Marketing Without Social Media – 2025

ONLINE workshop: ‘Marketing Without Social Media’ – 4-hour practical marketing + create a marketing plan workshop – immediate access

*** THIS WORKSHOP TOOK PLACE ON Weds 7 May. You can purchase immediate access to the recording & presentation by booking below. You will have access for 6 months till 7 November 2025.

Have you been struggling to get online or event sales recently? Are you getting fewer orders from galleries or commissions? Has your marketing gone very quiet because social media isn’t working like it used to, or you are fed up with Instagram’s owners and the culture, but you are not sure what other marketing works?

Things have changed, and not for the better! It’s much harder to get sales out there. Online, events, wholesale sales are all down for many creatives. But rather than hoping people will find you, scraping by, NOW is the time to get personal & creative with your marketing! And take back control of your marketing channels! There is SO MUCH MORE that you can do than post on social media (at low or no cost!) to stand out, to attract your dream clients and turn their interest into sales through more creative, personal or local marketing based around nurturing connections and being much more creative with your marketing!

This is a really practical 3-hour online marketing workshop, created and hosted by Patricia van den Akker, the Director of The Design Trust. Aimed at both fairly new creative sole traders as well as creative professionals who have been in business for years. This strategic but very practical workshop will start with a focus on the fundamentals: What do you (really) sell to whom? What stops your clients from buying from you? What is stopping you? How can you turn interest into sales?

The 2nd part will be full of focused marketing ideas depending on your sales channels and income streams, and you will create your own personal marketing plan for 30 or 90 days or for the all-important end of year Christmas sales. With Patricia’s expert advice you will learn what the specific marketing activities are to get more online sales, event sales, repeat business, trade orders, high end sales & commissions, using beautiful & ‘educational’ emails, local & personal marketing, and strategic blogging instead of social media. It’s full of practical marketing ideas & examples that work for creatives, but is also very specific on what to do and when, so that you get plenty of new marketing inspiration, but without the overwhelm.

With your own marketing plan you choose what to use for your own small business and make DOING MARKETING so much easier!

SOLD OUT *** Want personal 121 marketing advice from Patricia? Then UPGRADE to a private 60mins marketing plan review and coaching/advice session with Patricia in May or June. Only 8 places available. Patricia will review your marketing plan, you can discuss any specific marketing challenges and she will give you additional advice. These 121 sessions are only available with this workshop. (full details below)

the key facts

• 3-hour online workshop on Wednesday 7 May 10am – 1pm (UK time)
• Upgrade to get a private 121 marketing coaching & advice session with Patricia van den Akker, creative business expert
• Outcome: Create a specific marketing plan with actions for your creative business, without using social media. Boost your marketing knowledge, inspiration & confidence.
• Especially created for: Creatives who want to boost their marketing knowledge, create a practical marketing plan and get more sales (online or at events), trade orders or luxury/commissions.
• Tutor: Patricia van den Akker – Director of The Design Trust, an award-winning creative business adviser, trainer & coach .
• Time commitment: 3 hours for the training. To implement your marketing plan we recommend you spend 2-4 hours per week.

want to do better & more creative marketing to get online & event sales, orders or commissions … but YOU’RE not sure where to start?

• Have you been struggling to get sales online or at events? Especially in the last 6 – 12 months?
• Are you aware that you ‘should’ be doing more and especially better marketing, but are not really sure what to do beyond social media, or what really works right now?
• Have you been awfully quiet on the marketing front recently? Have you been hiding away and haven’t got the inspiration or energy to reach out to potential or existing clients? You need a bit of a marketing boost.
• Have you been questioning your relationship with Instagram or Facebook (whose values do not align with your!), or you are fed up with constantly having to churn out new content and staying up-to-date with these ever-changing platforms?
• Do you want to be more creative & consistent with your marketing, showing up in front of the right people, at the right time ... but frankly do not know what else to do rather than social media? Nobody taught you proper marketing at art school, right?
• Are you really not in the mood to sell, while so much is going on in the world? Why would anybody buy your non-essential products? (Let me tell you: the world needs more creativity, beauty and confidence more than ever!)
• Are you busy juggling all these different jobs in your business & life with very limited time, energy plus tiny budgets to spend on marketing! Is marketing not top of your list as a ‘great activity’, and it feels more like a chore, but the reality is that without marketing you don’t get clients or have a business?

Patricia created this short online workshop ‘Marketing Without Social Media’ for honest, real life, caring creatives like you!

Yes, this has been a tough year for many creative sole traders, freelancers and small business owners.

Believe me … you are not the only creative struggling to get sales, trade orders or commissions right now. Social media is not performing as it used to and the upheaval in the US and global economy is not helping either. Although there are many, many, many craft fairs & selling events around right now, overall sales have gone down massively. Galleries and shops on the High Street are struggling too.

It’s really hard to keep motivating yourself in this climate. And marketing and showing up in front of clients is incredibly hard if your self-belief and confidence has had a battering.

but the reality is … without personal & regular marketing your sales will plummet even further! It’s a self-fulfilling prophecy!

These are challenging times indeed.

But, rather than getting yourself really low, blaming yourself, and hiding away … NOW is the time to get creative with your marketing, to work with marketing tools that you own (your email list and website!), to really connect with your ideal clients and build relationships, and to focus on what works for you & your ideal clients. Marketing is not about pushing, but about pulling people in … to what you and your work can do for them.

• Are you ready to WORK ON your marketing knowledge & skills, and through that learning boost your confidence? Want to make your marketing easier, creative, less-pushy … fun even?
• Are you still using marketing & social media techniques as if it was 2020 or pre-Covid, hoping that ‘things will get back to normal’? The market and ways people buy creative products and services has changed a lot in the last few years. Have you changed too?
• Are you prepared to make time to work on creative & strategic marketing projects to become more professional & proud again? Projects like improving your website or photography, your event display or upcoming craft fair marketing, or promoting more locally and in creative ways rather than disappearing on Instagram feeds? Do you need to get proud of your website and presentation? Do you want to feel more professional and energised about your business and marketing? Do you want to become more excited about sharing your wonderful products again?
• Do you want to create a practical but strategic marketing plan with specific actions and deadlines for the next 3 or 6 months or for the end-of-the-year to get more sales, trade orders, commissions or high-end sales for your products? Do you want to get a lot clearer on what to do, make regular time in your diary to actually DO the right marketing that feels right and to get more creative, impactful & positive with your marketing?

I created this practical but strategic workshop ‘Marketing Without Social Media’ especially for creatives like you! To inspire you to be creative & more consistent with your marketing again.

what will I do & learn during this 4 hour online ‘marketing Without Social Media’ workshop?

This ‘Marketing Without Social Media’ workshop is a really practical, fundamental but also strategic workshop for both new and (very) established creatives, who want to get inspired again to do better, more creative & consistent marketing that’s honest & impactful. Who want to know what is most likely to work in these uncertain times, and what to focus on if you want to sell online, at events, to galleries & shops, to get higher end craft and commissions, local marketing or repeat business. In 3 hours we pack in a lot to give your marketing knowledge & confidence a huge boost!

WARNING: This is a practical online workshop where you will be reflecting, thinking, developing, deciding and planning your direction and own marketing plan … not just listening for 3 hours! Throughout this workshop you will work on the fundamentals of what you do and for whom, and identify your sales goals and marketing projects & actions. You will create your own marketing plan – depending on what you sell, to whom and where (e.g. online, at events). You will be working by yourself, and (if you like) you can share and get feedback and inspiration from other creatives in breakout rooms. We highly recommend that you try to join this workshop live, for extra accountability, ideas & inspiration from fellow creatives, and to ask Patricia questions.

This 3-hour online workshop exists of 2 parts (with a break in between):

PART ONE: FUNDAMENTAL MARKETING STRATEGIES & EXERCISES: Regardless of how long you have been in business, it’s really useful to revisit these big questions regularly, especially as the world and selling of art, design & craft has changed so much in the last 5 years!

• What, who, where? WHAT do you sell? What do you really sell? And WHO are your (dream) clients? It’s essential you really get to know your existing and potential clients – who they are, why/where/when they buy your work. We will do a great exercise to bring your dream clients alive and Patricia will share some additional creative exercises that you can do afterwards to get to know your clients better. WHERE can you find these ideal clients? A great starting point to discover where you need to be to get sales!
• My marketing mantra: “People only buy from people they know, like & trust”. Especially in these uncertain times is it really important to build your profile, credibility & trust with your existing and potential clients. Without these three in place you will simply not get any sales! But what can you actually do? This is all about ‘soft power’, but very powerful to attract, connect and convert.
• How to turn interest into actual sales. What’s stopping your potential and existing clients buying from you? At the moment people are MUCH more careful with spending their money, so you need to provide better customer service along the way! What will you do to make it easier to buy from you? You will identify specific actions to fix these obstacles.

PART TWO: CREATE A PRACTICAL MARKETING PLAN FOR YOUR BUSINESS (WITHOUT ANY SOCIAL MEDIA!) – for 30 or 90 days, or for the end of the year to reach your sales goal. It’s up to you!

• Start your marketing plan by setting a specific sales goal: What’s your sales target? How much money do you want to make? And let’s break that down: how many online or event sales, commissions or trade orders do you want to get? What’s your price point? How many products or services do you need to sell then? Without having some clarity on where you want to get to financially, you can’t create a marketing plan!
• What stops you from marketing yourself? From reaching that sales goal? What do you need to have, learn, create or do to feel more confident, proud & professional about your work, website & marketing? What would help? A better website or branding; a visual wholesale catalogue you can send out to stockists or interior designers, or getting more serious about your email marketing? Or simply making more regular time for your marketing. Patricia will help you to identify specific marketing projects, and you will start to create mini-action-plans to fix these challenges. Patricia will share some examples of marketing project plans & their activities too that you can borrow.
• Depending on whether you want to get more online sales, event sales, commissions & luxury sales, or trade orders, as well as local marketing & repeat business from your existing clients, Patricia will tell you exactly which marketing activities are most likely to achieve your financial goals successfully, and what to do for each of these different marketing channels or client types. She will give you specific marketing actions and loads of creative examples of what to to, incl. SEO keywords, email marketing, blogging. So no more ‘trying-to-see-what-sticks-approach’ but really understanding what you need to do. All without the use of any social media! Time to get creative & more impactful!
• With this super useful new practical marketing knowledge you will finish your 30 or 90-day or end-of-year marketing plan. With these specific marketing actions and deadlines you will be MUCH MORE likely to DO the marketing you need!
• We will finish this masterclass with Patricia’s quick time management tips, and how to make more regular time for your marketing.

By the end of this workshop you will have …

• Loads of practical marketing ideas that you can implement in your small business immediately or over time, at no or very limited cost. With no social media! Your confidence & inspiration will be up with plenty of marketing ideas for the next few years!
• Improved your marketing knowledge, skills & confidence about what marketing activities actually work for what you want to achieve. This is marketing knowledge for life! This workshop is a great investment in yourself & your business.
• A 30- or 90-day or end-of-year marketing plan for your creative business – so you know exactly what to do and when! Much less stress and procrastination, more inspiration and much more likely to take action!

what will i get when i sign up for this ‘Marketing without social media’ workshop?

When you sign up to this 3-hour online workshop you will get …

• An invitation to join this workshop live on Wednesday 7 May from 10am – 1pm UK. We recommend that you try to join us live so that you can work on your marketing and your own plan, ask Patricia questions and (if you like!) work with other creatives who want to give their marketing a boost. Our live online workshops are great for extra accountability, inspiration and for getting feedback! (Sharing with others is of course entirely voluntary … but highly recommended!)
• Access and a license for one person to the recording and the presentation of this workshop in your private workshop hub for 6 months, until Wednesday 12 November 2025. In the private hub you can ask questions at any time. You can watch (part of) the workshop again, or if you are unable to join us live you can watch it when it suits you.
• A downloadable template for your 3-step marketing plan.

want to get more? upgrade to a 121 marketing coaching session with patricia

SORRY SOLD OUT NO LONGER AVAILABLE Are you looking for individual marketing advice? Want to discuss your specific challenges? Want to make sure that your marketing plan is as good as it could be? Then upgrade to get a 60-mins 121 session in May or June with Patricia. Only 8 places available. More details below.

who is this ‘marketing without social media’ workshop for?

Patricia created this practical but strategic marketing masterclass especially for:

• Creative professionals at any stage of their business journey (from beginners who have recently started their business to creatives who have been in business for 20 years or more!) who want to make their marketing as personal, unique & creative as you are. You want to give your marketing an energy & creativity boost, learn what specific marketing activities are most likely to work right now to get sales & orders in the challenging times of 2025. You want inspiration & positive energy, but also a marketing plan that you can actually implement – at low or no cost, and based on activities that suit you. You want to stop hiding & procrastinating, waste less time & energy on social media, and instead get creative with your marketing and build actual relationships with your dream clients and turn interest into sales.
• Patricia will share specific marketing activities to get more online sales, event sales, commissions & luxury sales, trade orders from shops & galleries, as well as local marketing & repeat business so we assume that you are already sell online, at events, do commissions or wholesale. If you are interested in marketing your creative workshops or training then check out our ‘Fully Booked: Marketing For Creative Teachers’ workshop on Thursday 12 June.
• The Design Trust works especially with creative sole traders, freelancers and small business owners, such as designer makers, crafts people (e.g. jewellers, textiles, ceramics, …), Etsy shop owners, visual artists, photographers, illustrators, printmakers, stationery brands, but also interior & product designers, fashion accessories and small homeware or giftware brands. However, this workshop is also useful for beauty, wellbeing or creative food brands. If you are unsure if this marketing masterclass is relevant for your small business, then please get in touch by email on info@thedesigntrust.co.uk and we will be honest in telling you if this is right for you.

how to make the most of this 3-hour online workshop?

We highly recommend that you try to join this online workshop live on Wednesday 7 May 10am – 1pm UK, so that you can work by yourself on your marketing plans, but also benefit from some discussions with fellow creatives. We invite our participants 2-3 times in this workshop to share their plans and ideas with creatives on the call for extra inspiration and feedback. All of this is entirely voluntary, but we know that people who join us live get more inspiration, energy, confidence & accountability, from other creatives on the call, and are therefore more likely to create their marketing plan and to start implementing it.

Can’t make the live workshop on 7 May? No problem! This Marketing Without Social Media workshop will be recorded and you will have access to the recording + presentation for 6 months until Wednesday 12 November 2025.

We recommend that in advance of this workshop you set a financial goal: How many sales do you want to get in 30 or 90 days or by the end of this year? And where are these sales coming from, eg. online, wholesale, commissions, events, …. How many products or services do you need to sell to achieve your sales target? What price do you charge?

During this workshop you will be creating a detailed marketing plan that you need to make happen afterwards! Making regular time in your diary from May – December will make it more likely that you will do the required work. We recommend that you spend 20-40% of your time on marketing to get the sales and orders you want.

upgrade: get a 121 private marketing advice & coaching session with Patricia van den Akker

*** SORRY 121 SESSIONS ARE SOLD OUT NOW

Are you looking for personal advice about marketing your small creative business? Would you like Patricia’s input in your marketing plan or get her advice on specific marketing challenges? Do you need a bit of extra accountability & support to write your plan and start implementing it?

If you join this workshop Marketing Without Social Media then you can upgrade to get a private 121 session with Patricia in May or June 2025. This is a unique opportunity as Patricia does not generally provide 121 marketing advice! If you upgrade for the workshop + the 121 advice/coaching session (for £175,- incl. VAT) you will get:

• The Marketing Without Social Media workshop on Wednesday 7 May. If you can not make it live you’ll need to watch the recording in your own time. Then finish your marketing plan and book your 121 appointment in May or June.
• A review of your marketing plan by Patricia in advance of your 121 advice & coaching session plus you can share specific marketing questions or challenges you face confidentially with her.
• A 60mins online 121 advice and coaching session on Zoom with Patricia in May or June, where we will focus on your specific opportunities & marketing challenges. The session will have to take place in May or June as Patricia has limited time, but also to give you a deadline and accountability to turn your marketing plan into actions!
• After your 121 session Patricia will share specific advice and marketing suggestions with you by email and additional resources too.

Please note: We have only got 8 places available for 121 sessions with Patricia. First come, first served. No cancellations will be accepted after the workshop has taken place, and you must book your 121 in May or June.

FAQ: Got any further questions?

click the arrow to get your answers

• I can’t make it live on the day of the workshop (Weds 7 May). Is that a problem?

  We recommend that you join this marketing workshop live if at all possible, so that you can work in real time on your marketing plan and projects, and work with other creatives (if you like!).

  We know from experience that those who join live will be more likely to create a plan and take action.

  However, if you have other commitments or you live in a different time zone, then remember that this masterclass will be recorded and posted on our private workshop hub. You will get access to the recording + presentation + hub for 6 months until Wednesday 12 November 2025.

  PLEASE NOTE: It’s unlikely that we will run this workshop again in 2025, so even if you are not entirely ready yet to create a marketing plan right now then book now and you can watch it later in the year when you are ready.

• How much time will this workshop take?

  This online workshop is nice & easy and just 3 hours. But we will pack a lot in in that time!

  Obviously, the real work starts after the workshop finishes … to take action and to implement your marketing projects and actions.

  How much time that will take depends on your experience in these areas and also how much time you WANT to spend on marketing to get the sales, orders and commissions you need. We recommend that you spend around 20-40% of your time on marketing to get the sales you need.

   

   

• What if I am not very tech-savvy?

  We use Zoom for our online workshops – an online platform that’s very easy to access, and many people are familiar with already.

  A week before your workshop starts we will email you the details of how to sign up for this marketing masterclass.

  At the start of the session we will tell you briefly how to use Zoom, the breakout rooms and the chat. Participation in small group activities is voluntary of course, but very useful.

  Our private online platform (where we will post the presentation + recording afterwards) is really easy to use too. You’ll only need basic computer literacy in order to navigate it.

  We will share many marketing techniques in this workshop that do not use any digital skills. 

• I want to join with a friend, colleague or employee. Can I share?

  When you sign up for a The Design Trust online workshop you purchase a single license, which means that YOU CAN NOT share the recording or presentation with others who have not paid for it.

  Like you, we are a small creative business, and this online workshop is full of my copyrighted material and expertise that I have developed over the last 25 years.

  If you share with others who haven’t paid then you basically are stealing. We know you wouldn’t like it either if others would do the same to you. So THANK YOU for not sharing with others.

  If we find out that you share illegally then we will have to remove you from the workshop hub immediately and might ban you from any future workshops and courses too.

  However, if you work in a partnership or in a small team then you can share the recording with people who work for you.

  If you are in any doubt then email us on info@thedesigntrust.co.uk with any of your questions.

• Till when can I book this workshop? And how long do I have access to this workshop?

  We highly recommend that you try to sign up for this workshop to join us live on the day (Wednesday 7 May from 10am – 1pm UK time).

  PLEASE SIGN UP AT LEAST 2 WORKING DAYS BEFORE to avoid stress for you and us! And so that we can make sure you have time to sign up and all the admin is in order.

  However you can still sign up for the workshop recording till Friday 18 July when we will close our shop. After that date you will not be able to purchase, but all existing students will have access to the private hub with the workshop presentation + recording for 6 months Wednesday 12 November 2025.

• What if I need to cancel?

  The workshop will take place on Wednesday 7 May from 10am – 1pm UK and we will record the session and give you access to the recording and the presentation for 6 months Wednesday 12 November 2025.

  After this online workshop has taken place we will NOT offer any refunds as you can still access it whenever you like.

  If you need to cancel then please email us at least 48 hours before the workshop has started on info@thedesigntrust.co.uk and you can get a full refund. Unfortunately it takes 5 – 10 working days for the money to be in your bank account.

  We recommend that you check that your broadband and WIFI is sufficient to join the session live. We have not had any problems ever with anybody watching the recordings.

• I have another question …

  If you have any other questions then please get in touch with us on info@thedesigntrust.co.uk. We are always happy to answer your questions!