I thought it would be helpful to create a resource page that you can always come to for all your creative business development needs. It includes books, (free) online books and tools and other things. I’ll add to it as I discover more. And feel free to contact me if you offer (online) books or other tools. Enjoy!
Favourite business development books for creatives:
Books about creative business development:
The Crafts Council’s Running a Workshop – Basic Business for Craftspeople written by Barclay Price is a classic, and has unfortunately been out of print for a while (but you can still get it second hand). A very clear, uncluttered book (no images or case studies), but with lots of practical info to dip in and out of during your career.
Screw Work Lets Play – How To Do What You Love And Get Paid For It by John Williams is becoming a creative bestseller, and one of my favourites. John manages to tell stories of his own life and his client’s, and combines them with practical info and thought provoking questions. This book is really a must if you aren’t sure what to do, or if you feel like you don’t earn enough with your work. You can download a free chapter on the website. John also organises the so called Scanners Nights, the monthly networking events for creatives.
Adrian Shaughnessy’s How to Be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul gives a great insight into the huge variety of jobs that design graduates can go into. That in itself is a great achievement! Very practical info, combined with great contradictory opinions, plus some great quotes and short interviews with designers.
Shan Preddy’s How to Market Design Consultancy Services is a classic. One of the first books that I bought on this topic of creative business development. My copy is from 1997, and it is still surprisingly relevant due to good case studies and some great practical exercises that gets you doing instead of talking about marketing.
Alison Branagan recenly published The Essential Guide to Business for Artists & Designers. It is a really thoroughly researched book that covers all the basics for when you have recently graduates. Lots of resources and links to follow up to keep information up to date.
Books about selling:
C.J. Hayden’s Get Clients Now – a 28-day marketing program for professionals, consultants, and coaches is one of my favourite sales books as it combines strategic thinking about where you are stuck in the marketing cycle (Haven’t got enough contacts?, You are not following up?, You are not getting sales meetings?, Or not getting deals?) with lots of ideas and knowledge about 100′s of different marketing tools that you can start using immediately. One of the first books that combines strategy, with practical ideas while also tackling the procrastination, fear and resistance that most people have about sales. There is lots of free marketing and sales info available on the website. I am a certified GCN facilitator.
Book Yourself Solid by Michael Port really gets you to work on what makes you unique, what are your ideal clients, what gives you credibility and trustworthiness, and only then starts talking about the different promotional techniques you can use. Very practical book (if you actually do the exercises, and don’t skimp them!), but also goes deep into what makes you different and how to communicate that. You can get a couple of free chapters of this book on his website, including one around how to build you own personal brand, which is really great!
The Secrets of Selling – How to win in any sales situation by Geoff King is a nicely designed book that gives lots of practical examples and templates i.e. writing proposals, use the telephone for selling, writing mailshots etc.
Favourite e-books for creatives:
Business Startup Guides:
The Design Trust’s Business Startup Guide for Designers and Makers is an excellent, online free guide that covers all the basic information that you need to know when you want to start your own design or crafts business. I very often recommend it, particularly for info on pricing your work, and basic copyright questions. It’s also very useful for other creatives such as photographers and artists.
David Parrish’s T-Shirts and Suits – a Guide to the Business of Creativity is another firm favourite of mine. It’s a very colourful book that now has been published for free as an e-book. There are some great exercises and especially case studies that might really help you to understand the creative market place better.
Design business guides: The UK’s Design Council has developed a couple of very short but practical guides around a variety of topics, such as Managing Client Relations, Employment Law For Designers, and for me the most interesting one about new business models and specifically how to partner with your clients called Royalties, Equity Stakes and Shared Risk.
Market development: Barbara Gunter-Jones wrote a very interesting report for Designer Maker West Midlands about the various (international) marketing opportunties available to crafts people, from residencies to working in public art and exporting. The DMWM New Routes Handbook is especially interesting through all the different case studies with images of designer makers who have gone out there for themselves.
Public commissions: Frances Lord has written a thorough free e-guide From Small to Big – Commissioning Handbook for Designer Maker West Midlands. It is a bit dry with no images or case studies, but it really gives a clear overview of the process and all the little things to think about.
Time management for creatives: Mark McGuinness has written a couple of free e-books that are great for creatives, but my favourite must be Time Management for Creative People. Mark is very much a story teller, but he always ends his stories with great questions for you to answer and ponder over! Gets you thinking about the deeper issues about how you manage your time.
Favourite business development e-tools for creatives:
Running a Design Business: The UK’s Design Council has developed a couple of insightful online videos about Running a Design Business and A Career In Design interviewing Neville Brody, Barber Osgerby and Lloyd Pearson amongst others. Especially useful for recent graduates.
Social Media: Pat Flynn of Smart Passive Income has developed some great, short and simple ‘How to do’ videos. My current favourite is 5 Easy Tricks to Get Facebook Clients Fast. They are really userfriendly and have improved my knowledge of social media more than reading any books or other blogs!
Public speaking: My lovely coaching colleague Sarah Lloyd Hughes of Ginger Training and Coaching has just launched a free online tool to improve your public speaking, called Ginger Doodles. It is an e-course: 50 days, 50 doodles, 50 public speaking tips. They will help you to become a more inspiring public speaker, and give questions and tasks every day.
Favourite freelance workplaces for creatives:
As a freelancer or creative outside of London you might like to know of some good places to work or meet clients (see also my blogs on working from home and find a good workspace):
The Hospital Club in Soho is a membership only club, specifically for creative businesses. There are some great meeting rooms, a private cinema, and lots of space in a huge variety of rooms to work from, with great wifi and even better coffee! Great to invite clients to if you want to make a grand impression.
Hidden away in a quiet corridor in Shoreditch is The Cube, a well designed, white minimal 4 storey space for mostly creatives. Looks like a good place to work from when working with other freelancers on a project.
Lynne Franks recently set up a range of business clubs for women entrepreneurs. The main one is called B.Hive, which is in the middle of Covent Garden. Very convenient to meet, with many business development training and networking activities. It is a bit small, limited meeting rooms, and decor is a bit too much House & Garden for my personal liking. Other venues are opening around the UK.
If you are a freelancing parent who needs workspace and a flexible creche, than there is only one place in London: The Third Door in Wandsworth!
If you are looking for a value for money place in Central London, then check out Central Working in Bloomsbury.
