A Personal Update
The past year has been incredibly difficult for me and my family as we navigated the heartbreaking loss of our eldest daughter, Imogen.
Don’t pretend your business is bigger than it is
I guess some people just still feel the need to appear bigger than they are. Perhaps they feel it will reassure their customers, or maybe they think they will look more successful if people think they have a huge team of people working for them. Whatever the reason, it’s time to call BS on it.
Day in the life… Boxing Day 2021
Today is Boxing Day 2021. I hadn’t planned on working today, but Chunky has gone clay pigeon shooting and the little one is still in bed, so it’s me typing and the dog sleeping next to me. No Zoom calls today so he’s happy to just nap.
6 types of image you can share on social media for your sewing business
Do you ever feel stuck and unsure what to post on social media?
It’s easy to get stuck in a rut of just sharing images of your finished products, but people want to see more than just pretty pictures. They want to see behind the scenes, they want to see where you work, and it doesn’t matter if it’s not pretty.
It’s real and people love authenticity on social media.
So don’t be afraid to experiment a little and show a bit more of what makes your business happen, rather than just sharing your product photos.
Creating balance with embellishments – guest blog post by Debbie Constable from Tutus With Aroha
Creating balance with embellishments – how you can use natures natural elements to help your design process in costume making.
Why you should make your website inclusive
It doesn’t matter that a blind person may be unlikely to need the products I sell but that they have the right to access the information about them.
The 4 business strategies to avoid in your sewing business
Some of these might seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many people are still using them.Relying on old and outdated marketing techniques can damage your reputation and end up harming your business.
How to create a Privacy Policy using Docular
Docular.net makes it super easy to create many of the legal documents you need as a small business owner in the UK.
How to choose which image shows up when you post links on Facebook
That frustrating feeling when you post a link on Facebook or Twitter and it shows a thumbnail of an image that has nothing to do with what you are posting.
Why you should be charging more for making dance costumes
Forget everything you think you know about pricing. All those comments on Facebook about “cost of materials x 3 plus half a bag of sugar” that type of thing. Just remove it form your mind. It has no place in a professional sewing business. Right. Now we’ve chucked out...
5 questions to ask yourself before starting a dance costume business
Are you thinking of starting a dance costume business but don’t know where to start?
These five questions will help you determine if you are ready to take the plunge or if you need to spend a little more time on preparation.
Why you shouldn’t charge ‘mates rates’ and what you can do instead.
Mates rates is often someone getting a good deal at the expense of their friend.
How to be disability inclusive in your small business & speaking at the #2021Sorted online event.
Last year I had the biggest dose of FOMO ever after seeing Laura Robinson from Worditude and Andrew & Pete from Atomic, come back from #2020sorted and talk about how they had their content planned out for the whole of the following year after attending Janet’s live event.
5 costs you should include when pricing a custom dance costume.
Find out what items you might be missing out when you cost your custom dance costumes.
Mistakes I’ve made and things I’ve learned in business.
The Dance Costume Makers' Show Season 1 - Episode 8 Mistakes I’ve made and things I’ve learned in business. This is the hardest episode I’ve written so far. A completely raw and open look at the mistakes I’ve made and the lessons I’ve learned from being in...
Why you should have a sewing blog for your costume business
The Dance Costume Makers' Show Season 1 - Episode 7 Why you should have a sewing blog for your costume business Do you struggle to get people to see your posts on social media? It can be hard to get seen among the masses of content being posted daily, but there’s...
How to dye and airbrush your dance costumes with Alex from Alexice Designs – S1 E6
Have you always wanted to know how to get those really cool ombre effects on your dance costumes?
How to price a custom dance costume – S1 E5
How do you know what to charge for a custom dance costume?
If you are not sure of the answer, then you are not alone.
What kind of marketing you can do during the Corona crisis – S1 E4
In this episode I’ll give you a few ideas about how you can stay in touch with your customers and ensure they don’t forget about you.
5 Ways To Handle Customer Objections – S1 E3
In this episode I’m going to share some practical tips that will help your business run smoothly and keep your customer happy and coming back for more.
How to go from hobby sewing to a small business owner – S1 E2
Have you longed to be a professional costume maker? Do you often get asked to make dance costumes for other people?
10 Things to do in your sewing business while the world is in lockdown – S1 E1
Want to know how to keep your sewing business going during lockdown?
Wondering what you can do to keep your sanity while everyone around you loses their shizzle?…
Episode 0 – Trailer
The Dance Costume Makers' Show Season 1 - Episode 0 Episode 0 – Trailer The Dance Costume Makers’ Show is a podcast for costume makers looking to make an income from their talents or to take their business forward. Nicky has been a costume maker for...
10 things you can do in your sewing business while the world is in lockdown
Want to know how to keep your sewing business going during lockdown?
Wondering what you can do to keep your sanity while everyone around you loses their shizzle?… read on…
Cutting yourself some slack when you work from home.
If only I had given myself a break yesterday, I would have been much more refreshed today and been able to crack on with having an excellent day of work.