3 Hidden Income Opportunities For Creative Business Owners
It’s the dream to make more money while doing less. While it’s not always that straightforward, many creative business owners are missing income opportunities already available to them. There are plenty of ways to increase your revenue with the customers you already have.
These simple strategies will help you make more money while being helpful to your clients.
Affiliate Marketing within the Customer Experience
Some creative entrepreneurs think that once you’ve booked a client, you’ve maxed out your opportunities for selling to them. This isn’t true. In fact, you can build income opportunities into your client experience with affiliate marketing. Amazon has an easy to use affiliate program that you can take advantage of.
If affiliate marketing to clients feels sleazy to you, consider this: It’s about providing solutions to people who are open to exploring more of your experience. They can take or leave it as they choose, but some people may find it really helpful and enriching.
One way I’ve built affiliate marketing into my customer experience is through blogging for my wedding photography business. For example, I have a blog post about Polaroid guest books. It includes information and affiliate links for everything from guest books and cameras to Polaroid printers. The blog post is framed as explaining why a Polaroid guest book is a great activity for a wedding but also includes helpful information on how much of what to order. That’s where the blog post goes from general content marketing to successful affiliate blogging. Your income opportunities lie in educating your audience and making it as easy as possible for them to know what and how much to purchase.
If you take the route of affiliate blogging, don’t be afraid to share those posts with clients at different touch points. Consider their timeline and share information at the corresponding points in the planning process for their project or needs. You can drastically increase your customers’ lifetime value.
Equipment Rentals for Extra Income
Another great way to generate additional income is by renting out your equipment. Whether you have tools, musical instruments, or even party supplies, you can earn some extra cash by renting them out to people who need them. You can also turn on your creative juices and create items that can be rented out—like decorative lettering for parties, floral archways for weddings, centerpieces, for receptions, etc.
This is a great option for people who are looking for income opportunities that have extra items laying around. It's also a great way to support a creative business. By renting out your equipment, you can help other people turn their ideas into reality. So, if you're looking for a way to make some extra money, consider renting out your equipment. It's a great option for everyone involved.
Affiliate Commission for Printed Materials
At one point or another, your clients will have need for printed materials. There’s no reason you can’t build affiliate marketing for this into your client experience. Just as Amazon has an affiliate program, you can earn commissions for invitations and other printed goods. Minted is one company that allows affiliates to earn up to 20% commission. When you book someone, your opportunities to provide them with helpful tools (and earn some money along the way) starts.
These income opportunities are a sure way to make your creative business more profitable without the added stress of booking way more clients.
Do you want more helpful advice on monetizing different aspects of your creative business? Check out my membership program, The Business Conservatory! This program was designed to provide ongoing education to help you build a solid foundation for your creative business.
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