The last blog I wrote was way back in March and I was full of good intentions and ideas for all the online learning and CPD I’d get done. Well, guess what, I didn’t do any of it. Turns out home schooling takes up more time than you might think. Now I’m back on it and thinking about the handy little interventions I can offer my clients. As we are all aware, things are very tough in the creative sector right now, so handy little interventions might just keep your organisation ticking over and running smoothly without breaking your already strained budget. Things like:
A quick social media audit. Social media – a valid way to market your products and services or just an annoying distraction? Well, both. Having done a quick Google, it appears around 45 million people in the UK use social media. Those statistics are hard to ignore and if you are in any way trying to get your organisation, services or products out there, social media is incredibly useful. An artist or crafter selling work, an arts organisation selling tickets for an online event or a community group aiming to attract new members – social media is your friend.
I’ve just done a mini audit for a client: which social media channels do they have, which do they prefer to use or never use, which accounts have the most followers – even that quick and easy piece of work has produced some useful insights. I don’t claim to be an expert on the socials but I do claim to have a fair bit of common sense and figuring out which channels are working best for you and match your preferred communication style is a good idea.
We all know great content is going to help bring in work/sales/contracts but generating and posting it takes time. I use Hootsuite to schedule posts. It’s super easy and intuitive to use and VERY satisfying to know that while you’re doing the school run or delivering your workshop or taking your photos or asleep, your carefully crafted messages are going out into the world.
Hootsuite is FREE to use for up to 3 social media platforms. In the sometimes grim and unsettling world we’re currently inhabiting at least you’ve got your socials covered for the next few weeks, which shows your followers that you are still actively up and running. None if this is difficult but it can be time-consuming. My client is too busy DOING THE STUFF so is happy for me to get stuck into making their social media output as efficient as possible.
A quick read of your funding application. Or even filling in some of the sections for you. I can move the process along so it’s closer to being ready to submit. I used to assess funding applications from arts organisations for a living so quickly get a feel for whether your application is telling your story in the best, most funder-friendly way possible.
A quick look for new arts funding streams. There are loads of them out there, but which ones match your objectives? Who funds all the other artists and arts organisations? What is available locally? I can do some specific research for you.
Have a look here for a few more ideas. If you’re considering working with a virtual assistant think about where your skills lie, what you enjoy and how much time you’ve got. If a task keeps nagging away at you but you’d rather go to the dentist, then maybe it’s time to hand it over, because let’s face it you’re not going to get a dental appointment any time soon. And if you work with a VA who knows your world, imagine how much added value that could bring. Someone who is aligned to your values, knows the sector, has connections AND can be brought in at an hourly rate with no long contract or commitment. Drop me a line. I might be able to offer a handy little intervention that helps.
Mags