All right, this is going to make you a little mad but it’s oh-so-important that you read this!  I hear this subject come up far too often and I know it’s at the root of what holds so many of us back.

Here’s the thing: we all start teeny tiny small with our studio in our kitchen and working in between nap times, full-time jobs, and dinner.  We all start as hobbyists, tinkerers, enthusiasts, etc. We pay for our supplies with coupons and sell at tiny craft fairs like little kids with lemonade stands.

But guess what, you are NOT that anymore!

You are a professional, an artisan, and a guru.  You know SO much about your craft.  You are bursting with talent.  You have a skill unlike most people.

So why aren’t you shouting that from the rooftops and blasting it on your website?

If you think of yourself as a hobbyist it will hold you back big time.  Consider this: when someone introduces themselves to you, which pitch sounds cooler.

“I sew kids’ clothes.”

or

“I create sustainable, eco-friendly children’s clothing that is not only adorable but can be passed down from one bundle of joy to another.”

The confidence in the second introduction makes you interested.  You want to know more about what they do and where you can find their work.

By taking yourself professionally, others will too!  So many of us hide what we do.  It’s as if we’re embarrassed to admit what we love to do and how we make a living.  But guess what?  Most people would LOVE to do what you do!  They’re scared to take the steps you’ve taken, though.  They’re terrified to go from a ‘normal job’ to a fulfilling, unusual, invigorating job.  If you shine with confidence about what you do, you not only benefit your business, but you inspire other people to follow their dreams.

I can hear your objections already:

  • “But I’m self-taught.  There’s no way I can call myself an artist.”  Guess what, so was Van Gogh.
  • “But my materials aren’t high-quality enough for me to charge the professional prices.”  Then it’s time to buy the high-quality materials!  You need to think about what price point you want to sell at and how you want others to view you.  If you want your customers to shell out the money you want, you need to prove you’re not some scammy lady hawking wares taken from a Taiwanese boat.
  • “But my studio is only my kitchen.”  No one needs to know that!  Besides, if you really want that gorgeous, skylit studio, that’s a great goal to work toward.  (Believe me, I’m making more than ever this year and my studio is in my kitchen next to my fridge.  I chose to keep this small space so that I could have more expensive, adventurous trips with my boyfriend.)

My goal for all of you today is to say out loud, “I am a professional ______.”  Make up a term for yourself and begin to identify with that term.  For me, I’m a pen and ink virtuoso.  I’m Premium Megan.

Once you identify yourself as this professional artisan, others will too because it will show in your copy, in your photography, in your speech, even in the way you carry yourself in public.

So, I want to know…what type of professional are you?  Leave me a comment below!  I can’t wait to see what you are.

{Featured image via 30 Media}