rachel!) and it is a must-read for makers.
I could probably put most of the ten lessons on separate MotiBrights – but I pulled this one out because not only was it number one – it’s the very thing most makers struggle with the most when starting out.
I wrote about this topic very recently – that, when you’re starting out, marketing really must be your first priority for a LONG time. And it never ends. You’re never done marketing – it’s something you need to work on – dilligently – every. single. day.
There is no way around this. No short-cut. It is your job to tell the world about what you create, because no-one is going to do it for you.
You need to spread the word – whether that be via social media (This site/resource is no longer available), blogging, pitching your products to blogs and other media for a feature, markets, a mailing list (This site/resource is no longer available), selling in shops – there are many ways to tell the world about what you do. But there is NO way to become successful without doing so.
Stop thinking that your only job as a maker is making things. It’s not.
If you love making things, but you don’t love (or even kinda like) the business side of running a business…. don’t start a business.
Just keep making things for the sheer love of it, and work out another way to make a dollar.
