Help & Suggestions
It goes without saying that some prompts are pretty easy and an idea may instantly spring to mind! But there are also those which are a little more difficult to interpret! Some of these prompts are deliberately kept vague so that you can interpret them as you wish and so it allows for a wider variety of posts! This page is to help you find your way with those prompts that are a little more difficult. Listed below you'll find the full list of prompts and a brief explanation of my thinking behind them and a few suggestions on ways that you can use them. These are just ideas and I'm not saying you should follow these! I'd like you to interpret them in your own way! Just think of this as a little help if you are a bit stuck!
3rd - Brand Re-introduction - How long ago was it that you last talked about your brand? Do new followers know what there is to know about your brand? Where did your brand come from? How did it come about? What is it about? Is there a story behind it? How did you decide on the name? What are your brand values? What do you stand for? Tell us everything there is to know about your brand!
5th - Style - Do you have a style that when people look at it that they instantly know it’s your work? What is it about your style that makes it yours? Is it the way you draw something? Or the colours and textures used? Is there something that you put into every piece of your work? How do people recognise it as yours?
7th - Scenes - What would it look like if you had a camera crew follow you around all day? Take a few snaps and make a carousel of what you get up to! Or perhaps create a small reel of all of the tasks you have to do. Or maybe jump on stories and fill us in throughout the day with what you’re up to! This one is all about the different scenes that make your day, week or month! Make it as authentic as possible!
10th - Decision - have you had to make any big decisions recently? What were they? Or perhaps a decision you made turned out to be the best one you’ve ever made? Did you buy some new equipment? Tried something new? Removed a process or something that wasn’t quite working for you? Made a new product? Stopped selling something that didn't bring you joy anymore? Moved premises? Got an accountant? Opened a real-life high street shop? Or perhaps just starting your business altogether has been rewarding?
12th - Colour - are there any particular colours you are drawn to in your work? Do you have specific colours you stick to? Or are you more monotone? Or maybe you're a complete colour magpie and love the rainbow! Is there a specific way you incorporate the use of colour? Is it used as a hint or to highlight a specific area? Do you find yourself using the same colours without really thinking about it? How many colour variations do you offer? Can people ask for a certain colour? Do you have a colourful workspace? How do you use it?
14th - Tools & Materials - what tools and materials do you use within your business? These could be absolutely anything! Do you have a tool that’s specific to your trade? Or a machine that you use daily? What role does it play? Could you live without it? It is easy to use or did it take a lot of learning to get it just right? Perhaps you have more than one that you use? Or a favourite? Why is it your favourite?
17th - Aim - what are your main aims and focus at the moment? What are you prioritising above the rest? We've all got to do lists that we'll never reach the bottom of so what are you working on right now? What is the most important job to you? Are you working towards a particular goal? What is it? How much further do you have to go? Has your aim or focus shifted recently? If so, to what? Why are you focusing on that one thing in particular? Do you have deadlines?
19th - Detail or Variant - Are there any details on your products that deserve a mention or that are easily overlooked? Are there any small added extras you put into orders that people don't know about? Stickers? Postcards? Do you offer optional gift wrap for gifts going direct? Perhaps a close up of one of your products? What is the texture like? Small personal touches such as hand written messages to the customer. Is there a detail you really like adding to a product? Perhaps it's a label, a stamp, or a hidden message. Or maybe a character singled out from an illustration. Focus on something that could be overlooked or something that you particularly like or is special. Or if you don’t want to focus on details, do you offer variations of your products? Different colour palettes? Or the same product with a different design? How do they vary?
21st - Workspace - This one is entirely up to you! Are you generally immaculate or are you surrounded by paper, lists, materials, off cuts and chaos! If you're torn over what you want to show, a before and after tidy up could be really interesting! Either way, show what's right for you! Workspaces can be spare bedrooms, offices, sheds, kitchen tables, and even your sofa! It's wherever you get creative! There is no right or wrong for this one.
24th - Where - Where can we find you and your work? Do you have a website? Are you on Etsy? Do you have lots of bricks and mortar stockists or even your own high street store? Do you have a mailing list where people can access exclusive content and discount codes? This is the prompt to plug all the places where people can find you outside of Instagram. Alternatively, if that isn’t something you want to talk about then feel free to tell people where in the world you’re from, where you make your creations, where you like to spend your time, the list goes on!
26th - Favourite Collection - Show us a product range (or even just a product) and tell us everything there is to know about it. Why did you make it? Why do you like it? Why is it your favourite? Does it have a story? Who is it aimed at? What have people said about it? How long have you made these? Is it a new range? Perhaps it's your best seller. Either way, show off something you've made and sell it to us!
28th - Making - Show us how you make something! I’m not saying give us a step by step tutorial but just a little sneak peek behind the scenes of you at work. Perhaps it's as simple as holding a pen or paint brush. Or perhaps you’ve covered your workshop in saw dust or you are completely covered in clay from throwing pots.
31st - Product Story - Do you have a story behind a particular product? Does it have special meaning to you? Was it partially inspired by a life event, personal experience or a person? Or maybe there’s a different meaning behind it? Perhaps outside of your business you have a special interest in the thing it was inspired by? Did the idea come to you at a random time? Or perhaps you received some really lovely feedback about it from a customer who used it at a special point in their life? Or perhaps you worked on the idea in an unexpected way or in an unusual place? Either way, today is about showing off one of your products!