Get the most out of HotHive Textiles

Article Added: 01/09/2010 17:01:35

HotHive Textiles aims to promote arts and crafts across the country – so whether you are an artist, supplier, exhibition organiser, gallery owner, student or professional we want to help you progress by getting the most out of the site. And with this in mind we have put together our top ten tips for using HotHive Textiles to its full potential. And the best part? Everything listed below is absolutely free to do.

Top Tip Number 1
Keep us informed – remember to tell us about the things you are doing: new product launches, big commissions you have been involved in, competitions you have won and anything exciting you are working on, as we will be happy to feature them, both on the website and in our newsletters.

Top Tip Number 2
Take a listing – A basic listing on the website with space for one image, 30 words and all your contact details is completely free – and free advertising is certainly something we can all do with in the current credit crunch. We want to keep our site as comprehensive as possible, so if you aren’t yet listed and would like to find new customers then make sure you sign up! You can do this here.

Top Tip Number 3
Think about your wording – if you have already got a listing or are thinking of taking one, ensure that you make the most of the wording you use. Your listing doesn’t need to be in full sentences, it just needs to be full of keywords that people may be looking for. This will help both with the internal search facility on our website, but also when people are searching in google. As a guide the top five search terms on our website so far this year have been – make your own clothes, free machine embroidery, dressmaking fabrics, vintage textiles and textile courses. So if you supply any of these items or specialise in any of these areas then make sure you are telling people! To change your wording on your listing please call Sara on 01386 760406 or email your new words to her at textiles@thehothive.com or if you have an upgraded listing you can log in and make these changes yourself.

Top Tip Number 4
Tell us about your events – HotHive Textiles publish events free of charge all year round on our website. If you want to get your event, exhibition or talk listed on the site then simply email us the details – the title, dates, opening times, venue, an image, 50 words about the event and any contact details for further information – and we will make sure your event is listed. You can email event information to us at textiles@thehothive.com

Top Tip Number 5
Sign up to a blog – blogs are a fantastic way of bridging the gap between you and your customers in a friendly and informal way. If you use your blog to keep people up to date with what you are doing, things you have seen and sites or products you would recommend then you will build relationships with people, who will then think of you when they need to buy something you supply. Blogs are also a great way of learning and sharing new skills, making new friends and finding other like-minded people in what can sometimes be a lonely industry. To set up a blog, completely free of charge, on our website please click here to sign up.

Top Tip Number 6
Let us know when your new book is published – we regularly publish book reviews on our website and in our newsletters so if you would like us to consider reviewing your book then make sure you remember to send us a copy! We can also provide you with an extra sales channel on our bookstore, so make sure you get in touch when you have published to see how we can help you.

Top Tip Number 7
Work experience opportunities – HotHive Textiles has welcomed several students into our offices since we advertised our work experience placements on the website. These are fantastically beneficial, both to the student who gets an invaluable insight into the textile industry and to us who get some extra help in the office! If you could help a student make their way in the textile world then let us know and we will list you on our work experience page. Or if you are a student looking to make those first steps in your career then visit our work experience page here to see what placements are available.

Top Tip Number 8
Keep logged on to the site – we get requests for where to source specific products and enquiries about artists who can be commissioned for different projects coming through our emails and posted on our Facebook group all the time. Make sure you keep checking the website to see if people are looking for your products – and if they are then tell them!

Top Tip Number 9
Have fun with us on Facebook – we have more than 1000 textile lovers regularly checking into the group sharing ideas, uploading photos and promoting their opportunities. If you would like to join them please sign up here.

Top Tip Number 10
Giveaways and competitions – who doesn’t like a freebie?! Every month in our newsletters we have a giveaway, giving you the chance to get your hands on something lovely absolutely free. In the last few months we have given away books, kits, materials and patterns to lucky textile lovers across the country. As well as this our newsletters keep you up to date with all the textile news, views and reviews so are well worth welcoming into your inbox! To sign up please click here.

Well, that’s it! We hope we have inspired you to use the site to push your careers forward, whatever it is that you specialise in. But we won’t stop there. We are always looking for ways to offer you more, so if you have any ideas then do share them with us. Tell us what you like about the site and what you don’t, things you would like to see more of and what else you would find helpful and we will make sure we look into them. You can reach us through all the usual channels: email us at textiles@thehothive.com, phone us on 01386 760406 or write to us at HotHive Textiles, 8 King Charles Court, Evesham, Worcestershire WR11 4RF. We wait to hear from you!