You’ve planned and created your craft workshop. You are ready to deliver. You’re excited, but … how are you going to promote your craft workshops to get people to sign up to your creative workshops? Which marketing strategies and activities really work to get you bums on seats?
We asked three successful creatives who teach to share how they promote their craft workshops: Broom and brush maker Rosa Harradine, silversmith Rauni Higson and weaver Angie Parker. They share honestly what works for them to market their craft workshops.
Rauni Higson and Angie Parker are both featured in the book Teaching Creative Workshops in Person & Online, which was written by Patricia van den Akker, the Director of The Design Trust.
ROSA HARRADINE – broom & Brush maker
Rosa Harradine is a broom and brush maker who uses natural brush fibres and bright colours in her work. She teaches group workshops in brush and broom making near her home in Carmarthenshire, as well as at other venues and festivals around the UK.
Who are your ideal students or participants? Why do you think they come to you for craft training, and not somebody else?
“My ideal student is someone who wants to be creative and enjoys learning! They might just want to come for a fun day out, wants to learn to make gifts for friends, or who wants to make something to use in their own creative practice.
My brush making workshops are very productive and participants usually make at least four brushes, which gives them a chance to practice and build on the skills that they learn.
I think people choose my workshops because of the array of positive testimonials from previous participants, which I share on my website. This gives them confidence that they will have a positive experience too.”
How do you promote craft workshops?
“I tend to launch my workshop dates at two points during the year: spring, for the dates in the autumn, and then autumn for spring the following year.
I donโt usually schedule group workshops in the summer, as I teach at festivals and want to enjoy the weather. And in the winter Iโm busy focusing on Christmas sales!
My sales target is to sell out my workshops, and typically that does happen, which is brilliant! I provide plenty of notice which gives me a lot of time for promotion. I might schedule two workshop dates at a time, and if these sell out quickly and thereโs more demand, then Iโll add another one. This means that I donโt have multiple dates which are all only half full.“
Do you use online marketing?
“I mostly promote my craft workshops on my own website, as well as sharing the details through my email newsletter and on social media.
I ask for anonymous feedback after all of my workshops and I have had some really wonderful feedback, which goes a very long way in promoting my workshops. Like: โIโve tried lots of different craft workshops and this was probably the best including value for moneyโ and โThis is the nicest training I have been on in yearsโฆโ
I have automatic booking for workshops through my website, so itโs easy for people to book. I also have a waitlist set up on my website, so that if a date is sold out, someone can enter their email address to be told if a space becomes available. This has worked really well in the past โ I managed to fill a cancellation with 24 hoursโ notice!
Recently I had one workshop which was much slower to sell, after the first date sold out, so Iโve been marketing it everywhere, from CraftCourses to local Facebook groups and events websites.
Iโm about to print out some flyers to bring with me to craft fairs to promote my workshop dates for this autumn, too.“
What marketing works best for you to sell workshop tickets?
“My email newsletter!
I have a regular newsletter which I send once a month, and I always share new workshops dates here first, usually accompanied by positive testimonials from previous workshop attendees.
The people who sign up to my newsletter really want to hear about what I have to offer – for both my work and workshops. I share new workshop dates via my newsletter first, before social media. This encourages people to sign up to my database, especially as some workshop dates sell out quickly. If anyone emails me to ask to be notified when new dates are available to book, I direct them to sign up to my newsletter.
Many people who book my workshops make a weekend trip of it, so I also share recommendations for places to stay and things to do in my newsletter.“
How do you encourage participants to come back (again and again)?
“When I send out a thank you email, which also requests feedback from participants, I let them know about any other workshop dates that are coming up. Iโve also had a few participants book the same type of workshop a year later because they enjoyed it so much, and gave away everything they made the first time as gifts!”
Which part of your marketing needs work? What do you want to improve?
“I really need to get better at taking photos during the workshop, to share afterwards and to use for marketing!
I always have every intention to take lots of photos, but then itโs such a busy day and Iโm concentrating on the teaching side of things! In future, I may hire a photographer to come for an hour or two to take some photos for me. This would mean Iโd get high quality photos to use, and ones with me in too!”
What advice have you got for new creative teachers to get their first bookings?
“Practice your workshop on some friends first, so you know exactly what youโre teaching and how long it will all take. This also gives you the opportunity to take some nice photos to use for marketing.
I started off with teaching half-day workshops as this felt less daunting for me and was more financially accessible for participants than a whole day. Now all of my workshops are a whole day, and a local cafรฉ provides catering for a delicious lunch and cake for us, which really adds to the experience.”
You can find out more about Rosa’s brush making workshops and events here.
RAUNI HIGSON – silversmith
Rauni Higson is known for her sculptural silversmithing, often made to commission, and has work in public collections including the V&A Museum. She is passionate about passing on skills, and founded a skills training programme through Contemporary British Silversmiths. She teaches and mentors in her Snowdonia (Eryri) workshop and online around the world.
Who are your ideal students?
“I really love working with committed students, especially people who have chosen metalsmithing as a career path, and want to learn new skills, elevate their practice, go deeper, specialise, get more efficient and save time.ย
I also work with serious amateurs who are passionate and curious, thatโs fun too. If theyโre professionals, I can help them level up their practice, develop skills, go more deeply into something, and connect the dots between techniques. Thatโs like rocket fuel.”
How do you promote your crafts training?
“I tend to do marketing in bursts, not consistently. Actually, thatโs how I do everything!
For me there are seasons of making, and seasons of teaching. A lot of the time, I have my head down furiously making, working on a commission, then after the intensity, I can get into a totally different headspace and work on marketing and thinking about how I want to deliver training.
I like experiments. They make marketing more fun, so then Iโm less likely to avoid it. For example, last year I ran a pilot course (Foundations of Anticlastic Raisingโฆ niche!) about getting people started off on the right foot with the basics of a technique which everyone finds sexy, but is deeply demoralising if you donโt learn the foundations properly. I just DMed people who might have shown an interest, then phoned them up, and got a great test group. It went really well, so Iโll launch it publicly soon.
Iโm a big fan of just trying things, not trying to get it right before starting. You learn so much by just doing it, and then you can iterate and improve. Iโm giving my pilot group free access to the full course as a thankyou.”
How do you promote your training online?
“Iโm not currently on any other platforms, itโs all about my website and my mailing list.
I do a lot of one-to-one training, and increasingly I have people finding their own funding to come and work with me, which is brilliant, because then itโs for longer, and we can go deeper, and make a real difference to their practice. I have a special rate for funded training (say for a week or two, instead of a daily rate).
I use keywords and testimonials online. Nothing beats the voice of someone who has had a great experience, in their own words.
I also use a separate training/skills focused mailing list (The Hammer Rack), where I freely share tips and useful info, brief but regular, once a month minimum, but also whenever something occurs to me that is good to share. Iโm always learning too, obviously. Itโs useful to people, whether or not they ever want to work with me, and itโs growing. Iโm learning a lot about segments and tags and automations (with help!).
Because Iโm often working with other makers, I think the marketing is easier, because itโs already niche, and people know each other. A lot happens by word of mouth.
This year, Iโm looking to promote my online training more (I offer one-to-one and courses online), which has a worldwide audience, and Iโm going to use Pinterest, Patreon and a bit of Instagram to try and get people on my list.”
What marketing works best for you to actually sell tickets?
“Having actual conversations! Either in person (meeting people at exhibitions/talks and whatnot), on the phone, or online messages, where I always try and move it on to having a chat instead of endless tedious keyboard slapping. Itโs not that Iโm brave about talking to strangers, Iโm really not, but itโs all about connecting person to person. Saves so much time! And metalsmiths are generally nice people ๐.
Trust is key. I encourage an atmosphere of โno such thing as a silly questionโ. Everyone has learned their skills by different pathways, there is never ONE right way. Ask three metalsmiths how to do something and youโll get three different answers.
I donโt like egotistical teaching, I prefer a cauldron of skill sharing, open hearted and supportive. I think itโs important to feel safe to be vulnerable enough to properly learn, and then grow confidence. I hope that comes across, subliminally or explicitly. Iโve had some grim experiences along the way in workshops and I want to actively puncture that culture, not perpetuate it!“
How do you encourage students to come back?ย
“If itโs one-to-one then follow up training (online or in person) is really powerful, and itโs bespoke essentially. I really encourage people to learn something then go off and practice, and then come back for more. Which they often do.
With courses, I aim to start from first principles, setting people off on the right foot from the start.
I do give loyalty discounts.
The hurdle is to get people to see how incredibly valuable online learning, support and mentoring is. When they experience it, they get it.”
Which part of your marketing for your workshops needs work?
“Iโm working on a whole new website (changing platform) so I can make it easier for myself to promote and to manage it all. Iโm working at making it simpler, more systematic (for me) and user friendly (for my lovely clients). Iโm actively seeking ways to get rid of any software or platform or task that makes me shrivel up inside, so Iโm making a lot of changes.
When thatโs done, Iโll be making an effort to get people to find my training-focused pages and get on my mailing list.”
What marketing advice have you got for new creative teachers to get their first bookings?
“You probably already know someone who wants to learn from you, or you know people who know someone. Start there, try it out, and then iterate.
Youโre almost certainly going to overdeliver or make things more complex than they need to be, so try and start simple (you probably wonโt)โฆ. then simplify. Start small, but do start!
Gather the lovely things that people say about their experience with you, ask nicely if you can use them (with or without their name) and ask them to spread the word or invite friends. Make it fun and satisfying (supply good biscuits), and people will come back for more.”
You can find out more about Rauni’s workshops, 121 sessions and online sessions here.
Angie Parker – weaver
Angie Parker runs Angie Parker Textiles and is a specialist weaver and author. She teaches weaving classes for beginners and experienced weavers in person in Bristol in South West England, and all over the world via zoom and in person.
Who are your ideal students/participants? Why do you think they come to you for training?
“I run different workshops for different skill levels. My beginners classes are popular with groups of friends as well as individuals who want to try something new.
My specialist workshops are aimed at experienced weavers who want to master a new technique.
They come to me because I have 30 years of experience and have spent 10 years growing a business from my passion for weaving. It’s what I have become known for.”
How do you go about promoting your craft workshops? Do you have a specific marketing plan or strategy?
“I’m currently in the fortunate position to have a waiting list for my workshops. This is because of 10 years of consistent work showing what I teach, but also because I’m not currently growing my business due to other life commitments. This flexibility is so important to me and I’m happy to accept the disadvantages and missed opportunities that only working ‘in’ the business entails. I could run more workshops than I do, but I try to have a balance between teaching and weaving my own projects and commissions. I list new workshop dates on my website and inform my mailing list subscribers when new dates are available.
My website is currently a bit out of date, but as I’m too busy keeping up with current demand for workshops it’s not vital for me to spend time generating more interest. If the interest in workshops falls off then I will concentrate on keywords, branding etc. I use Eventbrite to sell tickets for my workshops and some of the sales for the beginners workshops come through there too.
My marketing strategy was happening without me being fully aware as many of my workshop participants found me through Instagram. I encourage my social media followers to join the mailing list if they want to get the first chance to book. This is working for now. If it stops working, I’ll try something else.
Ad hoc sums my marketing strategy up perfectly. I have to plan carefully as I set the looms for multiple workshops to make the best use of my time. It’s actually quite a well oiled machine!“
You have recently published a book. How do you think this will help you to promote your training?
“YES! Now that the book is out (‘Krokbragd โ Contemporary Weaving With Colour’ย by Angie Parker) I want to design an online Krokbragd course. I had intended to have this ready for just after the book release but life has had other plans for me. I’m hoping to have this up and running before the end of 2025.
There are more requests for workshops than time available so an online course would solve this issue. And then my ‘in-person’ classes would be the extra special ones that I run a few times a year on demand. It’s exciting!
What marketing works best for you to get workshop bookings?
“My mailing list is my number one. At the very start of my business I focused on growing my mailing list and it has been the smartest move I could have made. Organisers at craft events were often bemused by my glee when I left the weekend with zero sales but 70 newsletter sign ups. I didn’t know at that stage that it would work, but playing the long game has paid off.”
How do you use email marketing to get students? Or to stay in touch with them?
“I email only when I have news. I don’t like getting loads of emails so I don’t over-do it. The feedback about this is positive. I think I could make my emails better and more informative but they are serving the purpose for the time being.”
How do you encourage students to come back?
“This is something I will consider more in the future. Quite a few of my beginners do come back to do the class again, sometimes with a friend and sometimes they gift a place to a friend or family member. This is random and not something I’ve suggested. Others sign up for the more advanced courses after the beginners session.
For my specialist course, I don’t expect a repeat. It’s quite a pricey course and the teaching is in depth. The intention is that the student will learn all they need in one weekend.”
Which part of your marketing for your training needs work?
“There’s room for improvement in all areas but for the time being my ‘done is better than perfect’ approach is working okay.
What I really need to learn is how to make a quality online course that conveys my passion, personality, and knowledge of my subject. I also need to spend some time working out a price point. I want the course to be accessible and inclusive but I also don’t want to undersell myself.”
What marketing advice have you got for new creative teachers for getting their first bookings?
“I started promoting in plenty of time and used partners to help spread the word. The space where I held the workshop had a large specific mailing list and a new type of workshop was well received. I used some appealing pictures in the promo and created a course that was different to other weaving courses that I had seen. I built up gradually, using basic equipment in the early days and as the workshops grew in popularity and I grew in confidence, I invested in specialist looms for more complex workshops.
Be brave, be prepared and crack on. I also tested my formula on a group of year 6 children at a lower rate before running it with fully paid up adults. I planned it in detail.”
You can find out more about Angie’s workshops here
Do you run creative workshops? What did you find the most useful tip in this post? And what marketing tips have you got to share with fellow creative teachers? We would love to hear from you in the comments box below.
Want to get more marketing tips to promote your creative workshops? Then check out Patricia’s book on Teaching Creative Workshops in Person & Online.
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