Do you struggle to know how to get paid for your creative work? Do you struggle to know how to pitch for new opportunities? Do you find it hard to talk about money with clients?

In this workshop, we are covering how to sell our services/products and learn how to get paid for creative work.

Whether you are just starting out, or already in your business journey, it can be hard to know how to sell your work and ask for payment. Women, in particular, can lack confidence in their abilities.

We want this workshop to help women who struggle with talking about money within business, that lack confidence in asking for money or pitching for work.

Talking about money in business is a hard thing to navigate, especially when you are starting out. It can be uncomfortable to know how to approach the subject. How do you approach people that you want to work with or sell to? How should you present yourself and your work? How do you bring up the subject of payment and money and actually close the deal and make sure you get the money you deserve?

It is important as women, that we continue to gain the confidence that we need to succeed in business. We want to empower women to be able to develop their own style of sales and selling their business products or services.

Within this module, we wanted to have a workshop with 2 women from different creative business backgrounds to share their story and offer advice and guidance on how they generate sales within their business followed by a Q&A session at the end.

What we will be covering:

• Getting your business in front of potential customers

• How to present yourself & business

• How to sell your business products/services

• Techniques on building confidence

• Communication as a business

• Navigating money & payment

• Building relationships with clients

Our workshop will be facilitated by Emma Johnston of Hunter Paper Co and Lisa Smyth of Shesaid.Design.

Emma Johnston is the designer and founder behind Hunter Paper Co, a luxury greetings card & stationery brand based in Belfast.

Lisa Smyth is the co-founder of @shesaid_design which is a graphic design studio situated in the heart of Belfast near City Hall.

Are you a young professional or a creative business owner struggling to build your network?

We are excited to introduce our next event - ‘A DIY guide on LinkedIn’ with Emma Gribben. 

As creative business owners, it can be hard to know what platforms are important to use to build your network. As there are many platforms out there, Linkedin is often overlooked as a space to get opportunities. It is a great place to connect with businesses locally and internationally, a great way to connect with people, to get jobs and even promote your own business. 

AIMS

The aim of this event is to help educate you on the importance of using LinkedIn for yourself personally & professionally and to help you get the skills that you need to set up your own Linkedin profile that will help you build your network. 

OVERVIEW

In this workshop Emma Gribben will be covering the following topics: 

• Overview of the LinkedIn platform on desktop and Mobile 

• How the newsfeed works 

• How to optimise your personal profile 

• How to set up a Corporate Page 

• LinkedIn Events 

• LinkedIn Live Streaming 

• LinkedIn Stories 

• How to build and develop your network using LinkedIn

WHO THIS IS FOR

This event is for anyone that is looking to build their business networks. Whether you are just starting out, or already in business, this event is for you. 

Don’t miss the opportunity to learn how to build your skills, and be professional online. 

This event is funded by Ulster Bank.

This event will be recorded for learning purposes. 

Emma is a digital marketing consultant, mentor and trainer working with start-ups, SMEs, brands and agencies across NI, ROI, UK and Europe. Emma offers solutions across digital strategy, website performance enhancement, social media, content marketing, SEO, email marketing, online PR and influencer marketing.

Emma has helped global businesses achieve impressive returns on digital marketing, including spectacular growth in website visitors (200%), in-unit sales (186%), revenue (97%) and e-commerce conversion (67%).

As a training partner to Google and Facebook across the Google Squared Online, Google Digital Academy and Google Digital Garage programmes as well as the Facebook Digital Skills Training programme, Emma has insights into the latest digital trends, platforms and activities to continually give businesses a competitive edge. 

Emma’s training clients include global brands Aer Lingus, Pandora, Vodafone and Electrolux as well as  Arts Council of Ireland, Bank of Ireland, Ulster Bank, Belfast Telegraph and Monaghan Mushrooms closer to home.  

Websites:

www.digitalbyemma.com

www.alchemydigitaltraining.com

 Facebook:

@DigitalByEmma

@AlchemyDigitalTraining

 LinkedIn:

@DigitalByEmma

@AlchemyDigitalTraining

Do you struggle with knowing how-to-write content for your creative business? 

As creative business owners, it can be hard to know how to write for your business. It can be hard to how to structure our workflow to create written content and follow through with our projects. It can be hard to know how to structure written content for your website and to know what topics to write about. 

In this workshop, we are diving into the world of writing for your business. We will be learning how to incorporate content creation and publishing into your working life right through to knowing what content to write for your business. Now more than ever, it is important to focus on the language that you use, and how your business comes across digitally. 

In this workshop, Heather McGarrigle will be helping us navigate how to write for our business and giving us tips to figure out what social media platforms are suitable for your creative business. 

AIMS

The aim of this event is to help you gain knowledge of how to create written content for your business and learning how to incorporate content creation into your working life.

Heather will be sharing important tips on how to write content for your website and covering the importance of finding your voice in the content you create. 

OVERVIEW

In this workshop, Heather will be sharing a presentation of the topics we will be covering, following a Q&A session after. 

Topics we will be covering:

• How to incorporate content creation and publishing into your working life by creating a content plan and calendar, batching content, and scheduling content 

• How to decide what social media platforms to use for your creative business

• How to structure and write content for your website

• How to pick topics/decide what to write about for blogs, newsletters and social content - how to look at your business as a journalist to 'find the stories'; but also how to look at your business like a marketer and create content for every aspect of the customer journey. 

• Finding your voice - creating content that sounds like you while maintaining the quality of content: the balance between authenticity 

• Making your content go the extra mile - basically tips and good practice on how to repurpose content that you create

WHO THIS IS FOR

This is for anyone that has a creative business or brand and struggles with knowing how to write for their business. Whether you struggle with knowing what written content to create and publish, to knowing how to structure and write content for your website. 

We wanted to create an event where you can walk away with practical tools that you can apply and implement into your business. 

This event will be recorded for educational purposes.

This event will be facilitated by Heather McGarrigle

Bio of Heather McGarrigle 

 Heather McGarrigle is a qualified journalist and award-winning blogger with 15 years of experience in professional writing and content creation.

 She founded Quill Inc NI in 2015 and specialises in helping small businesses and creative sector organisations to find the right words for their written content, including blogs, websites, social media, newsletters and marketing materials. 

 Quill Inc NI services include planning, creating, scheduling, publishing and distributing content, as well as proofreading, editing, and updating or rewriting existing content.  Heather's approach is collaborative and follows journalistic principles to translate her clients' unique expertise and experience into original, high-quality, engaging content. 

 Website: https://quillincni.com

Facebook: facebook.com/quillincni

Insta and Twitter: @quillincni

AIMS

The aim of this event is to help you gain knowledge of how to build a brand or business on Instagram through hearing the story & journey of Lauren Taylor and Danni Simpson. They will be sharing their insights on how they have built their business, how they have built their brand and how they navigate growing their audience and business on Instagram.

OVERVIEW

This workshop will be split into two different sections. We will hear from Lauren Taylor first where she will be giving a presentation on her story, how she has created an international following, how she manages the business side of her brand and how she creates content around her brand on Instagram.

We will then hear from Danni Simpson, who will give us a presentation on her business story, how she has built her business and tips on planning content for Instagram.

After the presentations are complete, we will open the floor up for a Q&A session where you can ask both facilitators questions about Instagram.

WHO THIS IS FOR

This is for anyone that has a creative business or brand and struggles with knowing how to navigate the Instagram platform for business. Whether you struggle with knowing what to post, creating content for your brand, to knowing how to utilise Instagram as a business tool, this is for you.

We wanted to create an event where you can walk away with practical tools that you can apply and implement into your social media.

This event will be recorded for educational purposes.

This event will be facilitated by Lauren Taylor and Danni Simpson.

Lauren Taylor is an artist and illustrator originally from the US and now settled in Newry, County Down. She is the owner of Lauren Taylor Creates and LTCreative Tours.

Lauren does a range of projects including creating original artwork and prints as well as illustration projects for companies like Clive Christian Perfume and Steamline Luggage.

Her work is often inspired by nature and the landscape around her. Lauren has a passion for travel and recently launched her tour company LTCreative Tours with her husband. They offer tours and retreats in Ireland and Northern Ireland for artists and creatives.

Website - www.laurentaylorcreates.com

Instagram: @laurentaylorcreates

Twitter: @LTCreates

Facebook: Lauren Taylor Creates

Danni Simpson is an Australian Artist who specialises in Commercial murals and Illustrations. Her natural passion and talent for art have allowed her to complete a large number of projects and travel the globe to paint the world.

Over the years she has showcased her art in cities all over the globe, including a huge project for the 2018 Commonwealth Games held on the Gold Coast, Australia. Danni has worked her way throughout Europe designing numerous murals for cafes, bars and restaurants. As well as murals, Danni has worked alongside top high street labels creating their digital illustrations and designs.

Website - www.dannisimpsonart.com

Facebook- https://www.facebook.com/dannisimpsonart

Instagram- @dannisimpsonart

Aims

The aim of this event is to help you get valuable tips and tools to be able to photograph your own work straight away. Whether you are shooting products or creating content for your business, we will be covering the basics of photography and how to create a quality image with a phone or camera. 

 As a creative, it can be hard to know where to start on knowing how to photograph your own work, especially at the beginning as you may not have the finances to pay for a professional photographer to shoot what is needed. 

Who this is for

Whether you are just starting out in business, wanting to create a brand, or need a refresher on the basics of photography, this is for you. 

We wanted to create an event where you can walk away with practical tools that you can apply and implement straight away. Using what you have is what is important. Whether you have a basic phone or camera to take photographs, these tips apply to all devices.

This is a DIY workshop to help you get started on your own. Even if you are planning to pay for a professional, you may not know what is required to ask for, so in this workshop, we will be covering the following: 

• Basics of photography - creating a strong focal point, using exposure and white balance to get your images right, working with natural light

• Telling a visual story with your images - so not just products but your process, portraits etc too to build a brand online

• Different types of set up - plain backdrop, editorial styling and flat lay. What they all work best for and how to use them

• Editing your images - using software to improve your photos, the importance of sharing your best photos not posting for the sake of it

• Images for print and web use - important differences

• Backing up and storing your image catalogue

Our facilitator for this event is Carrie Davenport who is a photographer based in Belfast. 

Short Bio from Carrie Davenport

“I’m a Belfast based freelance photographer, specialising in event, portrait and commercial photography. I love to travel with work and have been lucky enough to work across Europe and the USA as well as regular work in Dublin, Glasgow and London. 

I first discovered my love of photography when I was putting my hatred of maths class into practice at school. Choosing instead to hide in the art department (my favourite subject for the entire school) it was here I first tried to teach myself about the darkroom and fell in love with photography.

I got an old fully manual Pentax SLR and started teaching myself as much as I could about photography and developing my own black and white images. After that, I went on to study Art and Design at tech before completing a degree at the Belfast School of Art. 

Throughout the entire time, my focus was in photography (no pun intended) and after leaving uni I worked for a design agency for several years until I decided to go it alone and set up my own business in 2005. 

Since then I’ve met amazing people, photographed amazing things and I still absolutely love what I do. I shoot for the likes of BBC NI, Getty Images, large charities like Guide Dogs UK and Diabetes Uk, and lots of amazing community groups like Artsekta, the Oh Yeah Music Centre and many more.”

Facebook: @carriedavenportphotos

Instagram: @Carrie Davenport 

Website www.carriedavenportphotographic.com

AIMS

The aim of this event is to help you become knowledgeable in getting started with understanding how to set up your own website DIY style.

We will be covering:

- What is important to include on a website ( information, photographs & copy)

- How to make your website user friendly & accessible

- Practical tips on using different platforms such as Squarespace

- Domain names

- SEO

- Planning content

- Consistency

- Products to display

- Logistics of the backend of selling online through a website

As a creative, it can be hard to know where to start or what to include when creating your own website for your creative business or personal project.

This is a DIY workshop to help you get started on your own. This event will help you understand how to design the website you want, the tools on how to create it and a clearer understanding of how to navigate the different platforms available.

OVERVIEW

The workshop will be split into two sections. The first part of the workshop will be facilitated by Karishma Kusurkar who will be giving us practical tools on how to create a website and using Squarespace as an example of how to use it.

The second half of the workshop will be led by Emma Jackson of Hunter Paper Co, who will be giving us a presentation of how she built her own business and website herself.

WHO IS THIS FOR?

This event is for anyone that is looking to set up a website for their creative business.

Whether you already have a website and are looking for tips to navigate the platforms or update your current website, or you are someone just starting out and needing a push to get started, this is for you.

This event will be recorded for educational purposes.

Emma Jackson of Hunter Paper Co

“Hi! I'm Emma, the designer and founder behind Hunter Paper Co, a luxury greetings card & stationery brand based in Belfast.

We fuse modern design with traditional letterpress printing methods to create beautiful stationery that brings people together. Since 2016 we have grown significantly and currently supply independent shops across the UK, Europe, USA & Australia as well as a number of major retailers within the UK. We print everything in our range in-house on our 1960’s Heidelberg printing presses.

Letterpress is a centuries-old technique in which ink is applied to a raised design and then pressed into the paper leaving a beautiful embossed impression on the page.

In 2020 I also established Hunt & Gather, an online stationery shop stocking some of the best stationery brands from across the world alongside the entire Hunter Paper Co range.

Hunt & Gather has got off to a great start, and we're constantly growing, working on expanding, adding new brands regularly and hoping to open a physical retail unit post-pandemic!”

Instagram -
@hunterpaperco
@huntandgatherbelfast

Website: www.hunterpaperco.com

OUR FACILITATORS

Karishma Kusurkar of Belfast Design Week & Small Town Big Dreams Podcast

“I'm a multidisciplinary designer based in Belfast who works within the spheres of design, facilitation and podcasts. I'm a collaborator and co-founder on projects including the Small Town Big Dreams podcast and Belfast Design Week.

Some of my recent work has included the Pop-Up Design Museum at Belfast Design Week 2020, an augmented photography project called Pause, innovation and design thinking workshops and I am currently co-developing an exciting new project releasing later this year (watch this space!).”

Instagram: @karishmasworld @belfastdesignwk @stbdpodcast

Website: www.karishmasworld.com

AIMS

The aim of this event is to help you become knowledgeable in getting started with understanding how to set up your own brand DIY style.

We will be covering how to create your own logo, what font to use, and what important things you need to include in setting up your own brand.

As a creative, it can be hard to know where to start when designing your own brand, especially at the beginning as you may not have the finances to pay for a professional graphic designer to put it together.

WHO THIS IS FOR

Whether you are just starting out in business, wanting to create a personal brand, or need a refresher on how to create a brand, this is for you.

We wanted to create an event where you can walk away with practical tools that you can apply and implement into your brand.

This is a DIY workshop to help you get started on your own. Even if you are planning to pay for a professional, you may not know what is required to ask for, so in this workshop, we will be covering the following:

• A simple break down of what branding is

• Brand Guidelines

• Typography

• Brand Identity - what is a brand identity, what is it used for, and what is in it?

• Logo ( how to create a logo that translates well throughout various platforms, what format it should be in, where your logo will be placed, where it needs to be,

• Fonts ( what fonts are suitable & what they communicate)

This event will be facilitated by Karishma Kusurkar.

Bio from Karishma Kusurkar

"I'm a multidisciplinary designer based in Belfast who works within the spheres of design, facilitation and podcasts. I'm a collaborator and co-founder on projects including the Small Town Big Dreams podcast and Belfast Design Week.

Some of my recent work has included the Pop-Up Design Museum at Belfast Design Week 2020, an augmented photography project called Pause, innovation and design thinking workshops and I am currently co-developing an exciting new project releasing later this year (watch this space!)."