What Is it You Do Really Well That You Could Charge Good Money for?
People often struggle to value what they do well, what comes easily to them, and what could be a marketable skill. This issue arises when clients (and when I) think about setting prices for our work. Clients say, “This comes so easily to me! Why would someone pay me to do this?” Or my favorite, “This is so much fun! I feel bad charging people for it.”
How can you package what you do as a marketable skill?
In my final day job advice video (below), I’m suggesting you look around your creative practice and see what you do well, that comes naturally to you, and consider doing that work for other people. Especially if you think no one would pay you to do it. Unless you think your best work is sitting on the couch watching Netflix, I’m betting you are skilled at some tasks that are second-nature to you, but are not for other people. These are marketable skills.
Two examples of artists I know using their marketable skills
Take my colleague, Willow Paule. She’s a social media whiz and she’s consistent. Luckily for me, since effective marketing requires consistency which, on the StrengthsFinder test, is my dead-last strength. She’s good with her own social media presence, and also with mine.
Or Lori Johnson, who, in addition to being a skilled photographer, also knows all about printing, and all the ways and places images can be printed.
You also have skills and strengths other people need. If you’re wanting to make a day job for yourself, start your search there.
I’m sheltering in place, which is code for Extrovert Hell. So if you would like to brainstorm about creating a day job for yourself, or about how to get started selling your art, or review the results of your StrengthsFinder test (I wish this were an affiliate link; I’d be rich. It’s not, but I still highly recommend spending the $50. It explains everything), book a chat with me. You’d be doing me a favor.
A new paradigm; maybe it's the perfect time to identify your skills
Not to make light of what’s going on. There is great uncertainty and suffering. I hope if you are sheltering in place that you’ve been able to use the time to explore ideas you haven’t had the time or bandwidth to investigate before. I’ve reclaimed two hours a day from not driving which has significantly boosted my writing output. Weird, unintended and welcome consequence. I wonder if I will return to my old ways after we return to some version of normal life. What’s changed for you? Let me know in the comments below.
Your work matters more than ever.