Craft Focus - December 2020/January 2021 (Issue 82)

88 Ask the experts I’d love to hold a creative workshop in my craft store but how do I currently achieve this during the Covid-19 Pandemic and the changing restrictions? I don’t want to let my customers down. Here at The Modern Calligraphy Company, we’ve been able to keep running in- person workshops since the lifting of lockdown by following the government’s covid secure guidelines. We’ve found that we can still run fun, relaxing workshops while keeping students and staff safe. Feedback from students has been amazing – people seem to really appreciate the chance for mindful learning in a safe space, especially when so many other options are unavailable. Our top tip is to be very clear upfront about what students should expect in terms of when we expect them to wear a face covering, what we’ll do to keep them safe, and so on. This will give them the confidence to book, and reassure them about the workshop experience they will get. We have a page on our website that we keep updated with the latest measures we’re taking, and review every time new government guidelines are released. A lot of thought went into things like how to serve refreshments in a covid-secure way, and how to practice no-touch teaching. We also worked on the layout of the studio and had a big clear out, to create more space to allow socially distanced workspaces. Once we’d done the groundwork to tick all the boxes to be considered a covid-secure venue, we went back to consider how we’d still create a relaxed workshop experience within the rules. At the start of workshops, we warmly remind students of the main rules, and have found them extremely receptive. On social media, we make sure to regularly use photos of our tutors teaching in visors, and only use promo shots of groups if they are socially distanced. We also post each time the government guidance changes outlining any new procedures we’ve put in place to adhere to new rules. The plan is that this will normalise the idea of socially distanced workshops for our followers, and build confidence that this is the ‘new business as usual’. Our experts answer your craft and retail dilemmas NATASHA NECATI Natasha Necati runs the family business craftyarts. co.uk together with her husband. CraftyArts is a multi- award-winning e-commerce retail outlet, where Natasha has gained over 12 years’ experience in running the business. She’s an expert in this field, enabling Crafty Arts to grow to become a multi-million-pound company. They also run Art of Business which is a teaching platform for shop owners and online retailers wanting to grow their business. www.craftyarts.co.uk How do I source new products in 2021? This year will probably be one of the hardest when it comes to sourcing new products. We were like kids in a sweet shop browsing stands at trade shows, new products being dropped at our feet. But now we have to think outside of the box. The good news is there will always be a great product available. But how do we do find it? Your current suppliers will be bringing a list of new products, so always ask for the spreadsheet and catalogue. You sometimes find late entries do not enter the catalogues so it’s always worth checking their latest spreadsheet and copying and pasting the barcode into Google to find any competition for these products. It might be something you have exclusively until everyone else finds out about it. I have also started organising presentation meetings on zoom for new products. Dependant of how the year goes, it may be worth scheduling in appointments for both Q1 and Q4, ensuring that you have a reminder of what’s out there for Christmas. Sign up to as many newsletters and magazines like Craft Focus , to ensure you are not missing out on what’s happening in your industry. KIRSTEN BURKE The foremost ‘celebrity’ of the UK calligraphy world, Kirsten pioneered the art of modern calligraphy, propelling an extremely traditional art form into the 21 st century and popularising calligraphy as a craft again in the UK. She founded The Modern Calligraphy Co 25 years ago, establishing her company as the ‘trusted lettering brand’ for a diverse range of clients, from Google and Jo Malone to Shakespeare’s Globe. Now mentoring a team of more than 70 professional calligraphers nationwide and with 17 regional ambassadors running her classes nationwide, she inspires beginners, enthusiasts and professionals alike with her dynamic, modern lettering. www.themoderncalligraphyco.com