“Best Practices” – Really?

In the business world, even the small business world, the phrase “best practices” comes up continually. There are many experts that will tell you emphatically that “best practices” should always be followed. But I am a firm believer in the fact that generalized statements are rarely true, and here’s why.

What Are “Best Practices?”

Best Practices are tried and true methods of conducting a business…  certain ways of accounting, marketing strategies, demographics, record-keeping, etc.  The experts will tell you to follow best practices because someone else has already made and corrected the mistakes.  If you embrace the best practice method of doing whatever in your business, you’ll save a lot of time, because the method has already been proven successful.

It’s hard, or perhaps senseless, to argue the above statements.  If you need to do something, and find a path that already leads to your desired destination, why reinvent the wheel?  But….

Some Things Need to Change

If everyone, everywhere absolutely always did nothing but follow best practices in every facet of every business, how would anything ever change, improve or evolve?  Just because something works doesn’t mean that something else won’t work better.  I have no issue with considering best practices, but I cringe when they are looked at as dogma.  We’d still all be art-ing and craft-ing by candlelight if Thomas Edison had followed best practices!

And the Point Is…

Just because someone tells you that ‘this is the way you do it,’ don’t quit there.  Like everything else we artsy-craftsy types do, part of yourself needs to go into your business model.  Make it you own and create a new set of best practices for yourself that people will cite down the road.  And when you find something that works, please don’t stop building on it!  Let it evolve and grow.

Thank you to Sandi from IKnitQuiltSew for contributing

Tags: art business, best practices, business tips, craftsman, Handmade, handmade artist, information, selling, small business

Posted in Creative Breakroom, Handmade, Handmade Artisans, Information, Selling Tips