Schedule

Digital education seminars are the focal point of the Makers Forum. The following topics and speakers will be featured during March 23-25. Pre-registration will be required via Zoom for each seminar.

ALL SESSIONS TIMES LISTED IN ATLANTIC DAYLIGHT TIME.

Tuesday, March 23

Ellen Bragalone – Museum and Artists: a Working Partnership Best Practice Strategies for Manufacturers and Museums

Ellen Bragalone from the Museum of Fine Art Boston will present best practices on working with museums to develop products that will work best in their shops, including:

• How to connect with museum retailers, details of product development, the development process, pricing, and various factors that inform buying decisions at museums.
• How to sell to museums and important product highlights.  We will also touch on the various ways to get in front of museum retailers and some alternative venues through which they do product research
• Highlight how to standout in the store and to make it easy for the retailer to properly merchandise your products.

Terri Ryback – Recapturing and maintaining your buying audience

Terri Ryback, Product Buyer from the Salem Witch Museum, will address the uncertainly that has impacted non-essential retail in the past year. Terri found herself asking questions like: where do we go from here? How do we adapt to the ever-changing structure as we once knew it? How do we captivate our audience? What does buying from our vendors look like?

She will share her evolving strategy on engaging her customer by providing them with product choices that will compliment their museum experience.

Branding and custom product has become more important than ever. Retailers have limitations on the amount of time visitors can spend in their space, so they must capture their attention and give them quality choices.

Terri will seek to empower individuals, business owners, buyers and artists that have been, or may still be, faced with any and all challenges and difficulties due to the ongoing pandemic.

Carolyn Edlund – How Artists Can Increase Income Streams and Enter New Markets

This talk will cover a variety of avenues artists can explore to reach new audiences, including online wholesale portals, art licensing, personal e-commerce and third-party online retail, social media sales, virtual retail events, and digital art & blockchain.

With a background as a self-employed artist and art business writer and consultant, Carolyn Edlund brings 35 years of experience in the industry to her work with creative entrepreneurs. She is the founder of the top ten blog “Artsy Shark” and has authored eight courses on art marketing, pricing, sales strategies and other topics. Carolyn has presented more than 60 live art business workshops throughout the U.S. and abroad and has an active private consulting practice.

Alison Knott – 8 Step Traffic Growth Approach: leverage what you’ve already created to turn eyeballs into leads

Want to attract prospects who are already thinking about your products? Wondering how SEO, social media and newsletters work together to bring sales? In this seminar, you’ll will leave with:

• A strategy to nurture captured leads into viable clients and customers. Lead generation doesn’t stop at the signup, after all…
• Complete workflow: from content to setup to promotion. No need to start from scratch.
• Tips, tricks, and treats to help generate new content ideas

Wednesday, March 24

Savvy Simon – The Real Secret to Your Success

Amidst the constant effort for product development, making, marketing, and generating sales, there is an essential aspect of your business that falls down the priority list for many of us: You! Savvy Simon is a Mi’kmaq entrepreneur, motivational speaker and self-care expert who will guide you through some strategies to cut through the noise and stay mentally healthy and energized.

A stimulating presentation that will leave you feeling motivated and moving forward with a new bag of tricks to tackle obstacles in 2021.

Identifying Resources & Opportunities for the Craft Sector

Join three sector support organizations (ACOA, CBDC, Global Affairs Canada, Women in Business NB, and Centre for Women in Business Nova Scotia) in this overview of the opportunities for business development support and exporting for craftspeople. Find out who you can reach out to for advice and to get connected to resources to help grow your business within each organization.

Craft Sector Funding

Each provincial government has dedicated funding resources to offer the craft sector for business development, digital strategy (website building, SEO, marketing, etc.), hiring talent, creation and more. Representatives from each province’s cultural (or equivalent) department and arts funding organizations will offer an overview of their relevant programs for craftspeople.

Thursday, March 25

Duane Jones – Building an Art-led Business

In this talk, Duane Jones (Art Pays Me) will discuss how he developed his own platforms, including the successful Art Pays Me podcast, in response to being positioned as an outsider in the creative industry due to his race, culture and personality. Duane will share his journey and explain how he prioritizes diversity, inclusion and honesty in his business, even at the cost of potential revenue.

Mary Jane Copps – Rules of Engagement

The foundation of all business and revenue growth is … conversation! Join Mary Jane Copps to: learn invaluable insights into a buyer’s journey to “yes”; ways to create memorable experiences virtually, on the phone and in person: and essential skills to find your “voice” – your ability to inspire conversations that build relationships and increase sales.

Panel Talk – Online Platforms

The shift to online platforms for selling was accelerated in 2020, with the wholesale gift industry witnessing a continued increase in digital spaces to distribute and discover products, whether through temporary virtual shows or static ordering platforms available year-round.

Nova Scotia Business Inc. will present their guide to virtual trade events in the first part of this session, followed by a panel of industry members will discuss their experiences and insights into selling in the digital sphere in this two-part discussion, on virtual shows and platforms (Ex: NY NOW Digital Market, Faire, Brandwise, Craft East Virtual Marketplace).