Top Tips to Promote Crafty Workshops & Events

The biggest mistake we see people make is this: they post about their workshop once on email, social media or their website and then get frustrated if no one signs up.

If you aren’t putting your services out there and promoting properly, you can’t expect people to show up. Sending one email and posting one time on social media is NOT enough.

So today we're going to talk about how to book a craft workshop and get bums in seats.

Photo: CCC Member Tracy

Before we get into the marketing strategies there are 3 things we need to talk about first:

1. Decide who the workshop is for

Kids only, adults, family workshop - who do you want to target?

2. Decide on the theme

Easter, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Mother's Day, Halloween...

Sometimes we pick a workshop subject that our customers aren’t interested in. Make sure you pick something that your customers care about and that they want.

Photo: CCC Member Angela

3. Get the timing right

Consider the school holidays. Don’t host your workshops at odd hours because it suits you. Make sure you pick a date and time that suits your customers.

Photo: CCC Member Tracy

 Marketing Tips for Workshops 

If you want your workshop to be successful you need to promote it constantly. It is not your customer’s job to find out when your workshops are. It is your job to let the customer know what is going on. 

Now I know what you’re thinking…

You’re probably wondering ‘mmm okay, I hear you but I don’t want to bug people by constantly talking about my workshop…’

You are not bugging people - if you come from a mindset of serving people, you are doing them a disservice if you are not letting them know about your event.

You’ve put a lot of time and effort into your workshop. You know it’s going to be awesome and that your customers will love it and have so much fun - why wouldn't you want to let everyone know about it?

Stop feeling guilty and like you’re bugging people. Don’t just put it in front of your customer once, because if you do that you won’t fully book your event.

You are coming from a place of service, not a place of selling. Be excited about your workshop and let the world know about your beautiful offering.

Photo: CCC Member Tracy

 Here are some tips to promote your workshops and events: 

• Your best way to get attendance is good old fashioned word of mouth, whether it's actual or online. Share, post and have your customers spread the word - this can be really effective!
• Create a Facebook event and share it in community groups.
• Go live on Facebook - let people know how excited you are and tease your workshop. Show the process or snippets of the crafts they’ll be creating in the workshop.
• Regularly post or run an ad on social media about the workshop. 
• If you are hosting your workshop at a public space (e.g. church, community centre or restaurant) ask them to email and post about it too or go old-school and put up a poster somewhere everyone that moves through that space can see.
• Tell your regular weekly customers about it - send out your flyer to them on email or wherever you are communicating with them regularly.
• Include testimonials and pictures from previous workshops. Show pictures of happy, smiling people and kids, ask your workshop attendees if it’s ok to take pictures for social media (most are ok with it). Also, ask them to share on their own social media. Encourage a group photo of all your cool projects - have a contest or discount if they use a special hashtag or tag. 
• Add an early-bird sign up bonus e.g. a % off if they sign up before a specific date.
• Host the workshop and make it awesome - take lots of pictures that you can use to promote your next workshop (remember to ask permission).
• During your workshop, talk about the next workshop coming up. 
• Give a door prize to gather email addresses so that you have a list to email about your next workshop! Your goal should be to have repeat customers - make sure your customers are on your list and then email them regularly with new updated workshops and happenings. If they have fun they will be eager to come back again.

Photo: CCC Member Tracy

Remember, if you don’t ask, you won’t get. Don’t be shy about promoting your workshops because you are providing a service to your customers. Make it exciting and fun for them and it won’t feel like selling. 

Don’t give up too quickly - sometimes people wait until the last minute to sign up, so keep pushing and talking about it and don’t give up!

 So to wrap up, let's do a quick recap. 

• Decide who the workshop is for 
• Decide on the theme 
• Get the timing right
• Marketing, marketing, marketing!! Don’t just post once and don’t give up too quickly.

Photo: CCC Member Tracy

So there you have it! 

Want to get started teaching in-person classes and workshops? Click below to grab our Ultimate Starter Guide.