As an artist and small business owner you can no longer afford to be locked into static business practices or environments. Your market and competition are on the move: how ready are you to compete? This article describes how to use the mobile internet, apps and mobile-first content to free yourself so you can concentrate on what really matters: your art.
Why am I mobilizing?
Being mobile is an essential human quality of life requirement.
Mobilizing your art practice will give you a more balanced life, which for highly effective people is the main goal.
“To live a more balanced existence, you have to recognize that not doing everything that comes along is okay. There’s no need to overextend yourself. All it takes is realizing that it’s all right to say no when necessary and then focus on your highest priorities.” Stephen Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
Bringing a balance to my art business is exactly the same as bringing a balance to my life. In this sense—I am my business. My business is not a separate entity that will control me or get out of my control. So I have the power to say “no”, but what to?
What will I mobilize?
Having control of my art business matters!
I want to be free of restraint so that I can move in my intended direction. Not static. Not stuck. So what things am I going to mobilize (which have kept me stuck until this point):
- My studio practice (mobile apps, services and tools): to ensure I am always ready to work and continually improving my painting and drawing skills, wherever I am. I especially want to maximize the time I spend away from my studio in the field: travelling, plein air painting, gathering reference material, photography, recording and writing, working with other artists and running my exhibitions.
- My online presence (mobile-first content in websites and social media): so that I can promote and run my business while I am on the move with the minimum of effort.
- My customers (through mCommerce and mLearning): so that they can be mobile too. When they interact with me they will not be stuck with traditional ways of doing business. In this way I am bringing real value to their lives by helping them to also mobilize their business.
What do I have to do to make this happen?
It’s more about what you have to stop doing.
Say “no”. Do nothing that is not helping you to mobilize your business. Stop overextending yourself. Stop writing unnecessary content, posting random blogs, tweeting, responding to endless social media feeds, updating web pages and website designs.
Stop all random publishing, responding and working online.
From now on think mobile-first. Ask “how will this help me to mobilize my art business?”. Prioritize those activities that have the greatest mobilizing impact. Those which:
- provide you with direct and immediate income;
- sell your artwork;
- clinch a deal (not just bring you leads);
- help you to marshal, bring together, prepare (power, force, wealth, resources, networks, content) for action;
- are responsive and capable of moving or being moved readily.
Beware of traditions. Those activities, mindsets and people who want to keep doing it the old way. These are now brakes on mobility.
Modularlize everything you do so that you invest your energy wisely and this investment can serve multiple purposes and can be mobilized.
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