How to market your creative business in less than 3 hours a week
Can you really market your creative business in less than 3 hours a week? Let me show you how.
There’s a resistance to marketing our online heart-led businesses, and I want to talk further about this.
I see again and again with artists, makers, and creative business owners:
“I don’t want to have to do any marketing.”
“I don’t need to; people will find me and buy if they like it.”
“My work should speak for itself.”
“It feels too salesy - people will be turned off straight away.”
“I’m an artist, not a content creator. And marketing… come on!”
And honestly… I get it. It took me a long time to really think of what I’m doing as officially marketing. And to get over the fact that marketing can feel a bit too sleazy.
Marketing can feel loud, pushy, and completely disconnected from the kind of slow, meaningful work you actually want to make. But it doesn’t have to.
When I made a shift in my thinking, it became much easier for me to consistently market my business in a way that was aligned with my ethos, my audience, and also my time availbale. And to not feel like I was turning into one of “those” people.
I want to let you know that this doesn’t require daily posting, complicated systems, or hours online.
You can market your business in under 3 hours a week — in a way that feels calm, sustainable, and fits into your week. Regardless of if your business is a side-hobby, a ‘fit it in the teeny hours after regular work’, or a full time creative heart-led business.
Let me show you how this super simple process.
What actually works (and what you can ignore)
Before we get into the how, let’s simplify the what.
You do not need:
Daily Instagram posts
Trending audio or reels every day (or actually ever)
Constant “visibility”
Complicated strategies and systems
Doing things in a way that doesn’t feel like ‘you’
You do need:
A way to stay in touch (email)
A way for new people to discover you (Instagram or similar)
A consistent rhythm that feels right for you
Some simple systems to make it quicker and easier.
Your 3-hour weekly marketing plan
This is designed to be simple, repeatable, and realistic.
While I run my business full time, I’m not here every day doing marketing stuff. I mean, I want to stitch, write, paint, draw, and sit in the sunshine. So I have simple but solid plans for how to do this.
When I write them down on my weekly list I’ve actually realised these things take much less time than I thought. Sitting down and dedicating one hour to your newsletter, or 30-60 minutes to create a few Instagram posts is much more effective than doing little bits here and there, and pretending all along that I’m not really doing marketing.
1. Write one newsletter: 60 minutes
If you only do one thing — make it this.
Your newsletter is where connection actually happens. It’s slower, quieter, and reaches the right people who already care about work. In their inbox too; no need to worry if the algorithm will show it to them, or hide your post away somewhere.
The important thing to keep in mind is that writing a weekly newsletter isn’t difficult, and it builds your audience's deep connection with you. If you commit to doing this, and actually approaching it as marketing you will get results.
Keep it simple - truly, stop overthinking what or how you write! I think that the best newsletters are the ones written with heart and with the intention to help your readers. When I overthink a newsletter it often comes off as a little bit stiff (in my mind anyway), when I simply sit down to write then it flows and I get more engagement (actual replies from people) and more sales.
Here’s just a few things to write about in your weekly newsletter:
Share what you’re working on - I love showing what’s on my desk that week, a little photo and why I’m making it, or how it feels for me to make it
Talk about your process - this is important to me and to my audience. As I sell craft courses letting them into the how of my work allows them to think of how they’d approach it.
Tell a small story - you’re a real person and your audience loves that! In this age of more ai and glossy businesses, the more yourself you are the more your audience will connect.
Show a piece of your work - photos. We’re a visual medium, so let’s let our people see our work.
Create a simple template to use as your structure, so you’re not starting from scratch each week:
A short honest welcome and intro.
A few images of your work or wips.
A little story - if this helps you make it feel more ‘real’.
and then….
A gentle invitation for them to buy, book, connect:
~ This is the part that feels scariest, but the important part. If you’re not on my newsletter list then please join up here so you can see how I add a gentle sales invitation into each and every newsletter, even if it’s not officially about a product or a sales email.
~ You might write it in a PS, rather than the main email body. You might write just one line - '“hey, I’ve just released my new collection, have a look here”.Or a full, but gentle, sales email. When someone loves your work they want to know when you have something for sale. If you don’t talk about - how will they know!
It doesn’t need to be long. In fact, shorter can be better. Keep in mind what you like receiving in your inbox, and what sales emails best convert you.
Simple, clear, creative, connective, but with a CTA (call to action - ie “buy here”).
If you’re taking more than 60-minutes to write a newsletter then you’re possibly overthinking it. Go back to basics and just write a letter from your heart. Have your templates set up ready to go, and just add your words, photos, and links to what you’re selling. That’s it!
2. Create 2 Instagram carousels: 60 minutes total
Carousels are one of the easiest, most sustainable ways to show up.
No need to film or edit videos - though if you have more time available once a month, then do give reels a go, because they’re a great marketing tool to add to your Instagram.
Also the great thing is carousels are having a moment on Instagram. They’re as powerful as reels and much much easier to create.
Let’s not overthink them either. There’s so many possibilities with your carousels and this will depend entirely on your brand and what you’re talking about (selling) for each post.
I suggest you make at least two posts in one sitting. If you can make three, then you’re ahead for next week. Doing this sort of work in batch creation is quicker than one by one. And it means you’re not scrambling for what to create when you’re ready to post.
Idea: A story or reflection
“What I’m working on this week”
“A slow moment in my process”
“Something I’m learning in my business”
Idea: Something useful or relatable
A gentle tip
A mindset shift
A behind-the-scenes insight
You might like to write text over your images, or use this in your caption. Keep it engaging and connected to your audience. But also consider, what’s the goal of the post - what action do you want them to take.
As this is about marketing, rather than simply posting random pictures, start thinking about what you want the viewer to actually do once they’re looked at your post. This is how you make the jump from ‘pretty pictures’ to running a business that converts.
3. Share 3–5 simple stories: 15 minutes a few times a week.
This is how your audience gets to know you a little more on a personal level. When they feel connected by seeing snippets into your world, they’re more likely to reach out and buy from you.
I know a lot of Instagram and marketing experts might tell you to plan your stories. I’m pretty sure you’re reading this and thinking “oh what - no way!” I want to assure you that you don’t need to plan out your stories, though some weeks you might if you have a special promo, new product, an event or workshop you’re selling.
I often share stories throughout my day, when I feel like it. Not entirely strategic, I know - but it’s the creative mind, and I’m not going to pretend to change.
But, I do share stories themselves in a strategic way. I use them to send people to my website and courses, or to other places around the web. To get them linking out of Instagram and onto my sites is the main aim - especially my newsletter.
Here’s sort of what I do:
A photo of my work, my desk at that moment. A snapshot - my coffee, my messy middle. Just sharing. But also, make it on-brand, make it engaging. Consider the light, the story, what you’re sharing.
Me gathering dyeing supplies - little moments, either a simple quick video or just a photo.
When I’m out walking in my forest or at the beach, or just my garden. These are part of my story of who I am online. It’s the real me (sorry, the edited version of the real me - no-one really wants all the mess, believe me). But my newsletters are about slow simple living, my craft work is a reminder to breathe and slow down, so stories about my walks are part of that.
Put up a poll or a question box - the stories tab works similar to the algorithm; the more engagement you have from your viewers the more likely your story is to show up first for someone else.
I’ll link directly to somewhere outside of IG. Truly - it’s valuable that you do this in your stories. Sometimes I’ll share a photo of a course and put a direct link to that course page, or to a bundle I’m part of, or a site that I’m an affiliate of.
These small things all add up and contribute to little ways to market your business. They’re not difficult, they’re not too different from what you’re likely already doing, but there’s a strategy behind it.
And doing it this way feels less ‘marketing’ and more ‘sharing’, which really is what it’s all about. But you’re sharing with intention, and you’re asking your audience to connect with you via your newsletter sign up or purchasing / booking into something.
Think of it like this - they love your work, they follow because of that. Make it easy for them to find out how to buy your work, book a class, schedule a session. Don’t make them have to find you via a heap of links.
Simple but direct.
4. Invite people in - make the offer: 15 minutes
This is the part most people skip, because it feels scary and like you’ll end up with unfollows. And it’s a big reason why things don’t convert as well as they could.
Once a week, clearly (and gently) let people know how they can work with you.
Creating this carousel should be fun and exciting. You’re sharing what you create with your audience in a loving and proud way. You’re not showing off, you’re not demanding sales - you’re saying “hey - look at what I do”.
This might be:
Your membership
A workshop
A product
Your newsletter
Truly - in your Instagram posts tell them about what you do, ask them to buy, offer them to book in. Give it a go and see what happens.
Here’s a few real ideas you could try:
Here’s the tools I use and why I love them (CTA - check out my blog post for the full list)
You don’t need to do 90minutes of yoga everyday, try this instead…. (CTA - download my free guide or join me for beachside yoga mornings)
These flowers are blooming this week and I couldn’t be happier to pick them for you (CTA - Order online or visit me at X markets)
What happened in my work when I stopped forcing it and simply approached it gently each week
Want to enjoy your morning coffee with me? New coffee mugs have just come out of the kiln and are ready to be posted to your kitchen (CTA - the direct link it in my bio, and stories - don’t sleep on these. Coffee not included)
Share the process of wrapping and packing an order - use recycled paper and supplies? Talk about this - it adds to your story and brings in the sort of who appreciate that. This is a great opportunity to thank people for their purchases and support. Plus it can look super pretty on IG
I used to share making my business cards and the pretty little packaging we hand created for our products - people were excited to receive these in their orders.
Just take a few quick snaps throughout the week of you doing different things in your business. Don’t overthink, but do make sure it’s intentional.
Setting out some white linen under your wrapping station, rather than your plastic table - that creates the feel of your heartful business, and doesn’t take much longer.
5. Optional ~ Repeat yourself: 10–15 minutes
You do not need new ideas every week.
You can:
Re-share an old post
Revisit a topic
Say the same thing in a slightly different way
Repetition builds recognition. It’s not annoying — it’s helpful.
Most people do not remember that you already posted this 5-months ago; don’t worry about that.
My friend Rebecca swears by this, and has grown her account to almost 300K followers by organically sharing her work.
What this might look like in real life
Here’s how your week might actually flow:
Day 1: 1 - 1.5 hours
Write and schedule or send your newsletter
Decide what you’ll post about for your carousels - 15 mins planning perhaps
Day 2: 1 hour
Create 2 carousel posts - either in Canva or keep in drafts inside Instagram. No need to make them as you want to post. Save the caption content in the notes app on your phone.
Day 2 / 3: 10 minutes
Share one post
Add a couple of stories - 1 should be inviting people to join your newsletter (link on the story to your sign up form)
Comment, engage, be ready to reply to comments, connect in the community
Day 5: 10 minutes
Share your second post
Add a couple of stories
Share Post 1 to stories - get people to see it again
Engage in the community (comment on other people’s posts)
Day 6: 10-20 minutes
Share some stories - direct links to your products
Reply to comments
Chat in other people’s posts - leave comments, connect
Check your stats - what went well, what can you replicate
You can do some of these things while you’re having tea and toast or cake. Or waiting at an appointment, or a friend who is always late.
When you have a plan and are doing it intentionally in these small bits of time it does build up, but it doesn’t have to feel like endless scrolling. Tell yourself 5-minutes to post this story, then I’ll put the device away and enjoy the sunshine. Or 10-minutes to reply to a direct message and share the link to my website with this customer (and then… I give you permission to check your sales data an hour later).
Don’t worry about this stuff though:
This only works if you let it be enough, don’t stress or overthink it.
Not:
“I should be doing more”
“I should be posting daily”
“This isn’t enough to grow”
Because the truth is:
Consistency beats intensity. Every time.
A simple, weekly rhythm you can stick to will grow your business far more than bursts of effort followed by burnout.
The Instagram algorithm is more likely to show your posts to your current followers and new followers when you’re consistently sharing and putting quality content out. Posting 5 times in one week, then nothing for months doesn’t quite fit in with the way it works.
You don’t need to be “good at marketing.”
You just need to:
Show your work
Share your thoughts
Stay visible in a quiet, consistent way
Keep showing up even if you’re not seeing results as quickly as you think you should, or that others talk about.
The truth is it doesn’t always happen that quickly. 30 days to 10K might work, but if that’s not what it looks like for you, it doesn’t mean you’ve failed. 10K isn’t the metric a lot of people make it out to be. The metric is engagement, connection, and eventually sales or bookings.
