Let’s talk about Canva!
Like many small business owners, I am my only employee. Hi!
Beyond actually creating artwork, I do every other aspect of the business! Etsy (everything), pricing, product creation and design, printing, cutting, shipping/handling, taking orders to the post office (or scheduling a pick up), social media (all the medias), website curation, general/active online presence stuff, artisan and craft fair organization/products/scheduling/marketing, video editing, photos of products, SEO, learning how to bring more business to my shop, learning new tools and resources to make things better, general research and development, money stuff and things (tax season is coming….) — and occasionally remembering to check my inbox. There are certainly even more things on my to-do list that I am forgetting at this moment, but it is easy to see how every spare moment that I have to work on my business is precious (and packed).
Simply, I need tools that are competent and add to my productivity in a meaningful way.
I do not have the luxury of time (especially as I have a full-time job beyond my business).
My undergrad is actually in graphic design, and I had worked in that industry for a few years. I am well practiced with the Adobe Creative Suite, and have spent many hours using InDesign for my employers (in fact, I still use it for my current job). When Canva first came out, I was unsure. I thought it would be ‘cheating’ and would be demoralizing for all my graphic design experience. Sure, it was free - while all the Adobe products are well out of budget. Certainly, it was incredibly easy to use. Yes, it was accessible and it had templates/clip art … but … (and that’s when I began to realize how crazy I was for not using this tool).
Regarding both time and money, I couldn’t afford not to use Canva as my primary design tool!
The snobby designer in me needed to retire for the success of my new business.
Years later, I am such a fan of Canva! I have even invested in Canva Pro and it has (no joke) changed my world. It has allowed me to easily create and maintain both my social media and my Etsy shop. With little effort, I can apply my unique graphic design style to create templates - or just use the templates they offer - and have professional content. There is a huge visual difference between me taking a picture of a product with my phone on my art desk, with varying light sources, versus showcasing illustrations on a clean and consistent template.
My one worry is that people might think I am not a real shop because everything is just a little too perfect and clean, but once I see the final designs, it just seems worth the risk! The templates that Canva provides are so pretty. Personally, I love that the quality is consistent from one post or listing to the another. It seems easier to ‘visually digest’ which I think is helpful for shopping and shoppers. I know it helps me when I am browsing online!
And, I am real! It feels odd to defend that, but I do understand the uncertainty that the digital world has created. No one wants to get caught in a scam, but, I do create all my own illustrations! In fact, all of my paper based products (cards and prints) are made in-house (literally, in my house). Everything else, such as my totes and journals, are outsourced but I review physical proofs and test the products before offering them in my shop. If I do not love the product, then I don’t want to put it on the market — because, I am a real human, and I want to put really good things in the hands of those who choose to support my work!
Plus, it seems there are many ways that I can put myself out there to ensure visitors that they are supporting a real artist. These weekly updates are one such step I am taking to balance my love of using Etsy’s clean and pretty templates. Each week, I hope to give more insight to who I am as a human, as an artist, and as a small business woman. I also hope to get better at creating videos of my creations, of me creating my creations, and of myself just being myself. I do realize that I have not been the best at sharing my own face and the faces of those that I love (other than my cats, haha). That is certainly something I can improve upon.
As a final note… you will have noticed several screenshots of my personal Canva account. Likely, if you follow me on social media or have visited my Etsy shop, these images will look familiar. It is really incredible what can be created with Canva in a very short period of time, especially with my pre-made templates. In a future update, I plan to show you the step-by-step of how Canva has helped me ‘level up’ my online presence. I have even used Canva recently to create a video to compliment one of my Etsy listings. It’s all so cool! When you are your only employee, finding tools that really support a small business and make life a little easier are incredibly important. I am not shy to sing the praises of my love for Canva.
So, what template do you want a walk through of first?
‘New Art’ posts and stories for social media
An Etsy listing template (prints or greeting cards)
or, a greeting card template
or, something else?
xxx, Kristin
