10 Launch Tips for
Your New A Makers’ Studio Business
A Makers’ Studio empowers the contemporary creative woman to make a difference in homes and hearts as she leads her community in crafting a beautiful and inspired life.
Congratulations! Not that long ago, you made the momentous decision to change your life and become a Maker with A Makers’ Studio! We are absolutely thrilled to have you as part of our Maker family. Hopefully you have worked through your GreatStart Guide and you’re well into the first 30 days of your SuccessGuide.
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One of the most important things you will do in these initial weeks is hold your first Creative Gatherings. At these workshops, you will show others the joy of creating their own DIY decor with A Makers’ Studio. In the process, you will also become more familiar with your products and more comfortable with leading Gatherings. Your Gatherings are easy to set up and lead using the materials in your MakerOffice. There you will you find step-by-step guides, Powerpoint presentations, and marketing materials to help you share all of the exciting products you offer at Creative Gatherings.
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Now is the time to really and truly get started by launching your exciting new endeavor. This means holding an official “grand opening” for your Makers’ Studio business. At A Makers’ Studio, your grand opening period is a time frame of about 90 days. As you work through the SuccessGuides, you will see how your launch is a process of becoming more confident as a business owner and growing your customer base. To support this launch period, we recommend having eight Creative Gatherings on your calendar within the first 30 – 60 days. These can be In-Person Gatherings, Virtual Gatherings, or a combination of both. The important thing is to fill your schedule. The most successful businesses are those that create momentum very early on.
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Here are the top ten things you will want to do as you hold your first events and officially launch your business. You are about to embark on a journey towards reaching some of your biggest dreams, and we can’t wait to see you realize them! But before you get into your launch – relax! This is the number one thing you must do! Remind yourself that your guests are going to be excited to attend your workshops and complete the project they selected. You are the Maker and they will be interested to learn from you and hear about all the possibilities for projects they can create at home. The most important thing you can do is have an enjoyable time yourself – this will create an atmosphere of ease and fun for your guests, too! Be yourself and remember that your workshops are also a new thing for your guests. They have never been to anything like this before and will be eager to learn more about A Makers’ Studio!
Help enough people get what it is they want, and you will get what you want. –Zig Ziglar 7
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Think of your first 90 days in business as your official launch. Treat each of your Creative Gatherings as grand opening events where you introduce your circle of family and friends to your new business. Let your Creative Gathering attendees know that they are helping you launch your company. They’ll be as excited as you are an quite supportive! Don’t be shy about letting your Creative Gathering attendees know that you are new to the business. This will help you feel more at ease as you walk through your first presentations. It’s amazing how much people love helping others, and you can be sure that your guests will want to assist you in any way they can! Make your grand opening GRAND! You will likely be your very first Host, so we suggest rolling out the “red carpet.” Think about decorating with festive items like balloons and using party plates and napkins to serve your refreshments. Write notes to each of your guests after the Creative Gathering to thank them for helping you get started. These are the little things that will help make your event just a little more celebratory and special. Keep the celebration going after your personal Creative Gathering! You can bring balloons and other decor to the next few Gatherings, and even provide partyware for your Hosts. While you might have picked up these extra supplies at your local dollar store, they will make a big first impression worth so much more. The fun atmosphere will inspire others to Host Creative Gatherings of their own! Think about picking up a small bouquet of flowers and presenting them to your Host at the beginning of your presentation. This kind gesture shows your Host – and her friends and family – that you truly appreciate their support of your new business. Purchase a “little something” to raffle off for those who book future Creative Gatherings. You may want to consider “DIY-worthy” items that can be purchased at your local thrift store for a couple of dollars… trays, vases, flower pots, or even small wood boxes. This will give you a terrific opportunity to talk about what A Makers’ Studio products you would use to create beautiful treasures out of your secondhand finds. It will also show your attendees the many possibilities of what they can create with the product line!
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Don’t reinvent the wheel. We’ve made it simple to get started with your business and easy to see early success. Use the tools we provide to your advantage. Most of them were developed by Amy herself! Everything you need to do at your Creative Gathering is defined inside your Gathering Guide. You will know what to say, how much time to spend on each part of the project, and even how to encourage booking and sponsoring new Makers. Your Powerpoint presentation, which is used throughout your workshop, helps to prompt and guide you every step of the way. We know you will be excited about the sales (and income!) you generate from your first Creative Gatherings. However, the most important thing when you are first getting is started is not necessarily just earning – you must focus on booking future events. Make sure you discuss this goal with your Hosts as you help them understand their role at the event. Let them know that they receive even more fantastic benefits when others book a date from their Gathering. If you are properly explaining the importance of future bookings to your business, your Host may even have bookings lined up by the time you arrive to prep the space. Again, remember how much people love helping others! Every Gathering you do will help you to feel more confident as a Creative and a business owner. To reinforce this, we recommend that you take some time to evaluate your first several workshops. After each of your Creative Gatherings, reflect on what you can do at your next one to help it run smoother. For example, think about which part ran a little longer than you would have preferred. What product information might you want to better understand before your next Creative Gathering? It isn’t about identifying things that went wrong. It’s simply a worthy exercise to “hone” your skills and feel even more like a Master Maker at each Gathering. Last, but certainly not least, make sure you are in touch with your Leader after each of your first five or ten events. They will be there to give you advice, guidance, and support wherever you may need it. Remember, your Leader was once a new Maker, so they know exactly how you feel!
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All of us at the Home Office are so excited for you! We look forward to watching your business grow and flourish. We will be right here beside you, cheering you on, every step of the way!
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