Biscuit - Business Help For Creatives

Good fu***ng morning… remember you important - your voice matters and YOU as the human who creates the work - are very valuable in today’s world x

Have a “ I am fu***ng amazing day today “

Always in your corner
🧡
Tara

A brilliant reminder from to unclench your jaw, relax those shoulders and smile. Our bodies hold so much of our angst.. let’s help release it!

Good luck with the last week of basic income for the arts applications!

💪🧡💪

“My first reaction after you messaged me about being in the final of The Irish Made Awards was…. she’s gonna be mortified she has messaged the wrong person! “

Disbelief!

Is that surprising?
To me ? Nope
I feel this every day in our sector.

I want to make sure that YOU - the human behind the work - realise how important you are to the world.
I mean that with every inch of my being.

Creative people are humanities gold.

Thank you so much Donna for the honest conversation and some brilliant nuggets of advice for our sector.

Be BRAVE gang.
Enter things.
Get out and be visible.
You don’t have to have it all figured out - nobody does!!

Please VOTE for the creatives in this award list.

They represent sectors that are working hard : against resource odds, mindset odds but they are still creating / like our arts sector 🧡

Support our artists & crafters and more importantly support each other 🧡

See stories for link to vote or head over to

Donna ya legend

Good luck to all the nominees but especially
The Biscuit Factory students










ie_byalmondrdesigns


So proud of each and every one of you 🧡

Hilary Andrea Richie & Tommy got together to bring a plein air festival to the midlands -

A 2 day festival 16th - 17th August

40 Artists - 2 days - it’s gonna be magic!

Head over to and check it out. They have a few Artist cancellations so send dm to grab your spot.

Mullingar let’s be having ya!
See ya there

Black Friday isn’t just about discounts and Amazon deals. It’s about what happens when we bring the customers attention to something else.

The reminder that their money, even if it’s €50e of that €283, has HUGE impact on their local community.

Spending locally means paying rent, pays a plumber which keeps the local deli open!

Want jobs for your kids during TY?
Split the spend and be mindful of where it goes this season. ( honestly, people don’t think about this!)

To you the Creative ( yeah you, the gold behind the work) …

Remember this: it’s ok to say f**k off to Black Friday.
It’s ok to embrace it too.

What’s not helpful if we turn against our fellow Creative because our choices don’t match.

There is strength in our collective.
Let’s keep that as our inner compass.

Always in your corner

Tara

DON’T GIVE UP!!
Tip 1
Flash Sale

Don’t think you can only run sales during Green Friday - Flash Sales are a brilliant way of moving stock nearer the end of the season. It is also an opportunity for you to get rid of stock that is not a great seller anyway and offering a HUGE discount to clear for the New Year.

Tip 2
Sales Conversations
When someone comments under your product or service post - I love what you do….do you always like and answer…Oh Thanks! ??
That is NOT a sales conversation.
Try this…
“ I love what you do! “
YOU: “ Thanks so much - what caught your eye from this piece? “
: “ Oh thank you - it’s a great piece for sea lovers - are you looking for a gift for someone? Or perhaps yourself? “

Lead with questions that gets people talking about why they commented in the first place.

Tip 3
Email email email email
I know I know - it’s the furry little fe**er ya tend to forget there in the back of your marketing basket.
I cannot underestimate how important email is.
Why? Up to 60% of your audience can see what you are selling via email compared to a measly 1-2% via social.
Tip 4
Repeat Tip 3- PRO TIP - Send the f**kan email!!!

Tip 5
Bundle products are a FAB way of solving a gift problem.

Bundle 1 -Print with hand written card, gift wrapped sent directly to your human.
Bundle 2 -Buy one get one 50% off. Buy you & your bestie earrings with a dinner date promise - be unique this Xmas
Bundle 3 -100e off voucher for a commission & FREE studio visit and meet the artist afternoon.

Don’t give up just yet…
Don’t give OUT and do nothing…TAKE ACTION and test stuff.

You have 11 days like - if what you are doing right now is not working then try something else.

FOLLOW ME FOR MORE TIPS

I know selling does not motivate you.
I know the business side of what you do makes your skin crawl.

If only there was someone to do it for you...right?

I want you to know that you DO NOT have to do it alone.
If I could do it for you I would but ( for now) that isn't a runner but this is what I can do for you....

Provide you with an online space where you learn marketing, sales and mindset to keep you motivated and focused on the task. ( plus access to all of this 24/7 in your member portal - d'mind Netflix 😅 )

But Tara I don't know what the f**k I should be doing - I have done courses, workshops and attend networking events all the time but I am still confused and not making more money!

( yup I hear this all the time)

Thats where my 30 years business experience kicks in. ( yeah I'm almost 50 and yeah I started at 19 ) and my commitment to turning up weekly to help you through the questions.

Ive got you.

I am here for you.

The Factory members are here for you.

We celebrate wins...big and small.
We do the work to grow ( whatever growth looks like for you )
We support you when it gets tough ( it always does ! )

Whether you are a visual artist, crafter, makers, musician selling tickets....if you want to increase sales and mix with a wide range of creative people....click the link in bio and check it out.

It is OK to want to make money from art.
YUP I said it out loud.

Registrations open til Sep 26th...and then we buckle down to nail Christmas selling Sep 30th.....

Any questions slide into dm's with me x


Tara

Imagine an Ireland that told its artists this…..but WAIT 🫷first…

WELL DONE Isabel for representing Ireland at the .art.biennale 2026 🥳

Y’see just like all your sector Isabel …
You matter.
We celebrate you.
We need you.

What would that feel like in our sector if this was the public message?
Can you even imagine it?

Bigger picture -

Why does this matter ?
What is the impact on our country ?

A country where our culture is protected, our towns are alive with pride, our young people see creative careers as viable, and our global reputation grows stronger.

Not to mention mental health, interesting spaces, supported communities…

This isn’t about a niche for the elite! Far from it — it’s infrastructure and I believe every person on this Island feels it and knows it but has lost the connection to it & we need to get that back.

Art fuels tourism, wellbeing, community, and our identity in an AI-driven future.

We don’t question investing in sport because we know it builds pride and health.

It’s time we treated the arts the same way.

📝 The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) is live for consultation.
👉 Click the link in bio

Fill out the survey.
Share it.
Be part of shaping Ireland’s future.

Let’s strengthen our Creative sector
Let’s connect our Creative sector
Let’s celebrate our Creative sector