Welcome to our first Instagram Challenge! Designed to spark your creativity this January! The prompt ideas might help you if you get stuck on what to do. Don’t forget you can search on Instagram for #TBCHJanchallenge for inspiration too!
Instagram Challenge Prompt Ideas
1st – Meet The Maker/About Me
Introduce yourself and your business. Who are you, what do you make, what led you to starting your business, give a bit of backstory, perhaps a few interesting or even random facts, maybe list some of your favourite things – basically give people an insight into the person behind the account or business. People buy from people after all. Full-on selfies or portraits can be uncomfortable for some, so you can always use a photo of yourself busy doing something and looking away from the camera or at something else if you’d prefer.
2nd – What I’m Working On
A current work in progress, an idea in the pipeline, something coming soon. Maybe a longer-term business idea or ultimate goal etc. It’s often good to show things in the process of being made and not just finished items as it aids the appreciation of what goes into handmade creations. It could also be a brief or current snapshot of your day. ‘Can you tell what this will be…? Is also a good way to spark engagement on a post.
3rd – Top Tip
Any tips or suggestions related to your business or the things you make that people may not know about? Any suggestions for anyone else looking to start a business or learn your skills, any lessons you learned that might help others. Any tips for how to use or care for the items you create or the materials used to make them, or perhaps tips in the manufacturing process that you could share for the benefit of anyone else in the same field.
4th – Colours
This could be your branding colours, favourite colours, colours that inspire you, colours that you use most often or even just a colourful picture you once took that you love.
5th – Where I Work/My Workspace
Add the # #workspacewednesday into this post too. People love to see ‘behind the scenes’ where you make your creations. You can show a bit of it, or all of it, maybe give a tour in a reel etc.
6th – Packaging
What does it look like, how do you wrap things to both make a delivery look appealing and protect the things you send. Is it recycled or eco-friendly, how did you choose it, has it changed over time, is it unique to you, do people comment on it? Do you offer gift wrapping?
7th – What’s In A Name/Logo
Where did your business name/logo come from? Has it evolved or changed? Does it have special meaning? Are you thinking of switching to something else?
8th – Inspiration
Who or what inspires you most, what and where do you get inspiration for your creations from, what advice would you give to help inspire others looking to do what you do.
9th – Skills
What skills are unique to your trade, where did you learn them, what do you find hardest or easiest, what do you want to improve on, is there anything else you want to learn?
10th – Goals/Looking Ahead/New Year Aims/The Year Ahead
Do you have any long-term/short term goals, where do you ultimately want your business to take you? Have you achieved any goals recently, what was your most memorable goal, what are your goals or ambitions for the new year, how will 2022 be different for you?
11th – Workshop Companion/Assistant
Do you work alone or in a studio, do you have a pet that keeps you company, do family members ever help out, do you have employees?! Instagram LOVES pet posts. Don’t forget those hashtags if you showcase a furry friend!
12th – In The Background
Perhaps share something or maybe even someone that exists/goes on behind the scenes, what music do you listen to while you work, what goes on in the background of your business (other jobs, family life etc) or what are the aspects/elements of your business that nobody sees or realises. There’s usually a lot going on that people don’t appreciate when it comes to handmade!
13th – Outside/Take In The View
Do you like to spend time outside, where is your favourite place to be out of doors, what is outside your workspace, what goes on the outside of your packaging, what is the view outside your window, what do you do outside of working.
14th – Bestseller
What is your most popular item/type of item, what do you get the best feedback for, which creations are the ones people identify most with your business, is there something you are particularly known for or is there something you would like to become a bestseller? Is your bestseller perhaps a surprising one, and do you enjoy making it?
15th – Learning Curve/Evolution/Hurdles
Have you ever made something that didn’t work or ended up being different to how you meant it to be, how much have you learned since you started your craft, what are the greatest challenges you face running a business and what do you find hardest, what do you know now that you wish you had known at the start.
16th – Tools Of Your Trade
What tools do you use most, which are the best ones, your first ones, most useful ones, unusual ones, expensive ones, something you couldn’t do without, something on your wishlist
17th – Close-up/In The Details
A close up of something you make or any aspect of your business, maybe a specific detail on an item you make, or something you use to identify things as yours, do you take particular care over the little details in things.
18th – Reducing Waste/Reuse/Recycle/eco friendly
What do you do to try and help save the planet, what conscious decisions do you take to be more eco-friendly, is your packaging recyclable, are your creations made from recycled materials etc.
19th – Hands at work
This is pretty much self – explanatory!
20th – Personal Touch
What do you do to make your creations unique, how do you add it, what makes your work special, do you send personalised thank-you notes etc. The personal touch is often one of the reasons people choose to shop small so how would you apply it to your business? What does the phrase even mean to you, or do you think ‘handmade’ in itself means personal touch is implied already?
21st – Photography
This is a big thing for online selling. How do you take your images, do you find it easy or hard, what have you learned since you started, do you perhaps outsource this task? If photography is a hobby of yours too then you can take this one completely away from your business and perhaps share your favourite photo or one that means a lot to you.
22nd – Sharing the love/Supporting Small
A chance to maybe showcase other small businesses that you love, or share things you’ve bought for yourself from other makers, why does it matter to you that people choose to shop small, what does it mean from a customer perspective, how do you support fellow artisans.
23rd – Community
How important is this to you, are you actively involved in your local community, are you part of any groups, what does community mean to you, do you have a community that you miss? Is this one of the reasons you joined TBCH or use social media? If you could build your own community who would you want to be part of it?
24th – Books/On The Bookshelf
What books do you love most, do any inspire you, do you have a favourite author or favourite ever book, do you use books to learn new skills, which are the most useful, which do you recommend, have you ever written one?! This doesn’t have to relate directly to your business but can be a chance to reveal a little more about who you are. Good conversation starter if you ask followers to list their top three etc.
25th My Day/Routines
What does a typical day for you look like? Do you have a fixed routine each day or week? Maybe focus on the start, middle or end of your day, or describe what was your best day or your worst day, or even what would be your idea of the perfect day!
26th – Organised
Are you organised or do you wish you were? What helps you keep organised, how do you store your equipment or materials, have you become more or less organised over time, are there any tricks you use to help, do you plan ahead or live in the moment, are you proactive or reactive? Is your desk neat and tidy or cluttered and full? Is this important for running a small business or is it not something you need to worry about too much?
27th – Flatlay
Everyone loves these. Can be a flatlay of your tools, your workspace, of your makes, of something that inspires you… just an image taken from directly above!
28th – Quote/Saying
Do you have a favourite quote or a mantra you live by? Is there a quote that has ever stuck with you or resonated with you? Or in contrast, do you hate reading quotes?!
29th – Feedback
A chance to shout out praise that has been awarded to you, share your favourite feedback, why is feedback important to a small business, how can people leave feedback for you, what have you taken onboard or learned from feedback?
30th – Spare Time
How do you use it, do you have any? What would you like to do if you had some more, what do you miss doing in your spare time, did your business start this way or is it still something that has to be done in your spare time?
31st – Relaxing/Finding A Balance
What do you do to relax or chill-out, how do you balance work/life, how hard do you find it to do these things, what would you like to be able to do if you can’t achieve them at the moment.
Top Tips:
- There is no right or wrong answer to any of the prompts. It’s all open to interpretation and you can either take them literally or choose to think outside the box a little.
- This is a chance to showcase a little more about your business and the person behind it. A relaxed and informal approach usually works well – people buy from people, and often choose to follow accounts that they like the look of but also feel a connection to or with.
- Remember to take the time to research new hashtags relevant to the subject matter. These are still a very useful way to reach a fresh audience and potentially find new followers. Social media challenges allow you to post about things you wouldn’t normally so take advantage of that opportunity.
- There is no pressure to post every day or do every post. You can skip some, do them on a different day or even combine two or more together if you wish.
- This is a good way to add in a ‘call to action’ and spark engagement with your audience by asking them their thoughts or opinions, or perhaps encouraging them to give their own answers on the subject. Don’t forget that if you do this you really need to be prepared to check back and answer anyone who takes the time to leave a comment!
Don’t forget to add the #TBCHJanchallenge into all your posts!
If you decided that you like what we do and want to apply to be a TBCH seller then you can apply here