Creative Bedfordshire - Connecting With Your Audience - Creative Networking - January 2016

Welcome!

Creative Bedfordshire!14th January 2016!

Friends Meeting House !Leighton Buzzard !

7 – 9 pm!

CONNECTING WITH YOUR AUIDENCE hosted by Sandra Dartnell for Bedford Creative Arts!

Invigorate your 2016 business resolution by joining us in Leighton Buzzard. Network and explore how to tailor your business behaviour and messages to your

audience. Our speakers, Tabitha Mary and PlatePeople, will talk about how they get their

content right, covering: products, research, channels, collaboration and commitment.!

Mentions!Bedford Creative Arts !@wearebca!

Business TimeBank [email protected]

Culture Challenge!@bedfordculture!

@CreativeBeds !#CBNetworking!

MyIncVentures!@myincventures!

#MIVReveals!

http://centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/MIV!

Mentions!Sole Traders Tax!Handout!

Claire !@AddisonAccounts!

Matthew!@acuriousjoy!


This evening includes a chance to shout-out about your latest work, and to chat informally.!We encourage you to share your experience via Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.!

http://instagram.com/creativebeds/!

#creativebeds #bedfordshire #centralbeds !http://facebook.com/groups/creativebedfordshire/!


We encourage you to connect with the people you meet tonight on LinkedIn.!Create a profile, connect and create a network of creative professionals at your fingertips online. !

http://linkedin.com/company/creative-bedfordshire!

LinkedIn is the hub from which we share event presentations via SlideShare.!

http://slideshare.net/CreativeBedfordshire!


Tabitha Mary!Tabitha Mary, based in Leighton Buzzard, is the brand of designer Tabitha Mary Wainwright. !

@Twitter Handle!PlatePeople!PlatePeople, based in Kempston, Bedford, is a plate decoration and ceramics business. !

http://tabithamary.co.uk/! http://etsy.com/uk/shop/PlatePeople!


Tabitha Mary!Design brand Tabitha Mary has a following in Bedfordshire and beyond. Selling own design prints and tea towels, Tabitha Mary has been commissioned by small businesses, Bedford Borough Council and ‘We are Anglesey.’ !

@tabithamaryuk!


Studied Mixed Media Textile Design!

Knew I wanted to work in graphic design!

Over the past 8 years I’ve designed surface patterns for homewares, sunglasses, Christmas crackers and licensed stationery.!


Tabitha Mary!@tabithamaryuk!

My parents asked me for a map of the Shipping Forecast!

I started selling the single print online !

The leap into self employment occurred naturally as demand for my prints grew and my personal life changed.!


Tabitha Mary!@tabithamaryuk!

Transparent and personal!

Being a sole trader is an important part in how I market myself!

People want to buy into small businesses and help support you, therefore be transparent about it!

The personal touch that comes with this is key to engaging your audience. Appear professional but keep the personal touch.!


@tabithamaryuk!Getting your content right !

My business plan has always remained the same, say “YES” to all opportunities, no matter how scary. It’s the only way to drive demand, awareness and grow a name for yourself.!

Tabitha Maryis a finalist in the Bedfordshire BusinessWomen Awards 2016, nominated in the Best New Business category!



Trial and error!

You’ve got to try something once to be confident in deciding whether to repeat that experience. This is most true for me when attending craft markets, choosing ones with the right audience and demographic of customers.!



Listen to your audience!

I am constantly responding to demand which is forever changing direction. It’s about being adaptable.!Feedback is crucial too, some prints don’t work, but that’s ok. You just try again.!



Social media: a driving force, but time consuming !

Be selective: Pick what works for you!

Use different channels in different ways: Local audience vs wider audience!

Measuring the success of social media: Simple and hard at the same time!


Where to talk to your audience !@tabithamaryuk!

PlatePeople!Claire and Matthew Rulton, owners of new business PlatePeople, Bedford, will talk about how they approached their first Christmas and beyond.!

@platepeople!


PlatePeople decorate plates and other ceramics. The creative child of Claire and Matthew Rulton, the PlatePeople look is simple and distinct. The character is quirky and personalized, generating sales online and at creative markets and pop-ups.!

Why did we start: We started PlatePeople as we wanted a creative outlet. !

What are we about: We work as a team designing ceramics to bespoke specifications and also personalising our designs and selling online. !

Partnership: Matthew is the creative. I run my own accountancy practice and our skills come together to create the business.!


PlatePeople!@platepeople!

It is a part time business but we haven’t approached it in that way. We have a business plan, a budget and do have a social media presence.!


PlatePeople!@platepeople!

Experiment!

Learn from your mistakes: Not adding a link, a price, a picture!

Be patient it takes time!

Ask your audience: Market research!


Getting your content right !@platepeople!

Social media is meant to be social: You need to interact with your audience and treat it as a two way interaction!

Plan 50% respond 50%: This will make you standout!

Different content for different channels!

Use tools!

Tone: Personal or business!


@platepeople!Getting your content right !

Online:!Twitter !Etsy !Facebook!LinkedIn!Tweethours, tagging, pictures, links, shorten links, timed tweets!

Newsletters!

Analytics: Etsy, Facebook & Twitter, Newletters!

Face to face and family & friends are still important!


@platepeople!Where to talk to your audience !

Connecting with your audience!Listen to your audience – what are they asking for? TM!


@Twitter Handle!@Twitter Handle!@tabithamaryuk! @PlatePeople!

Make it personal!

PP!

Plan but be flexible!

Respond to audience trends!

Don’t sell yourself short!

PP!

PP!

PP!

Don’t be scared to amend and adapt. You’ve got to in order to succeed and to respond to your customers needs. TM!

It’s a journey, don’t feel pressured to do everything’ the right’ away. TM!Say “YES” !TM!

Tabitha Mary!@Twitter Handle!

PlatePeople!

http://tabithamary.co.uk ! http://etsy.com/uk/shop/PlatePeople!


Facebook/PlatePeople/

Twi2er @platepeople Twitter @tabithamaryuk !

Instagram/tabithamaryuk!

Facebook/tabithamaryuk !

https://uk.linkedin.com/in/tabithamaryuk! https://uk.linkedin.com/in/clairerulton!

News from Bedford Creative Arts !@weareBCA!


All Roads Lead to Rome, by Chris Dobrowolski!Dunstable, 28th Jan 2016 !

Handbag by Geraldine Pilgrim!Leighton Buzzard, 15th April 2016 !

Follow BCA on Facebook !https://www.facebook.com/Bedford.Creative.Arts!


Over to the room. Who wants to say something about their creative business or creative need?!

Shout outs!Circus of Illustration!Love Conquers All Exhibition and Drink and Draw at Pavilion at the Park!http://www.circusofillustration.com/!http://pavilion.attheparkbedford.co.uk/!


Tabitha Mary!Bedford Proms!http://www.bedfordparkconcerts.co.uk/!

ThinkingCX!Leighton – Linslade Children’s Trail!https://www.facebook.com/ChildrensTrail/ !

Addison Accounts !Accounts Workshops !http://addisonaccounts.co.uk/!

Shout outs!Evie and Lola – Crafty Social Events!http://www.evieandlola.co.uk/!


Jih-Wen Yeh – Music in Detention!Artist call out. [email protected]!

Next up: Finding Your Voice!

@princestrust!@BedPopScience!

4th February 2016!Ent.Shed at The Gordon Arms!118 Castle Road, Bedford, MK40 3QY!7 – 9 pm!


Join us creative networking. Our speakers this month represent spoken word, and online self-publishing. Lee Nelson of Utter Lutonia and WordFest, and blogger Alice Smith will give short talks telling us how they found their voice and developed their audience, creative practice and reputation in these areas. !

Erica Roffe will tell us about the Bedpop ScienceLab, and other exciting Bedpop productions planned for 2016. !

Funding advice for businesses, including freelancers, will come from Sue Hughes, Arts Council England.!

We have news about information sessions for The Prince’s Trust Explore Enterprise happening in Bedford.!

The evening also includes a chance to tell us about your work, and to chat informally. Our creative networking is free. No registration is necessary. All are welcome.!

@ace_national!@alice3LS!

Next up: Rural Business !

@CardCrush!@Semlep!

3rfMarch 2016, Jordans Mill, Langford Road, !Broom, Bedfordshire, SG18 9JY!7 – 9 pm !http://www.bedfordcreativearts.org.uk/index.php/events/creative-bedfordshire-rural-business/!


Our focus for March creative networking is rural business. What are the needs of rural creative business? How is rural funding accessed? How can rural businesses and creatives collaborate? The evening will be an open discussion of these questions and more!

Steve Mackie, Business Development Manager, Jordans Mill will speak about how rural funding restored the property and redefined the business, and about collaborating with local creative business!

Paul Bylass, founder, The Design Orchard, a product design consultancy based in Clophill, will talk about how a Rural Development Programme transformed an agricultural building into a creative studio!

Jane Roemer, business advisor, SEMLEP will be available to answer rural funding questions!

Bridget Lewis, founder, Card Crush Greetings, based in Stotfold and Network Leader at WIRE BEDS will join the conversation on behalf of her business and Women In Rural Enterprise Bedfordshire network. !

@DesignOrchard!@JordansMill!

Our ‘Grow your Creative Business’ conference!


Creative Bedfordshire ‘Grow your creative business’ conference Friday 4th March 2016, from 9:30am – 3:00 pm at Gateway, University of Bedford. !

For 2016 the focus of our annual conference is Growth. Join us at the University of Bedfordshire for a day of inspiration, peer-led business support and networking. Guest speakers will cover introductions to key business topics across Pricing, Finance, IP, Briefing Social Media, Pitching a Business Collaboration. There will be an afternoon panel with interactive audience discussion covering important business Growth considerations and opportunities such as taking on your first employees and funding for efficiency and expansion. !

Grow your Creative Business!


Creative Bedfordshire annual conference Friday 4th March 2016, from 9:30am – 3:00 pm at Gateway, University of Bedford. !Booking essential. Tickets £20!

For full event details and tickets:!www.cbconf2016.eventbrite.co.uk !

Thank You!

Creative Bedfordshire is a network of creative people and businesses in Bedfordshire and offers regular networking events

and professional development opportunities. Sole traders, freelancers and creative businesses of all kinds are welcome to

attend. It is funded by the economic development teams at Central Bedfordshire Council and Bedford Borough Council and is run by

Bedford Creative Arts. For more information email [email protected]!

Follow us on Twitter @creativebeds or join our mailing list by emailing [email protected] with ‘Creative

Bedfordshire’ in the title.!

CreativeBedfordshire