In 2020, Handmade Arcade partnered with the Creative Business Accelerator to create a free online curriculum that provides resources to train makers as they pivot from in-person to online business models.
All webinars were recorded and are free to all makers and small business owners – including supplemental downloadable content.
Ecommerce Fundamentals for Creative Businesses
Presentation by Alecia Dawn Young / Video Length: 00:33:01
Created by the Creative Business Accelerator
Beyond a Web Presence: Utilizing your E-Commerce Site as a Fully Functioning Store
Presentation by Alecia Dawn Young / Video Length: 00:49:51
Created by the Creative Business Accelerator
Building Your Website to Sell Your Product
Created by the Creative Business Accelerator
Telling Your Story Online: Creating Compelling Content for Your Website and Social Media
Recorded in November 2020.
Creating compelling content for your website and social media is an essential part of the puzzle. It allows you to connect your brand to the human side of your business. By telling a consistent and compelling story, you can uplift your unique brand and attract new customers with creative messaging. Sharing your story, products, and personality with your followers is more important than ever during this time when most in-person events are canceled. Join Amy Garbark, of garbella, Jess Graves, of Una Biologicals, and John Mahood, of Imagebox, to discuss strategies for telling your brand’s authentic and compelling story online.
Making the Most of the Gift Market
Video length: 00:59:06 / Recorded October 2020 with a winter holiday market in mind.
Handmade Arcade’s Tricia Brancolini-Foley was joined by Nisha Blackwell of Knotzland, Samantha Bower of Luster and Artsmiths of Pittsburgh, and Katie Johnson of the Creative Business Accelerator for an in-depth discussion on how creative businesses can plan to make the most of the upcoming holiday gift market. This group of makers and business coaches unpacked tried and true strategies to prepare for holiday sales, including analyzing your website for shopability, adding gift-related services, and other ideas.
Marketing 101: Strategies and Best Practices
Password: Marketing101
Recorded in October 2020.
Session experts include Sam Laffey from Porter Loves and Casey Droege from Casey Droege Cultural Productions, Small Mall, PGH Photo Fair.
Marketing
Webinar addresses organization, marketing, and brushing up your work presentation including tips and techniques to define your voice, clean up your brand aesthetic, and create consistent digital and physical materials. See examples of what works and what doesn’t. Ask questions and leave this workshop armed and ready to set yourself up for success during this season and beyond.
Meet the Experts: Photography, Legal and Website Q&A for Creative Businesses
Video Length: 01:33:06 / Recorded in October 2020
Session experts include Alecia Dawn Young, YOGAMOTIF; Marlene van Nelson, Trellis Legal; and Sam Laffey and Nathan J Shaulis, Porter Loves
Downloadable content:
Photography:
Legal
Best Practices for Customer Engagement and Retention
Recorded in November 2020
Great, you connected with a bunch of new customers at your last craft show. But now what? This session will help creative business better understand how to convert one-time sales to longtime customers. Session experts include Alyssa Catalano, Studebaker Metals and Jenna Vanden Brink, Jenna Vanden Brink Ceramics.
Navigating the Post Office and Handmade Arcade Virtual Marketplace Check-In
Video length (1:20:53) / Recorded in October 2020.
Handmade Arcade’s executive director Tricia Brancolini-Foley welcomed Lucy Kelly, artist/owner of bel monili & Bloom by bel monili, for a deep dive into not only navigating the post office but also how to manage holiday shipping – costs and best practices – directly from your e-commerce site.
Downloadable content:
Let Your Website Work for You: Understanding SEO and Other Analytics to Increase Conversion
PDF: Presentation Download
Recorded in November 2020.
Are you an artist or maker selling online but struggling to stand out? When you’ve never worked with SEO before, it can be hard to know where to start.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to leverage search engine optimization (SEO), Google Analytics, and other tools so that your eCommerce website is gorgeous for Google, your keywords are kicking traffic into high gear, and your products get in front of people wanting to buy at the very moment they’re online looking for you.
Session expert: Cory Bosket, Imagebox