The Design Trust
Today we had Patricia van den Akker come into the lecture to discuss starting your own creative business.
Today Design trust aims to discuss in this lecture...
* Introduction.
* Getting started in the market.
* What's your niche? Why it matters & how to find yours.
* Create your own fundamental marketing plan.
* Write your own intro.
* Develop your own brand.
* 14 essential marketing steps for design graduates.
* Your marketing strategy.
* Useful resources .
Patricia runs her own online business school. Teaching people who work in John Lewis etc.
Getting started
* Self-employment? Being your own boss? It's not for everyone!
* You will need to sell yourself, even if you are looking for a job!
Step 1 - What's your Nich'e
Your specialism
+
Your target audience
=
Your Nich'e
An example of this is...
* Anne Kyyro Quinn
* Tatty Devine
Why is it important to have a nich'e?
* You become 'known' for something specific
* You can't be everybody's friend
* Spreading yourself thin
* Very competitive market
* WHAT you do is not unique, you WHY & HOW often is!
* Easier to become well know, raise your profile
* Get to know your client"s needs better, raise credibility
* Easier to get referrals
* All marketing becomes easier
Instead of a small fish in a big pond...Get a smaller pond!
80% of marketing is through word of mouth!
How to find your niche?
Your 5 values -
Your 5 Passions -
Your 5 Strengths -
+ ideal clients + who will pay for what you offer.
Step 2 - Who are your role models?
Practical market research
* Knowing the market you want to work in is essential from a business & creative
perspective.
* Exercise: Identify 6-8 role models and research:
- How do they make their money?
- What products/services do they create? What price levels? What themes or inspirations?
- Who are their clients? Where do they get press?
- Where do they sell?
- What is their brand? How do they present themselves? What are their brand values?
- What can you learn from them?
Step 3 - What do you want? Setting Goals.
Are you prepared to fight for what you want?
Goal setting
* Goal setting is crucial to give direction & motivation to your business
* Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time bound
* Start with 'the end in mind'
* What do you want to do, be or have in 2 years time? Set 3 goals
* Break these goals down into smaller goals
* Make them juicy!
Step 4 - Why?
Why...
* do you want (or need!) to be creative?
* do you do what you do?
* do you want to run your won business/label/brand?
* do you exist? What makes you different from all the other creative businesses out there?
Your WHY is bigger that you.
Your unique WHY will set you apart
Step 5 - What do you sell?
* What are your products or services?
* Create a 'collection' or package'?
* What are the features? The facts about you and your products/services e.g. I only use
recycled gold, I have recently graduated from DJCAD, I am interested in fairy tales &
feminist...
* What are the benefits for your client? What solution do you provide? What do you do
better or quicker than others? How will you help them? How will you make them feel?
Being a new graduate, can you turn that into a positive?
What do you sell? - Features, Benefits.
Step 6 - Who are your ideal clients?
* Who will buy from you? You & your mates are unlikely to be your clients?
* Where does this person live? What job have they got? What do they do in their spare
time?
* What do they find important? What do they like? What gets them excited or angry? What
are their values?
* What problems, needs, wants, issues or challenges have they got?
* What magazine, blogs do they read? Where do they shop and how?
* What kind of people do you like working with? What's important to you? Who gives you
energy?
* Not just for consumers but trade buyers too!
* Exercise: crate 3 stories around 3 clients.
Step 7 - Where will you sell?
* Direct: eg Craft fairs, trade shows, open studios, 'Tupperware' parties, art trails, design,
freelance...
* Online: e.g. Your own websites or online shop, portfolio sites, online marketplaces (e.g.
Etsy, Folksy, DaWanda), online retailers, online membership organisations, ...
* Trade: Via (online) retailers, shops, galleries, agebts, interior designers, ...
* Licensing
* Commissions
* In the UK, Europe, International?
* Where does your ideal client shop?
Step 8 - When?
When will they buy? When will you sell?
* Seasonality of sales: Crafts & Gifs
Step 9 - 'People only buy from people they know, like or trust'
How can you build...
* Your credibility
* Your Profile
* Trust
15 first steps into business for graduates
1. Identift your niche
2. What's your business name? Get a logo too.
3. Register with the taxman HMRC
4. Get a professional web & email address.
5, Create your 100 word into or 'about page'
6. Get fabulouse images & tag them properly
7. Create an online presence: website, portfolio site, online shop
8. Get a professional business card or post card
9. Manage your time wisely: 50% of your time on marketing, 40% making and 10% on
admin & learning
10. Identify 20 potential (trade) clients and approach each professionally & personally...
and then do it again... and again!
11. Identify 10 people who can help you e.g. Advice, mentors, support, referrals, suppliers,
peers, tutors...
12. Participate in a (craft) show or (play) project
13. create and grow your database
14. Stay in touch, without making a nuisance of yourself
15. Work with and learn from other creative, suppliers, ...
Today Design trust aims to discuss in this lecture...
* Introduction.
* Getting started in the market.
* What's your niche? Why it matters & how to find yours.
* Create your own fundamental marketing plan.
* Write your own intro.
* Develop your own brand.
* 14 essential marketing steps for design graduates.
* Your marketing strategy.
* Useful resources .
Patricia runs her own online business school. Teaching people who work in John Lewis etc.
Getting started
* Self-employment? Being your own boss? It's not for everyone!
* You will need to sell yourself, even if you are looking for a job!
Step 1 - What's your Nich'e
Your specialism
+
Your target audience
=
Your Nich'e
An example of this is...
* Anne Kyyro Quinn
* Tatty Devine
Why is it important to have a nich'e?
* You become 'known' for something specific
* You can't be everybody's friend
* Spreading yourself thin
* Very competitive market
* WHAT you do is not unique, you WHY & HOW often is!
* Easier to become well know, raise your profile
* Get to know your client"s needs better, raise credibility
* Easier to get referrals
* All marketing becomes easier
Instead of a small fish in a big pond...Get a smaller pond!
80% of marketing is through word of mouth!
How to find your niche?
Your 5 values -
Your 5 Passions -
Your 5 Strengths -
+ ideal clients + who will pay for what you offer.
Step 2 - Who are your role models?
Practical market research
* Knowing the market you want to work in is essential from a business & creative
perspective.
* Exercise: Identify 6-8 role models and research:
- How do they make their money?
- What products/services do they create? What price levels? What themes or inspirations?
- Who are their clients? Where do they get press?
- Where do they sell?
- What is their brand? How do they present themselves? What are their brand values?
- What can you learn from them?
Step 3 - What do you want? Setting Goals.
Are you prepared to fight for what you want?
Goal setting
* Goal setting is crucial to give direction & motivation to your business
* Set SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic & Time bound
* Start with 'the end in mind'
* What do you want to do, be or have in 2 years time? Set 3 goals
* Break these goals down into smaller goals
* Make them juicy!
Step 4 - Why?
Why...
* do you want (or need!) to be creative?
* do you do what you do?
* do you want to run your won business/label/brand?
* do you exist? What makes you different from all the other creative businesses out there?
Your WHY is bigger that you.
Your unique WHY will set you apart
Step 5 - What do you sell?
* What are your products or services?
* Create a 'collection' or package'?
* What are the features? The facts about you and your products/services e.g. I only use
recycled gold, I have recently graduated from DJCAD, I am interested in fairy tales &
feminist...
* What are the benefits for your client? What solution do you provide? What do you do
better or quicker than others? How will you help them? How will you make them feel?
Being a new graduate, can you turn that into a positive?
What do you sell? - Features, Benefits.
Step 6 - Who are your ideal clients?
* Who will buy from you? You & your mates are unlikely to be your clients?
* Where does this person live? What job have they got? What do they do in their spare
time?
* What do they find important? What do they like? What gets them excited or angry? What
are their values?
* What problems, needs, wants, issues or challenges have they got?
* What magazine, blogs do they read? Where do they shop and how?
* What kind of people do you like working with? What's important to you? Who gives you
energy?
* Not just for consumers but trade buyers too!
* Exercise: crate 3 stories around 3 clients.
Step 7 - Where will you sell?
* Direct: eg Craft fairs, trade shows, open studios, 'Tupperware' parties, art trails, design,
freelance...
* Online: e.g. Your own websites or online shop, portfolio sites, online marketplaces (e.g.
Etsy, Folksy, DaWanda), online retailers, online membership organisations, ...
* Trade: Via (online) retailers, shops, galleries, agebts, interior designers, ...
* Licensing
* Commissions
* In the UK, Europe, International?
* Where does your ideal client shop?
Step 8 - When?
When will they buy? When will you sell?
* Seasonality of sales: Crafts & Gifs
Step 9 - 'People only buy from people they know, like or trust'
How can you build...
* Your credibility
* Your Profile
* Trust
15 first steps into business for graduates
1. Identift your niche
2. What's your business name? Get a logo too.
3. Register with the taxman HMRC
4. Get a professional web & email address.
5, Create your 100 word into or 'about page'
6. Get fabulouse images & tag them properly
7. Create an online presence: website, portfolio site, online shop
8. Get a professional business card or post card
9. Manage your time wisely: 50% of your time on marketing, 40% making and 10% on
admin & learning
10. Identify 20 potential (trade) clients and approach each professionally & personally...
and then do it again... and again!
11. Identify 10 people who can help you e.g. Advice, mentors, support, referrals, suppliers,
peers, tutors...
12. Participate in a (craft) show or (play) project
13. create and grow your database
14. Stay in touch, without making a nuisance of yourself
15. Work with and learn from other creative, suppliers, ...
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