Relaxed start of the day

Getting to know each other 

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Good news if you’re a creative professional and want to learn how to increase your visibility and attract the right projects! The coming months I’m giving more communication strategy workshop. Expect a hands-on approach, full of cases and assignments that will lead you to a personalized communication strategy. 

Photo by Erwin Elling via Instagram

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The past months I’ve worked on copywriting projects for a number of cool artists and designers. It’s inspiring to work with these passionate people! I’ve been doing newsletters, web copy, biographies, Wikipedia articles and more. Click the links below to read some of the things I’ve written.

• Wikipedia article for Edwin van Gelder, founder of graphic design studio Mainstudio
• Newsletter for Barrie Hullegie Photography; he got three (!) new assignments out of this newsletter; including a shoot for V-magazine!
• Biography for product and interior designer Thomas Eurlings

Newsletter Barrie Hullegie Photography

With two locations in Utrecht (NL), concert venue Vredenburg can accomodate over 2,000 music lovers with a lust for live. The scope is broad, from pop, to chamber music, jazz and world music.

Minke presenting – photo: Simone Schouten, Mediamatic

On Friday June 22nd Jasper Visser and I got together with the team to investigate how Vredenburg could make strategic use of social media to transform the organisation into an international venue that manages positive conversations with employees, visitors and Utrechters –online and off. Things we discussed included social media behavior, ‘Pinsanity’, how to write Facebook posts and Tweets that encourage interaction, Instagram contests, what makes a video go viral, and much, much more. A productive and fun day! 

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When you’re artist, you’re often on a tight budget. That’s only logical; you focus on creativity, not on profits. Unfortunately, when you do want to make your work more profitable by learning about marketing and communications, you’ll find that most training programs are too expensive. Also, most of these trainings have a generic, ‘corporate’ approach that doesn’t match your reality where the creative process, personal development and informal relationships are key. 

Photo: Idée Fixe, by Hullegie/Bongiovanni

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Last week I analysed the outcomes of a game that Jasper Visser and I use to conclude our social media trainings for Kom je ook? at Mediamatic. During this game participants write down what they will start and what they will stop doing in terms of social media marketing. After summarizing hundreds of ideas scribbled on brightly colored post its, I identified six clear trends in social media marketing. Jasper wrote a great blog about my analysis: enjoy!

Photo: Simone Schouten, Mediamatic

During my social media trainings I give participants infographics with backgrounds on different platforms –how many members, user demographics, marketing opportunities, etc. I’m always asked to share these infographics, so I put a bunch of them on my Pinterest. It’s an open pinboard, anyone can add their favorite visualisation of social media.

Pinboard on pinterest.com/minkehavelaar/infographics-social-media

I will continue to host social media trainings with Jasper at Mediamatic the rest of the year. Check the calendar for the dates! Below are some pictures from the previous trainings, thanks to Simone Schouten at Mediamatic!

Enlightening the audience on ‘pinsanity’

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The first Social Media Marketing training at Mediamatic was a hit! While the snow fell inches thick from the sky, the energy inside was bubbling. Jasper and I were lucky to be working with a highly motivated group, with people from very different professional backgrounds: advertising, non-profits, arts and culture. A truly inspiring day!

Photo: Mediamatic

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A couple of weeks ago, Creative Culture International asked me if I wanted to join their global network of communications specialists. I was immediately excited, because I’ve always been fascinated with intercultural communication. When I was in university I became familiar with the academic theory of cultural differences and I’ve always wanted to do ‘something’ with my knowledge. But what? Well, this might be it.

Photo: Creative Culture. In the US, tipping any less than 15% indicates dissatisfaction. In contrast, leaving tips should be avoided in Japan unless you are dealing with your surgeon, removal man or waitress at a traditional ‘ryokan’ hotel.

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