An open letter to creative makers and artists who are frustrated with trying to get consistent sales

Isn't it so stressful and overwhelming?

You can't translate views into sales. People aren't buying your stuff.
You can't do all the things you think you need to do. You're spreading yourself too thin.
You can't figure out how to get a wider reach and gain access to your customers who will buy your work.
So you feel confused, you're losing your confidence and you just try to figure things out. You keep running on that hamster wheel but you just end up chasing your tail. You work without reward.

And in the back of your mind, you think you have no other choice.

But what if I said you're wrong?

In fact, what if I got on the phone with you and helped you redesign your creative business so that you leap out of bed in the morning to steady sales and a self-sufficient business?

I know you don't believe it's possible, but listen…

I used to be just like you

I had no direction or focus.

I did craft shows, I posted in online forums, I was on Facebook and Twitter.

I was doing giveaways and I was blogging.

I lost money doing Google adwords.

I was trying to do it all and I was flailing and failing.

I was basically a slave to a business that didn't even make me close to minimum wages.

It sucked, but I did everything I thought I had to so I could to make more sales and get my business off the ground.

Many times, I thought about quitting and go out to the real world for a real job.

My boyfriend at the time (now husband) didn't even have my back. My family didn't support me either.

They thought I was just having fun playing boss in my hobby business.

They kept asking me when I would finally find that real job.

But then something happened, after my first year in business:

My husband sat me down and asked me frankly but gently, “what are you doing?”

I was working full time hours every day, spinning my wheels with nothing to show.

That conversation that day changed me. I felt so guilty that I had nothing to contribute to my family.

So, after a lot of thought and soul-searching, I started to create a strategy.

Here's what no one has the courage to tell you

There's a lot of advice floating on the internet on how you need to:

be on Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Tumblr
start a blog
do promoted Facebook posts
send newsletters
join Facebook groups
work on your SEO

Well, they're not going to save you.

Sure, being everywhere helps with getting exposure. Yes, I absolutely recommend doing all of the above in your marketing.

But by themselves they are not enough.

As long as you don't know how to get in front of the right people, you'll never find serious buyers who have any intentions of purchasing and you won't move forward.

You don't want to put your business on the backburner, but you don't have focus, you don't have a plan and you don't have orders coming in.

You feel like a slave to marketing because you don't have enough time to create and be creative.

The concern I had with my consulting session with Mei, of course, is not seeing a "return" on the money I paid. But obviously, I paid it twice in one week, because Mei's feedback and insights were so valuable to me. Before our first call, I felt frazzled, without direction and unsure of where to spend my time in business. Afterwards, I felt equipped with a roadmap with attainable goals in the last quarter of the year, very specific direction on Facebook marketing, email pop-up fix to be made, and content creation.

I've found new confidence, clarity and enthusiasm for my future in business.

I loved your personal warmth and genuine interest in my brand, my story and where you could help. I felt like you took ownership in my success, and treated me with respect & seriousness as a fellow business-woman. I loved your attention to detail in knowing my numbers, appropriate goals and breaking down my current posts on social media. I appreciated so much your time in curating our long discussion into a cohesive email recap afterwards. I'm so thankful to have had a couple hours of conversation with you, and will certainly be able to credit the coming growth to that time together.
- Wendy Valderrama, Hemmed In, LLC
September 15, 2015

You have no idea if you're taking the right steps in the right direction.

But you're in control.

You can decide for yourself what to do with your time. You decide what you work on. You're making products that you love.

Personally, I take a few hours off every evening to cook a nice meal for us (I love cooking). I take time off to watch Game of Thrones or Downton Abbey and even have some leftover time to play a few video games or read a book before bedtime.

The rest of the time, I'm working in my home office, doing work I love, building a business that can support me even when I'm not in the office. It's wonderful!

But the truth?

This is NOT for everyone

Not even close.

Some people think they already know everything or that they can do it all themselves. But they wonder why they aren't making more sales yet.
Some people live in dinosaur ages and are promoting their business based on strategies that worked 5-10 years ago but no longer do now.
Some people believe that if they create beautiful art, people will come and buy it. Unfortunately, if you build it, they will not come.

But maybe you're different.

Maybe you believe so strongly in your goals, dreams and visions for your life and business and you're open to getting some direction.

Maybe you know you want to give this at least one good shot (or one more). Maybe in the back of your mind, you know you’ll look back on your life one day and regret it if you don’t try.

But you just don't know how to do it.

I was admittedly overwhelmed. I got more from our call than I even expected! I set out thinking that I would get some pricing advice, and I received that, but I also go amazing advice on marketing. I left the call with a clear list of to-do's and had a few "ah-ha" moments about my current marketing tactics.

The call helped me to relax and get clear about things that I am doing well and areas that need more attention.
The biggest thing that I learned from Mei is how to target my ideal customer. The call helped me to realize that I was focusing energy showcasing my product to viewers that were probably not interested in buying my signs. I now have a clearer vision of who I would like to be purchasing my signs and how to make my marketing more specific.
- Stephanie Schurkens, Darling Savage Designs

August 7, 2015

Questions, Questions, Questions

Since I made the leap into running my jewelry business full time, a lot of people have asked me questions like…

How do you make multiple sales in a day?
How do I grow my Instagram following?
How do I know if I'm pricing my products correctly?
How did you figure out which were the best marketing strategies?
How did you do it all yourself?

And I'm happy to answer all those questions, but here's what you really need to know:

There's not a “one size fits all” answer.

Some people have a job and only run their business on the side. Others have enough money saved up to go cold turkey and work full time on their business.

Some people have supportive families or a second income in the household. Other's don't and need to operate alone or save money for a year before they take the leap.

Some people make jewelry, while others make greeting cards.

The big question isn't, “How can I copy Mei (or someone else)?”

The question is, “What's the right path for YOU?”

Granted, it's a hard question, because there are SO many different answers (some wrong and some right).

That's why having a consultant that's committed to your success to help you think through the process can be so valuable.

After our call I felt like I had a solid plan of action, and satisfied because many of my questions had been answered.

My only regret is that we had only an hour to speak, because I had so many more questions for you! You are so lovely to speak with - I feel like we could've chatted for hours!

The biggest thing I realized was that I need to put "Ukrainian" back into my tag line! I did some soul searching after our call about it, and knew that I had to refocus on this as a main theme for my work. It is, after all, why I started my business! So, thank you Mei, for putting me back on my course!

One result I got from talking with you was the "autopilot Instagram strategy" (to use your words!). It's a strategy that is achievable for me because of the clear steps and realistic time commitment.
- Melanie Ferguson, Mella Bella Designs
September 1, 2015

Here's how I can help you

Would you like to know the specific steps you need to take to make consistent sales in your business?

Would you like for someone who's been there and done that to tell you exactly what's easiest to do?

The internet is awesome in that there's so much free advice but every five minutes someone's talking about something new or different.

Would you like to just tell someone about your unique situation and get their honest opinion and make a marketing plan just for you?

Well, here's the deal:

Over the next 30 days, I'm going to help five people create a marketing plan for making consistent sales. If you'd like to be one of them, I'll create a custom-tailored roadmap designed specifically for you. You'll get:

Your custom made marketing and social media plan – what strategies to skip and what to focus on so you can fast track your progress and push forward
Specific action steps on what to do next for ramping up sales in your side business or current full time or part time business – avoid overwhelm and stress
My 100% honesty and total access to my brain and how I run my own handmade business – learn from someone who’s been there and done that
My secret vault of resources to use in your biz – apps, services, tools, programs, tutorials, videos and people that will make your life easier
Feedback on your website or current marketing efforts and steps to make it work better for you
The top 2-4 areas you should focus on to see the fastest growth in your business

By the time we're finished, you'll know exactly what to do and exactly what to expect. Instead of just dreaming about making a steady income and selling more online, you'll also have a roadmap for making it all a reality.

You'll be closer to getting back that joy you used to feel that made you start creating in the first place.

You'll feel that weight lifting off your shoulders.

You'll have pride in knowing there are people buying your things and it feels so rewarding. Everything would go your way.

It'll be magical and it'll feel blissful.

How much does it cost?

Not as much as it should.

Because listen:

Nothing is more expensive than the advice you don't take.

If you don't talk with me, you might be fabulously successful, but you'll probably go through some rough times first. You'll keep running in circles with conflicting information, you'll waste time on strategies that aren't right for your business, your pricing is set up incorrectly, or any number of other common mistakes.

It'll cost you thousands of dollars in wasted time, expenses and lost income.

By talking with me though, I'd like to think I can help you avoid at least some of those mistakes. No, I can't save you from all the headaches from being in business for yourself, but if I can save you from just one, you'll save 10-50 times what I charge you for my advice.

With that in mind, the price is $250. And I'm only taking on five clients at the end of every month.

You're also protected by my full money back guarantee.

Before the call with Mei I felt overwhelmed and was always wondering "did they get the email", "why aren't they responding", "do they like my stuff".

I've gained confidence with my sales and media pitches. I also now have a great follow up plan that Mei helped me with. I'm moving forward and already got responses from wholesale stores, magazines and blogs to feature me.

Mei shared with me a resource that's been a major game changer for me. It's given me back hours of my life!
- Vy La, Vy La and Co.
August 7, 2015

My guarantee: you'll be overjoyed with my advice, or you pay nothing

By the time we finish together, I guarantee you'll understand exactly what you need to do. You'll have a realistic timeline for making it all happen.

But if you're not satisfied?

I'll give you your money back. All of it. No questions asked.

Just email me within 30 days, and I'll issue you a complete refund.

Why?

Because I'm here to help you. If you don't feel like my advice is worth 10 times the price, you shouldn't have to pay.

Cool?

All right then, here's what to do next:

Here's what to do next

Click the buy now button below to pay for your strategy session together.

I'm only scheduling to speak with five clients in the last week of every month. Act quickly to get on my calendar this month or you'll have to wait for next month, if it isn't already filled up:

Claim 1 of 5 Spots Today for $250

When the payment goes through, you'll be emailed a PDF questionnaire and steps to book your call with me.

We'll talk for one hour.

Afterward, I'll email your plan to you within three business days.

In case you're wondering, the payment process is completely secure.

Also, you do NOT need an account to process the payment. You can use your debit or credit card or Paypal account, just like you would on any other website.

Simple enough?

Here's the payment button:

Claim 1 of 5 Spots Today for $250

Warning: I'm serious about only accepting five clients

Once all five spots are filled, you'll have to wait a month before we can chat. I may also need to raise prices (I've already raised it once before).

Why?

Because I'm a jewelry maker with a business of my own. I also didn't start Creative Hive to solely be a consulting business.

As much as I love helping other artists, I still have to get my own creative work done.

The point?

If this is of interest to you, go ahead and sign up. It's only $250. You'll get that back in a few extra sales.

If it's not for you though, that's also totally fine. No pressure.

The choice is yours.

Here's the payment button one more time:

Claim 1 of 5 Spots Today for $250

Talk with you soon,

Mei