[headline size=”small” align=”right”]Registration is closed. Please join us in The Textile Design Lab![/headline]
You love to create beautiful things. Every day you pour your energy into creating beautiful patterns, illustrations and color palettes. What if you could bring beauty to the rest of your design business? In our four week course, Sharing Your Work, I’ll show you how a well designed marketing plan can be beautiful and help you grow your business simply and confidently.
[headline size=”medium” align=”left”]Together we will[/headline]
- Prepare your business for new industry contacts and potential sales. You‘ll make a connections to build your business into the future.
- Develop engaging marketing materials that you can use to increase your sales.
- Replace fear with enthusiasm and a clear vision.
- Work within a supportive and responsive community where each designer receives feedback, direction and support.
- Develop a marketing plan that consistently brings in new contacts and potential clients
[headline size=”medium” align=”left”]The Process[/headline]
We walk you step by step through the process of developing professional marketing tools which will allow you to confidently grow your business. The workshop culminates with the opportunity to have your artwork reviewed by three buyers from companies such as Pink Light Studios, Hunt+Gather, Pendleton, Keeco, Creative Capital Design, Modern Yardage and more. In addition to your review, these buyers may become vital industry contacts.
Prior To The Workshop: Establishing Your Business
1. Learn how to decide which business structure is right for you and your business.
2. Establish sound bookkeeping and accounting practices to prepare your business for future growth.
3. Decide the best way to sell your work based upon your artistic style and future business goals.
Week One: Selling Your Artwork in The Digital Age
1. Explore digital sales options and how to protect your work online.
2. Learn how to prepare your artwork files for sale and deliver them in a professional manner.
3. Learn how to best accept payments and invoice clients based upon your business.
Week Two: Building Your Marketing Plan
1. Learn why newsletters are essential to online marketing and what to say to your subscribers.
2. Establish a blog that markets your work on a consistent basis.
3. Create a marketing cycle that allows you to stay in contact with your network in an authentic way.
Week Three: Reaching Out
1. Learn how to create a Linkedin profile that allows you to stay in touch with clients, both new and old.
2. Set up professional social media marketing tools that assist you in growing your business in an effortless way.
3. Learn how to reach out to your network with ease.
Week Four: Expanding Your Network
1. Expand your network through outside blogs and social media.
2. Learn how to reach out to new clients and buyers.
3. Develop the next steps for your business and career.
After The Workshop: Meeting Participating Buyers
After the fourth week of the workshop wraps up, you’ll be given three weeks to work at your own pace to finalize your artwork and marketing materials. You’ll have the opportunity to reach out to your three assigned buyers through email and give the buyers access to your public and private online portfolio website. Each assigned buyer then completes a detailed critique of the your work, website functionality and marketing materials. You are also encouraged to connect with each buyer through Linkedin, thus creating lifelong contacts and expanding your network. This personalized experience is priceless!
[headline size=”medium” align=”left”]The Buyers[/headline]
Britta Cabanos of Creative Capital Design
Britta Cabanos is the Chief Design Director of Creative Capital Design, a Portland, Oregon based design consulting studio specializing in athletic women’s product. Britta has over 20 years experience as a Leading Swimwear Design Director and together with partner Rebecca Kaufman Ward, launched Creative Capital this past October. Creative Capital offers services from design strategy, to product development to production ready product. Read our interview with Britta.
April Cobb of Modern Yardage
April Cobb is the owner of Modern Yardage, a brand-new digital textile fabric manufacturer, dedicated to bringing fresh, contemporary, fun fabrics to the modern sewist. Created to help solve the problems that the fabric industry faces by taking away the speculation on trends, popular print shortages and scarcity, and limited color and scale offerings, Modern Yardage is rethinking the traditional fabric manufacturing process and offering something new to the industry. Read our interview with April.
Mary Beth Freet of Pink Light Studios
Pink Light Studio was established in Seattle, Washington in 2009 by owner, agent, and creative director, Mary Beth Freet. Previous to starting Pink Light, Mary Beth received her BFA in Visual Communications from The University of Washington, graduating top in her class. She then worked for 8 years as a textile designer at Nordstrom, eventually working her way to Senior Textile Designer—developing her skills in customer service, textile design, marketing, working with buyers, product development, trend research, and merchandising. Mary Beth now represents over 15 amazingly talented artists internationally. Read our interview with Mary Beth.
[headline size=”medium” align=”left”]What you get with the course[/headline]
- The opportunity to present your work to three buyers from the apparel, home and craft fabric marketplaces. Buyers will also provide feedback and advice based on your work.
- Three pdf and audio lessons per week which will share how to market your work in the textile design and surface pattern design industries
- A step by step guide to selling the copyrights to your work including invoicing, contracts and file delivery
- Three bonus lessons to prepare your business for the workshop. These lessons are available immediately after registration is finalized
- Four group chat sessions, where work is reviewed and questions are answered
- Access to a private forum where you can post work and ask questions
[testimonial img=”http://patternobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Rebecca_Stoner.jpg” who=”Rebecca Stoner” url=”http://www.pinterest.com/pincurlandlace/”]Since working with Michelle my confidence in my work has increased and I feel I have pushed my work far more than I did before. I have become far more proactive in marketing my designs for example using newsletters, twitter, facebook, pinterest and LinkedIn to publicise what I‘m doing. My website and blog traffic has definitely increased as a result of me doing this and I recently finalized two new licensing deals.[/testimonial]
[headline size=”medium” align=”left”]FAQ[/headline]
Will I personally get feedback on my work?
Yes, each designer will get one-on-one feedback on their work from Michelle, as well as three buyers from companies such as Pendleton, Keeco, Ten-Sixty Sherman, Creative Capital Design, Modern Yardage and more.
What if I discover that the workshop isn’t for me?
You have five days to ask for a refund, no questions asked.
Will I learn how to build a website?
This is not a portfolio development course and designers are expected to have a portfolio before taking the workshop. If you need to develop a portfolio please read more about our Portfolio Development Guide.
Is The Textile Design Lab included in this workshop?
The Textile Design Lab is not part of this workshop.
[headline size=”small” align=”right”]Registration is closed.[/headline]
[headline size=”small” align=”right”]Please join us in The Textile Design Lab! [/headline]
