New Audiobook - The Groundrules - 16 Must Do essentials for Creative Business Success

This audiobook outlines what I describe as the 'immutable truths' of creative self-employment.

The 16 'Must Do' essentials are rules you should follow if you want to be consistently successful. This 16 track mp3 download explores the critical areas that need to be explored, understood and finessed in any small business in order to ensure that you understand your unique position in the marketplace and that customers like you and your products enough to want to return again and again.

Each of the 16 sections are a balance of observations from my experience of what does and doesn't work in creative businesses coupled with practical examples and suggestions of things you can do to polish up your business practice without spending lots of money or investing huge amounts of time. 

·         Part One – Market research, Geography and Critical Mass

·         Part Two – Know Your Niche

·         Part Three – Quality and Track Record

·         Part Four – Consistency

·         Part Five – Dashboard data

·         Part Six – Be open to Change

·         Part Seven – Product cycles

·         Part Eight – Business Values

·         Part Nine – Competition

·         Part Ten – Collaboration

·         Part Eleven – Make Friends, Don’t sell

·         Part Twelve – The Dream List

·         Part Thirteen – Be Cheerful

·         Part Fourteen – The Archive – Documentation, quotes and testimonials

·         Part Fifteen – Telling Your Story

·         Part Sixteen – Social Media & Email News

The Audiobook is delivered as an instant download - you will be sent a link from which you can download instantly to your PC, laptop or smartphone. iTunes compatible.  45 minutes, 16 tracks £4.99

You can listen to a two track sample here

Our Next Three Courses

Without further ado, here's the lowdown on our next three courses. If you read the previous post, you'll get a flavour of exactly how and where these are delivered, and you'll see the great feedback they have been getting. Follow the 'read more' links to get the full outline for each. If you have any questions, email Pete

Internet Strategy for Artists and Makers
"Everyone is focussing on Social Media. The point is to use a blend of tactics on the internet – websites, blogs, email and social media – to get your message across effectively. This course shows how it can be done – without spending your whole life doing it" 

Do you want to learn how to take advantage of the internet to promote you and your business using no-cost or low-cost options?  Are you somewhat bewildered by Twitter, Facebook, Blogging, RSS Feeds, Flickr, LinkedIn, etc?  This workshop will demystify these topics in clear and accessible language, examining the various pros and cons, and how these online tools can be put into practice as part of your marketing strategy. Read more...

Getting Published – in a Nutshell
"In fourteen months I moved from having an inkling of an idea to publishing my book on Kindle, then publishing a paperback…both are now in the Amazon bestseller charts. This course shows how it was done" 

Getting Published is an innovative new one-day course which will show you, step by step, how to take an idea, develop it into a manuscript, and then publish your book on Kindle (astonishingly easy) and then as a print book (not quite so easy!) Read more...

Tell your Story - How to write (and talk) about your work in a compelling way

"People, as a rule, detest the hard sell. It is your story – the values you convey, the quality of metaphor you employ, the facts and research you draw on, and the way you express your ambitions for your clients, that will draw people towards you. You need to tell your story, and tell it well…"

Tell your Story is an innovative workshop designed to help you write and talk about your work in a compelling way.  Learn how to capture and articulate the stories you need to tell in order to hold the attention of your audience and potential customers. Not everyone is a natural writer or teller of stories. Read more...


Our new calendar of events is available on Eventbrite. To stay up to date, why don't you join us on Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for our newsletter in the box on the sidebar. We'd love to have you join us around the refectory table (and on our comfy sofas).

“If only all training could be as good as this”.   Programme Manager - Artsmatrix - Bristol

Food for Thought

Imagine this. A warm welcome, coffee and pastries around a big oak refectory table, a meeting of minds, lots of fresh thinking, a lovely home cooked two course lunch (designed around your dietary preferences), a chance to learn new things with the guidance of really experienced professionals, tailor made resources and training materials, a book, a CD and a head full of ideas to take home.

And some good new friends and a promise of support should it be necessary. ...Not your average training day.

Some time back, Janet Currie and I decided to do things differently. We decided to open up our home to small groups of individuals who wanted a different sort of learning experience. We have now created a unique training environment based on well crafted content, a warm welcome, and the chance to bond and build great relationships around the deeply social combination of the meeting of minds and good food.  

We have run several courses now, and we wanted to let you see the

outcome. 

Here are the pictures and the comments from our last course - Tell your Story, How to write (and talk) about your work in a compelling way.

This is what people are saying:

'An inspiring day to tell your story in a way that engages people and builds on your confidence, delivered in a relaxed atmosphere and which motivates you to get writing!'

'Social media is a minefield – this course opens up a very important avenue. It’s not about just selling a product as an artist – it is “telling a story” and this course enables you with the tools to do that.'

'Motivating', 'Eye-opening', ‘Well- planned’, 'Inspiring', ‘Focused’, and about the food & hospitality; ‘Friendly’, 'Fabulous', 'Top notch', ‘Excellent – just right‘, Great venue, great lunch’.

'Fantastic – very welcoming from start to finish, the note on the door, the emails before, the delicious food and you have a lovely home!'

'Thought provoking and reflective. Informative, ideas for where to go next. Pete & Janet were very friendly and helpful.' 
'Fantastic – thank you.'

Very soon we'll be posting our calendar of training events for the next few months.  To stay up to date, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, or sign up for our newsletter in the box on the sidebar. We'd love to have you join us around our refectory table.

Pete Mosley & Janet Currie

Don't Sell...Make Friends

You might sell a stranger something once, but isn't it better to make a friend - who might come back again and again because they like you and they love what you do?  People don't like being overtly 'sold' to. (think, honestly, how you feel when someone presses the hard sell on you...) Much better to put aside the hard sell and concentrate on getting to know your customers instead - and on letting them get to know you.

They may not buy something immediately - but they will remember being spoken to with respect by someone they will now regard as an interesting person rather than someone desperate for a sale. And if they like your stuff, they will buy on the basis of the killer combination of the quality of your work and the warmth of your approach - and for that same reason are much more likely to come back again and again.

Make Today Count

Woke up with this phrase going round in my head - wondering sleepily what it meant both specifically and metaphorically. It's not just to do with  wanting to get to the end of the day today having achieved something tangible. It's also about what counts and who it counts for. For the day to have real meaning my actions have to have a broader impact - not just on things that benefit me and my immediate environment. It only takes one simple thing each day, done well, to make a difference.

Reflections and Resolutions

Runtime: 4m 15s

A few honest reflections on being focussed, being brave, showing up, spending wisely and setting personal goals for 2012.  Happy New Year - Pete

The Light at the End of the Tunnel

Apt, I think, to post this on the shortest day of the year. And a hell of  a year it has been. But I'm an optimist - and I think that difficult times have within them layers of opportunity. Sometimes it's only when you have your back up against the wall that you begin to get right down to the basics of your wants and needs and really begin to consider what's essential.

2011 forced many of us to dig deep into our personal resources and start a process of renewal - a bit like Dr Who - regenerating, metamorphosing into new versions of ourselves.

2012, I wager, will see a raft of new collaborations. Creative people will work together like never before.  Whether it's joint marketing and promotion, joint purchasing of materials, joint investments, or just huddling together for some shelter from the storm, it'll be safer to share our concerns and work out how to build an ark from our many small vessels.  We are stronger when we work together.

No apologies for the metaphor. I see so many of you working in glorious isolation and it doesn't need to be that way. As you know, I've been working to boil my contribution down into bite size, affordable chunks. I'm now looking at ways to work with small groups to generate useful ideas, co-coach, learn from each other. This will be coupled with more publications - in both print and digital formats - tailor made, affordable content -  to complement and add depth to the book I published this year.

I'm also collaborating on exciting and inspiring new courses and 'expert group' events for 2012 - offering space to learn, collaborate, exchange ideas, network, and eat great food in a really comfortable and stimulating environment. If the idea of a get-together with like minds, tasty stuff to eat, inspiring input and lively discussion appeals to you, why not join us at an event  in the new year?

You can find out more, and book, at http://artofwork.eventbrite.com/

Meanwhile, I wish you all the very best for 2012. Have a fabulous Christmas and a Happy New Year.