6 Small Business Mistakes To Avoid

I've been working on my small business for a long time now but decided to focus more seriously on it for the last 2 years. That being said, I can see more clearly now what I've been doing wrong and right in the past and really learn from it. That is why I decided to share with you some of my mistakes so you could also benefit from my learning curve.

1. Jumping on every opportunity

I would do everything remotely related to my niche. Do you want a portrait of your grandma and her dog? I'd do it. Any Art Fair in existence looking for vendors? I'll be there.

What I would get from these experiences would be mostly disappointment.

Why?

Doing everything implies not researching the audience, who your ideal customer is, and probably dissatisfaction with the outcome. For me, doing commissions such as family portraits was utterly boring and low-paid. So I would spend many hours working on a piece I don't enjoy working on, and wouldn't even be paid properly. This is how some people might start growing resentment towards a certain craft and stop doing it all.

Something else in that category I used to do is going to any Art Market there was under the sun. Each market has a different audience and not all types of visitors would be interested in my kind of products. I used my experience to determine where my type of customers would go and which type of art fairs they would visit - so I could just join those, and not waste any more time and money on events that don't serve me.

2. Not thinking about packaging too much

In the beginning, I didn't really care about packaging all too much. It didn't even cross my mind at all!

Once I ordered from a small local brand and I received my product just in the carrier plastic packaging, not even a business card in there, and even though I received the product I ordered, I felt kind of disappointed with the experience. This is when I started paying much more attention to packaging and such details, and I've noticed that a lot of people actually do. Careful presentation is a way for a business to show that they care and appreciate their customer.

Providing cute packaging and something extra is what makes you "overdeliver" in the eyes of your customer. This is always a bonus and one of the ways to help you keep them and convert them into returning customers!

3. Not charging enough

This one is a popular one. A lot of artists, not only beginners, would be afraid of charging what they're worth out of fear they would scare away their customers. Gaining confidence isn't always easy! But if someone has approached you for a project, that means that your work is good enough!

And remember, it is always better to do one higher-paid project, rather than 3 lower-paid ones and end up with the same amount of money in the end. You should include not only your product expenses in your rates but also your time and the time and years of experience you have invested in gaining the skills that you have. Think not only about the revenue but profit. Doing commissions is your job and this is how you make your living.

Working many hours and still struggling financially is also extremely frustrating and could put you off practising what you love. If you are still confused about pricing, you could do some research on what similar creators are charging or talk to people in the industry that you know. Getting useful information first-hand would be of great benefit. I have met many fellow artists at art fairs or through the internet, and we have exchanged some useful insights with each other over time. This has helped both sides get some inside scoop and adjust in order to be more successful.

4. Selling way too many items

This may sound a bit counteractive, but selling waaay too many different items at Art Fairs is a no-no for me. Your stand would be packed with different stuff, there wouldn't be enough space to arrange your products in a beautiful and logical way, which will just make your visitors overwhelmed and confused. You should be able to use white space to drive the customer's eyes through your nicely arranged items in a way that doesn't seem cramped. Arrangement plays a huge role when it comes to Art Fairs, and you should have this in mind. Present your stand in the best way possible by making it look as amazing as you possibly can!

5. Trying to follow trends

There are trends in everything - fashion, art, music etc. While they could be successful for low- effort TikTok videos, in my experience they haven't been great for a small art business. I would try and do something for a trend, the trend would pass in what feels like 5 minutes, and I would be left with a bunch of inventory that isn't selling.

I have learned that being your authentic self through what you are creating is the best way to keep your people around, be it paying customers or just fans of your work through social media.

6. Constantly comparing myself to others

Comparing yourself to others is both wrong when we talk about small business, and also in personal life. You would only see the best parts in the other person and omit their struggles. Which would make your difficulties seem more severe even if it is something a lot of people go through.

I don't want to repeat myself but being yourself through your art is why followers like you - because of your unique voice and craft. You don't know everything about other small businesses' inner workings and your guesses might not be correct. And then, when you compare yourself with them you are negatively comparing yourself with assumptions about the other business.

Of course, it is not a bad idea to do research and to check on others in the niche to see what they are doing. What I do is ask two questions:

• What am I doing that they are not?

• What are they doing that I am not?

*Make sure you don't fall into a trap and copy others' ideas.

I really hope this was helpful! Don't get discouraged if you feel like you've been doing something wrong, but use your experience as a teaching moment and benefit from it. No one was born all-knowledgeable, we all learn from the past, the key is to actively work on improving.