The Art of Communication: A Priceless Skill to Pay the Bills
Clarity, Confidence, & connecting with Your Creative Work
This Fall, I’m dishing out a 6-week Instagram Live Training + Blog Post series around the topic of “Finding Clarity & Confidence in Your Creative Work.”
This theme will scale each week setting you up to take the next step and thrive going into the upcoming Q4 3-Week Boot Camp. (Saturday, Oct. 29th - Friday, Nov. 18th) 🗓
In this 21-day group coaching workshop, you’ll learn how to Confidently Promote You, Your Work, + Your Value!
Enrollment is live! Lock in your seat before it closes on Wednesday, Oct. 26th!
Note: Click the image to watch the replay. Continue below to read the blog.
Click to watch the Instagram Live Training Replay
When You Confuse, You Lose
“Tell me a little about yourself—what do you do?”
Ah, the question that sparks massive anxiety within our creative souls. 😵💫
I used to dread this question with miserable attempts to come up with a semi-decent answer…
My hands would get clammy AF.
I’d brutally stumble over my words.
I’d ramble a very forgettable description of myself like this:
“Hi, um…my name is Scotty. I work a day job doing a lot of branding, graphics, and web design…UIUX stuff.
On the side, I draw a lot…mostly lettering and illustration…but I also do a lot of design stuff too…along with some speaking…
Oh ya, I have a podcast…it’s about helping creatives. So ya, that’s me.”
Next, I’d proceed to feel awkward AF doing my best to avoid any further embarrassing interaction with them.
(The worst of these scenarios was being on an airplane where I had to sit next to that person for the entire flight—yup, headphones + nap mode activated.)
Today though, I’m rehearsed enough to where I can confidently communicate what I do with conviction:
“I’m Scotty, a Web 2 & 3 Coach helping creatives build fulfilling side hustles that put them on a path to get paid to play.
For my current side hustle, I create and collect NFT art in the Solana ecosystem.”
It’s taken me a long time to get to this place and my “value proposition” is constantly evolving.
I literally tweak my messaging and positioning probably 10-20 times per year.
Most people I chat with still significantly struggle to answer the question “What do you do?”
In my opinion, this is a major issue if your goal is to have a thriving creative business.
But “Why?” you may ask.
Communication is Key
I’ve learned over the years that communication is truly a form of art that can unlock massive doors of opportunity.
I think one of the greatest skills you can nurture is the ability to speak toward:
How you connect with your work.
How you convey your value.
How you promote what you do.
Trends come and go and algorithms will forever change…
But an invaluable, ridiculously important trait is learning how to…
Confidently communicate you, your work, and your value to other creators, collectors, customers, and/or clients.
Communication is one of the fundamental keys to the big results you’re seeking.
Being a good communicator is why:
I'm asked to speak and do keynotes.
I'm asked to be on podcasts, IG Lives, and Twitter Spaces.
I'm able to provide a powerful coaching service.
I'm able to sell my artwork and ideas.
I'm able to build incredible relationships and grow community around my work.
It has opened doors of opportunity I could’ve never tapped into if I solely expected my artwork to do all the talking.
It truly is a priceless skill that can pay your bills in more ways than one as it has for me!
Questions to Better Communicate
Once you’re at a level where you connect with your work and are experimenting within your Sweet Spot for a season…
I’d shift my attention to these questions next:
In 1-2 sentences, how would you describe your work and the value you find in your process?
How would you concisely and clearly present your message to the world?
How would you effectively share your story so others can connect?
How would you precisely articulate your ideas and calls to action?
How would you communicate it so that a 5th grader could easily understand what you’re saying?
Oh ya, the goal is to manage all of this while staying true to who you are at your core.
No big deal, right? 😐
Real talk, can you easily answer and articulate these questions on the spot?
If not, looks like you have some homework to do!
Big Tip: Write it Down
There’s power in writing down your thoughts.
The repetition of writing allows you to connect your mind to your mouth and your words.
It’s hard to communicate clearly when everything lives in your head.
If you can’t answer things clearly on the spot—write that shit down first and stumble your way through it.
Doing this over time will radically increase your confidence preparing you for the “What do you do?” question.
“my Work Speaks for Itself” 👎
Being a skilled communicator gives you a powerful advantage in a space where most lean heavily on “their work to do the talking.”
Operating from the mindset that “Your work speaks for itself” is lazy in such a competitive creator landscape.
There’s maybe a small % of unicorns out there who can get away with this—most of us can’t!
Give yourself the upper hand to rise above the noise by being able to put your thoughts into words…
This can help others connect with you which then amplifies your work.
This is why, as a coach, I stress the importance of becoming a good writer…
So you can unlock hidden parts of your mind that nurture the growth of your creativity and communication skills.
Give yourself an advantage with your creative biz pursuits and focus on the power of becoming a skilled communicator!
It’s a priceless ability that will always allow you to create new opportunities with your work!
Keep showing, keep putting in the work, and keep creating—YOU GOT THIS! ✌🏻🍕
Want to work together? 🤝
Consider learning more below about how to join an upcoming 3-Week Boot Camp. 👇🏻
JOIN THE BOOT CAMP WAITLIST
The Side Hustler's Boot Camps are quarterly 3-Week Group Coaching Workshops that provide you a year’s worth of measurable growth, support, and accountability…
Or they’re available as one-off sessions to tackle the biggest struggles in your creative pursuits.
This is for any creator, freelancer, or aspiring entrepreneur who wants to build their brand/biz creating work they love.
Expect challenging exercises, a private community, up to 3 weekly live calls, and more.
Learn More and Join the Waitlist for updates + 1st dibs at enrollment.
