When you don’t know HOW to put your creative work “out there”.

When you don't know HOW to put your creative work "out there".

I’m sitting here with a new thing that wants to go out into the world and WAY more questions than answers about how to put it out there.? Since I have a lot of clients who come to me with this very problem, I thought I’d write out my process here.

In this case it’s my Mandala Class, re-packaged as a 21 day self-guided e-course (currently you can only get this class inside the Creative Dream Circle).? The heart and soul of my business has been whispering to me for weeks to do this so I’m doing it.

It was easy enough to set it up as a 21 day course delivered via email, since I already had all of the class material done.

But now comes the hard part: putting it out there.

  • I don’t know how I want to price it. (Actually that’s a lie, but more on that later)
  • I don’t know how to market it. (Not quite a lie.? But not the whole story either.)

I start by connecting with the heart and soul of the thing.?? I set out a picnic blanket for us to settle in for what I am assuming is going to be a long conversation.

The heart and soul of the Mandala Class shows up as a mandala.? All star-like and sparkling and happy.

“So,” I say, “I actually do have this price in mind but it feels really confusing. I think I’m being too rigid or something.? Like my ego wants this price but it’s not the real price.? Or it is the real price but my inner critic thinks it’s too high.”

I sigh.? I really do hate this part sometimes.

The mandala says “You want the price that you want.? You’re also very concerned with offering high value for your people.? That’s cool.”? The mandala doesn’t seem to see that this is a problem.

“I feel like you are more connected to the people that this class will serve than I am.? What can you tell me about what the perfect price for them is?” I ask.

The mandala un-zips it’s smile (?) reaches in and pulls out a heart.? When the mandala hands me the heart, it explodes into thousands of tiny sparkling hearts.? I can’t hold them all.

I sit there, with one tiny sparkling heart in my hand.

And, surprisingly enough, this does tell me about the price that the people want.? The price that the people want worries me because it feels wrong to me, it feels like much, much less than the value of what the class has to offer.

Which is interesting, because I know that the price of the Creative Dream Circle is much, much less than what the Circle has to offer and that price feels good and sturdy and, well, perfect.

But now I am sitting here with two prices, feeling more confused than ever.

And then I realise that this other idea is bouncing around in my head and this could be complicating the value of the class.? I’m thinking I want to include one live phone call, so people can call in and ask me their questions, and do some mandala drawing in a group which is always magical.

And so the value of the class without the call would be different from the value of the class with the call so of course it feels wonky to try to figure this out without deciding for sure if I’m doing the call or not. Ha!

The heart and soul of my business interjects “Actually we really want to offer something simpler and smaller, something for the people who don’t want the class interaction stuff (there’s always lots of that in the Creative Dream Circle for people who want that) can we please keep this smaller and simpler?”

Oh, right.

So then I look at the number that is right between the two numbers.? Perfect compromise.

But it feels somehow less magical to me – like the two numbers each have something magical about them and this number just feels kind of plain.

I don’t want to offer something that feels plain to me.? I want to feel sparking and right about what I’m putting out into the world, and how I’m putting it out there.? So is there a number closer to this number that feels more magical?

Both the mandala and the heart and soul of my business perk up, as if to say “Finally! She’s getting it!”

“OK, it feels like you guys know what the number is, can’t you just tell me?” I ask, exasperated.

“We’d like to, but your doubts and confusion are clogging our communication channel.? But don’t worry, you’ll know it when you get there.”

Ugh, I do not like going around in circles like this.

I call in the heart and soul of clarity to join the picnic.? It shows up as a light in my heart that moves up to my third eye.

And a totally new number appears.? A larger number than the first number I? liked.? So I start re-watching the videos in the class and remember how amazing it is.

I want to pick the smaller number because I think more people will want it at a lower price.? Beneath that is a fear that no one will want it at the higher price.

I want to pick the larger number because I want to feel like the price is congruent with the value – this class has been just ridiculously helpful for so many people already!? Beneath that is the fear that people will think I charged too much.

Oh crap.? Both numbers are coming from fear.

What number doesn’t come from fear?? The new number, the one that clarity brought me.? The one that is higher than the one that already felt too high.? Ha.? No. I don’t feel good about this.

At this point I decide to put this down.? I pack up the picnic blanket, and schedule a meeting with the mandala and the heart and soul of my business for tomorrow.

I invite clarity to stay with me until then and help me melt through the doubt, fear and confusion.

I say a little prayer that once I find the price, figuring out how to put it out there will be a much simpler process.

A few minutes later, the price pops into my head.? It’s a totally new number and it feels totally right.

I put the blanket back out, and call the mandala and the heart and soul of my business to come back.? “OK then, let’s move on to step two: how do I want to put this out there?”

The heart and soul of my business says “It’s important that you do this in a way that feels good to you and is congruent with the core qualities of your business: trust, spirit, authenticity, creativity.? But what you do, like specifically, doesn’t matter.? Just having this be a part of your business is what matters, you don’t need some ideal launch plan or anything like that.”

The mandala says “I am just so happy to go out into the world!? Don’t forget that your mandala tutorial is the most visited page of your website.? Just put me there!? I mean tell your people about it too, but mostly just put me there! I want to be there!? And as you put your new journaling cards out there, more people are going to be interested in exploring Mandalas.? Put me there too.”

My inner Planny McPlanster pops up, clipboard in hand to say that I really should have a plan, like a detailed and elaborate plan – nothing guarantees success like a well thought out plan.? I give Planny a hug and a cookie and send him on his way.

Nothing guarantees success anyway.? But having my outer actions be in alignment with my inner self does guarantee that I’ll feel good about what I’m doing, which is all I really want.

So how do I do this in a way that feels good?

Well, I want to share this journaling – I think people will find it helpful to see this part, and not just see the part where I put it out there, all polished and done.? I’m not sure that really promotes the class much but it’s what I want to do.

  • I do want to re-design the mandala tutorial page with links to this class.
  • I want to re-write the Mandala Class page.
  • I want to let people know about it – via email and blog.
  • Find a place to add it to the main page of my website and on my blog.

So all that is what I want to do right now.? What else could I do?

I could:

  • Mandala blog hop
  • Some kind of “contest thing” to win the class
  • Post more of my mandalas on Instagram with a link to the class

Actually it feels like there are a lot of ways I could promote it that would be fun and creative but I don’t want to do any of that right now.? I want to keep my energy focused on the Magic Journaling Cards I’ve been working on.

It feels really good to just have it be out there without making a huge deal about it.

So I can keep brainstorming this and do it another time – if/when I feel inspired to.

…. Coming back to this later.

I started working with this list:

  • I do want to re-design the mandala tutorial page with links to this class.
  • I want to re-write the Mandala Class page.
  • I want to let people know about it – via email and blog.
  • Find a place to add it to the main page of my website and on my blog.

And it just got more confusing and overwhelming so I put it away for a few days.

Yesterday I had a meeting with the heart and soul of the Mandala Class in my journal and asked for guidance and clarity.? Then I held those qualities in my energy field and went about my day.

By yesterday afternoon I felt ready to do it.

I sat down with my laptop and everything magically came together – which always happens after multiple meetings with the heart and soul of the thing I’m working with.

The Mandala tutorial page and the Mandala Class page were merged into one new page – with the tutorial and class information.? I love the new page.

I added “Draw Mandalas!” as a menu at the top of my website, which links to that page.

It feels welcoming and warm and bright and clear.

It feels in alignment with how I want to be.

It feels simple.

It feels right.

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