Why Consistency is the Key to Building a Successful Arts & Crafts Club

As a kids arts and crafts club owner…

• Do you find that some months are more successful than others?
• Have you noticed the different seasons in your business?
• Do you get frustrated having no control over these seasons?

If you’re still planning on getting started with your club, does this insecurity (of not getting consistent return customers and income) hold you back from getting started? 

In today’s blog episode we’re going to show you how you can weatherproof your business against the changing seasons.

Keep reading or watch the video below to find out how.

Today we’re going to talk about consistency and why being consistent is key to a successful kids arts & crafts club. 

But first, I’d like to share something personal about how I came to realise the importance of being consistent.

For a long time I found myself feeling frustrated at the lack of control I had over the success of our business. When we were just getting started with our arts and crafts club, we really struggled to get momentum, then our momentum was up and we had full classes, we were selling loads of creative kits and were gaining traction and confidence with our club, only to have it dip again.

In the midst of the disappointment and stress I was experiencing with all the ups and downs of our business I started one really healthy habit…

I thought to myself one day, ‘I need to get out and take a breather from all of this’, so I took a long walk outside. 

We live at the foot of a wine farm, where there are rows and rows of vines as far as the eye can see. During my walk, I stopped to observe the world around me: the leaves turning a crisp dark red, and the bugs scurrying around in the soil. It was the end of summer, and there was a slight chill in the air. Being outside gave me the time I needed to unwind and just breathe.

When I returned home, I felt so calm and centered, and decided this was something I needed to do more regularly. And so, every week since that day I have taken a walk in that vineyard.

Something I started to notice as the weeks went on was the change in scenery. The vines turned hard and bare, the air got colder, and I kept up my routine, walking every week. Though, to be honest, it started to bum me out a bit. I remember saying to my husband, “I can’t wait for the vineyard to be green again”.

Then, what seemed like overnight, spring arrived. Tiny little green leaves popped out of the vines, birds swooped in, and I started spotting all sorts of animals that I hadn’t seen before. Very soon everything was super green and grapes started to appear. Then there were BIG bunches. Then they started harvesting. 

Week after week I witnessed the landscape absolutely flourish, only to find that it was just a matter of time before the vines would turn to bare sticks again with the changing seasons. 

The more I walked the more I realised: with the ebb and flow of the seasons coming and going there was one constant in my weekly walks: me. I was always there. I showed up every week. And no matter how sparse or lush the landscape, I could always rely on myself to show up.

This was a major breakthrough. I thought about the different seasons we had been experiencing in our business and thought to myself ‘hang on, but we don’t have to just accept the inconsistency. 

We can be the constant in our business. If we show up consistently, we can keep the momentum going through all the ups and downs'. 

We’ve learned first hand, when it comes to building a successful kids arts & crafts club, consistency is key. 

So Stef and I sat down and planned out the steps we’d take to make ourselves the constant. 

And now I’m sharing those steps with you.

 Step 1: Pick one thing that you enjoy doing. 

Figure out what you can do consistently in your business that will be sustainable and will make you happy and healthy.

The only way you’ll be able to stay consistent as you build your arts and crafts club business is to do something that lights you up and helps you solve a problem for others. 

There are 2 avenues that you should consider when you’re planning what to do:

1. Building your club, and
2. Building your audience.

In looking at building your club, pick one thing that you can do consistently, for example:

• A weekly class
• Regular workshops, or
• A monthly subscription kit

Whatever you pick, it needs to happen regularly. That means every week, every month, every 2 months. Whatever your timeline is, stick to it. 

Having workshops or classes only every now and then means that your business will be vulnerable to the changing of the seasons and your club may come across as casual or it could even just be downright confusing for your clients. “The confused mind always says no”. They may want to book for next Wednesday's class only to learn that you’re not running classes this month or term, and then you’ll lose them forever. 

Knowing that you’re going to run a class every week, come rain or shine, means you’ll start getting return customers and your club can grow constantly, like a snowball…. bigger and bigger over time. Stick to what you’ve decided and do it consistently.

If you’re unsure how to figure out what to focus on first, sign up for the #GetStarted Workshop and take part in the 15min sticky note challenge that will give you the clarity to focus and confidence to get started.

Then, let’s talk about building your audience. If you start your business off by sending out beautiful flyers and posting a super fun intro video on your Facebook page your business is bound to take off with a bang! But then what? Over time, your audience will forget about you unless… you show up consistently.

Your next step when it comes to marketing yourself is to pick one thing you can do consistently to show up and let your audience know you’re still there. Give them a chance to get to know you and, over time, build trust.

Some options of what you could do consistently are:

• A weekly blog
• A weekly Facebook Live, or
• A weekly newsletter

But here’s the most important thing to think about when you’re making your choice: it has to be sustainable.

Think about it, if you plan to share a new blog (because you think your audience will like it) each week but you hate writing, do you think you will be able to do it consistently over time? I’m guessing, definitely not.

Figure out what you can do that will light you up, and that you can look forward to doing week after week, month after month.

Start with one thing for your club + one thing for marketing and commit to it. 

We chose weekly classes as our constant for our club, and weekly video blogs as our constant for marketing. What will yours be? Let us know in the comments.

 Now for Step 2: Plan ahead. 

Take the stress out of the process of being consistent by planning ahead. Whether you’re planning what projects you’ll be making in your weekly classes, or what you’ll be putting in your monthly subscription kits, what you’ll be writing about in your blogs, or what value you’ll be sharing with your audience in your Facebook lives. Planning is key.

Another core piece of advice we can share with you on the note of planning ahead: Learn to batch and schedule!

Sit down and plan out your kits, emails, blogs, whatever it may be ahead of time. Do a brainstorming session and map out your blog topics for the next 3 months, then actually sit down and write out the outlines, scripts and images you’ll include in your blog. 

This way, you won’t be left scrambling to find content at the last minute.

Planning ahead minimises stress, and maximises your chances of sticking to your consistent schedule. 

And finally,

Step 3: Be consistent with what you offer.

Now that you’ve figured out in step 1 how you’re going to be consistent, and in step 2 when and how often you’re going to be consistent, let’s look at how to be consistent in your offering.

Whatever way you choose to share your love of arts & crafts with your customers (it could be creative kits, teaching in person, teaching online, workshops or parties), you’ve got to be consistent in the type of service and content you provide and make it super clear to them what you’re offering. 

Let the world know consistently what you’re doing at your club. Share photos, sneak peaks, time lapse videos when you pack a kit, etc.

You need to make super sure that both you and your audience are always on the same page, because the changing of the seasons will throw you curveballs, and when they do, you need to make sure your audience isn’t thrown off. New covid restrictions might mean you have to switch to online classes, a double-booked venue might mean you have to host a class at your home instead. 

Outside variables can try to derail you, but if you are settled in your offering and your audience knows what they can expect from you, that consistency will keep your business stable.

Your audience will find comfort in consistency. When it comes to marketing, your goal should be to give your audience something good, something valuable, to read, watch, attend, use, or listen to every single week. 

This will help you connect with them, and showing up every week reminds them, “Hey, I’m here! I’ve still got the same offering, and when you’re ready to buy it, or sign up, I’ll still be here!”

It also helps them get to know you over time. Because here’s the thing… People buy from people they trust. 

Showing up and staying consistent in your message will help you build the “know, like and trust” factor with your audience. They’ll know exactly what they’re getting from you. They’ll appreciate the value you bring to them in your weekly blogs, emails or Lives, and they’ll see you as the go-to person to reach out to when they’re ready to purchase a kit, sign up for a class, or buy an online art club subscription.

I’m going to finish off today’s episode with a quote by Marie Forleo that you may want to write out on a sticky note to keep as a reminder:

"Success doesn’t come from what you do occasionally, it comes from what you do consistently."

Consistency is key.

 Now, to wrap up, let’s do a quick recap 

Step 1. Pick one thing that you enjoy doing. Figure out what you can do consistently in your business that will be sustainable and will make you happy and healthy. Pick 1 thing for your club, and 1 thing for marketing, that you can do happily, consistently, and sustainably.

Step 2: Plan ahead. Do a brainstorming session and then batch prepare your classes, kits, emails or blogs.

Step 3: Be consistent in your message, because if your audience can rely on you, and get to know, like and trust you, you’ll be the first person they’ll call when they’re ready to buy.

Now, I’d love to hear from you. 

 How are you going to be consistent in your business? 

Let us know in the comments.

Until next time, cheers!