Hey Called Creative!
We got a lot to cover so let's hop right on in!
We are approaching a time when many Called Creatives like yourself will be considered by ordained destiny helpers with the God-given assignment to promote us to positions of great influence, power, and/or authority for the glory of Christ Jesus!
You fasted for this. You prayed for this. But are you prepared for such a consideration?
Will the opportunities you’re awaiting catch you ill-prepared and by surprise or will they catch you with your affairs in order and ready to excel?
Get ready to be considered, Called Creative!
Many of us have been in a seemingly long season of pruning, waiting, spiritual preparation, character development, and consecration that may have been a bit rough but definitely not void of purpose.
But we are now at the dawn of a new season!
The spirit of the Lord says:
Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
Isaiah 60:1
Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords
Why?
For you shall expand to the right and to the left, And your descendants will inherit the nations, And make the desolate cities inhabited.
Isaiah 54:2-3
Are you prepared for such an explosive expansion?
Sidebar: Breakthrough, success, overflow, increase, and all of what we want to manifest externally happens first on the inside of us. Being promoted God’s way involves humbling ourselves before Him. Hence, my repetitive appeals for us to get in the presence of the Lord. It is in His presence that we are healed in our hearts and transformed into the image of Christ which is extremely necessary if we are to be lead, pioneer and trail blaze for His glory (and not our own).
Another Sidebar: Now, If you know anything about how God speaks then you know that He speaks from eternity and a place of completion; so when He says “now” or “soon”, it is indeed in the spirit realm but it’s most likely completely different from the natural timelines of our own understanding. Remember, to the Lord, a thousand years is like a day and a day is like a thousand years (2 Peter 3:8). So even though He is saying that now is the time of promotion for many, it is indeed in the spiritual realm; however we may see the natural manifestation of it in our own situations this year, in the next three years or in the next five. Nonetheless, there is a new glory that is scheduled for many of us and the right-now instructions of the Lord is to PREPARE!
Before we get into the practicalities of the matter, let’s divert our attention to whom I’ve coined the Wise Called Creative in the book, Side Effects of The Called Creative, the amazingly patient, Joseph.
We know because of the consideration of his ordained destiny helper, Pharoah, Joseph's life was suddenly and significantly changed.
Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him quickly out of the dungeon; and he shaved, changed his clothing, and came to Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:14 NKJV
Then Pharaoh sent and called for Joseph, and they hurriedly brought him out of the dungeon; and when Joseph shaved himself and changed his clothes [making himself presentable], he came to Pharaoh.
Genesis 41:14 AMP
Joseph’s natural season changed INSTANTLY after he was considered, Called Creative! The Bible said after Pharoah called on him, Joseph was brought forth QUICKLY.
Catch that!
So it will be with us!
In the quickness, there will be little to no time to put into order what we should be disciplined enough to do now.
As we are preparing spiritually, there are practical action steps that we should simultaneously be putting into place that will indeed prepare us for our upcoming consideration for promotion.
Let's get into it
Lock Down the Business Basics
Every business that receives grants or monetary awards of any kind needs to be registered with the government. Period. Nine times out of ten, it is a requirement to receive the award. Get your LLC! Or corporation or sole proprietorship or whatever structure that suits your organization and the government recognizes.
Research what other licenses and insurances your business may need in order to operate also.
After the legality of your organization is established, retrieve an EIN number from the IRS (pretty much a social security number for your business) and run to the bank to open a business account immediately after! Commingling your personal and business funds is poor management and won’t end well for you or your business in the long run.
Look into getting your intellectual property trademarked!! This may take a little minute but that’s why we’re starting now.
When these basics are in order for your organization, you and your business look professional, trustworthy and worthy of consideration.
Take Professional Headshots
Please! I beg you!
If you are professional and want to be considered as such, regardless of trade or industry, you need a professional headshot. That’s a non-negotiable.
Even if it’s tastefully done on your iPhone or if you have to employ AI resources, just get one done please.
Make sure the photo is well lit without unnecessary filters and you are appropriately dressed. Reserve the cleavage, bare chest and shoulders for your Instagram story and not for your professional headshot.
Keep the background simple and solid. We don’t want anything back there competing with you and your gorgeous face. It is your headshot after all.
A good rule of thumb is to plan for your headshot to be universally applicable. You may be considered to speak at different events and your headshot needs to easily transfer and integrate into the aesthetic of all types of marketing; think neutral colors for your wardrobe - no patterns or obnoxious colors.
Also, aim to capture your shoulders and above. No full body pics.
It’s also a great idea to have multiple kinds of headshots for the multiple fields that you work in as many Called Creatives are masters of many trades. But one is more than enough.
Sharpen the Aesthetics
Presentation matters!!!
I’ve built my own business on making sure entities and brands present well and with excellence because if your product or message is amazing but the brand is presenting poorly, a worthy patron/client won’t even make it past the raggedy presentation to learn more about it.
How are you and your business, brand or entity presenting?
Make sure everything concerning you that is client-facing is cohesive and consistent: From your website to your social media to even how you yourself show up. This builds repertoire and trust with your audience.
In addition to how it looks, make sure that your logistics are in order. If you are asking the Lord for your book to sell out, does your website have infrastructure in place to support that?
Let’s not let our great branding be a facade but an indicator that our business is in order and we’re standing on it.
Get your contracts ready and UTILIZE THEM
Now because of all this, we are making an agreement in writing; And on the sealed document are the names of our princes, our Levites, and our priests.”
Nehemiah 9:38
Contracts and agreements among professionals should be anything but taboo and intimidating. Start incorporating SIGNED agreements in how you do business, Called Creative. Clear and well written contracts protect both parties involved and provides understanding BEFORE an issue arises.
I’ve watched too many Judge Judy episodes and have witnessed the power of signed WRITTEN agreements in the instance of a misunderstanding.
Utilize Google and search for free editable templates.
Curate Your Elevator Pitch
Now this is something that I most definitely have to start investing time in myself.
Elevator pitches are brief synopsis of who you are and what you do. They are often recited in professional settings like career fairs & expos, conferences, networking events, interviews, and the like but could most definitely come in handy anywhere you’re meeting new people, even social occasions.
I know that most of are multi-hyphenated creatives because the Lord wasn’t stingy so crafting an elevator pitch to cover everything you are and what you do could be a bit tricky.
Ask Holy Spirit to help you craft one that encompasses all of who you are but in a clear and concise way.
I found an article on Balance.com entitled, How to Create an Elevator Pitch that gives really good tips to keep in mind as we are curating our own. Take a look below
Keep it brief.
We should aim for 30-60 seconds. It should be a short recap of who we are and what we do. People’s attention spans are relatively short and no one wants to be held hostage as a stranger rambles on and on about themselves for 10 minutes.
Share your skills
This is your opportunity to share what tangible, valuable assets you bring to the table. Not to boast, but tastefully brag a little bit! Why would the one listening to this pitch want to consider you in the first place?
Practice, Practice, Practice
We don’t want to sound robotic and we want to feel comfortable while delivering it. It should flow out of us as easy as we recite our name or birthday; almost without too much thought. Balance.com also says that the more we practice, the more we feel comfortable varying the conversation accordingly.
I suggest practicing reciting your elevator pitch with a friend, parent, sibling, the waitress taking your order, the UPS delivery man, whoever!
Be positive & flexible
We should avoid leading with the stuff that we don’t want to do. We should however say and be clear about what we are looking for.
Know your audience and speak to them
In some cases, using jargon can be a powerful move and show that you are familiar with the industry. But be careful, sometimes, this can be off-putting and confusing for some.
Have your business card ready
You were so impressive that they need to know how to contact you later! Of course, exchange information digitally but it’s always a great idea to put something in their hand. Even if they toss it in their coat pocket or purse, they’ll stumble on it later and be reminded in case they forgot.
Of course, this isn’t the exhaustive list of what you may need to do to practically prepare for your promotion but I believe as you continue to dwell in the presence of the Lord, specific and detailed instructions and details will be revealed.
Let's roll up our sleeves and prepare accordingly, Called Creative!
I'm rooting for you!
Thank you for taking the time to read. Leave a comment and share some of your thoughts. How are you currently preparing to be considered?
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