You gotta have a plan, man!

One thing that always makes me shake my head in disbelief is the sheer amount of businesses operating without a plan. A lot of artists shy away from the business side of selling their crafts. I am really not sure why. There are very few things more creative than sitting down and dreaming about tomorrow. That is really what your plan is, your dreams and visions of the future put down in writing. A plan, like an ever evolving work of art, is fluid, always changing and growing into something better and more beautiful.

Right Brain Business Plan e-book by artizencoaching

The first and perhaps most important plan you will make is your business plan. I have adapted the standard plan to fit into the artist niche. Most likely you will not be using your plan to attain outside funding (though if you are, a standard plan like the ones found here will help), but more as a personal road map to keep your business on track. Many people think a plan will limit their business,that by just taking things as they come they leave the door open to all possibilities. In truth, not having a plan limits your business more. There are many opportunities you will never discover if you don't actively seek them out. There are also many opportunities that will fall in your lap that you may be unable to take advantage of without a plan.

A business plan consists of four parts. The first part is a basic overview of your business. This is where you stand now in terms of marketing, competition, and focus. I like to read over this part and update it quarterly after I do my taxes. The second part is the financial side of things. In a traditional plan this usually focuses on loans and outside financing. Most artists are self financed, so for our purposes this is a bit more personal. We are our businesses, it is not a separate entity from ourselves. This is one of the most vital parts of our plan as it will allow us to operate in the green and avoid costly mistakes. The third part of the plan is your marketing plan. This is exactly what it sounds like, your map to marketing. The fourth and final part is the projections section. This is your long term goals, ranging from 1-5 years. Using the other elements of the plan, you will be able to make realistic goals and have the framework in place for achieving them.

About once a year you will sit down and revise your entire plan. This is a great way to see how much you have achieved over the preceding twelve months. You will most likely have to adjust your future projections, moving some things around, adding things, and even deleting things. I personally find planning a chore yet very exciting. When I hold it in my hands still warm from the printer I can't help but feel like I hold the world in my hands. A little silly? Maybe. Yet it is true. With my plan their is nothing I can't do. Economic downturn? Planned for that. My best show is canceled? That's okay, I have a plan for that too. Sleepless nights? Nope, because I have nothing to worry about as long as I have my plan. Giant boom in business? You betcha, and I know exactly how to handle it, thanks to my plan.

Over the next couple of weeks we will be exploring the above four sections. We will cover what to put in each section, why it is important, how you can use it to your benefit, and a sample plan so you can see what one looks like. We will also cover how to finance your business without going in the hole. If there are any questions, ask them in the comments and I will do my best to answer them.

may your business prosper!