My tips are:

• Get work experience in the field (do you have a friend who needs an exhibition organised, or their band promoted? Swap your help for something to talk about on your application)
• Demonstrate you’re serious about the sector – stay current (do training/get qualifications such as arts/cultural management, read the arts magazines)
• Make sure that everything you do (paid or unpaid) is strategic – ‘I had this problem, came up with this solution, got this result. This is what I learned, this is what I’d do different next time’. Keep operating like that – write about it in your applications, talk about it in interviews and you’ll get lucky.

After each interview, I write down the questions I was asked that I didn’t expect. The next time I go for an interview, I dig out the questions and rehearse answers. Ones will come up that you don’t know, but you’ll do a whole lot better for having a bank of answers in your head.

My top questions to be ready for are:

• What do you see are the strengths of this company?
• What are the key challenges for this company’?
• What are the key challenges for you in this role?
• What improvements would you make to our marketing?
• What is your most significant achievement?
• Talk to us about our brand
• Tell us more about our audience – what do you know about them?
• How would you increase income/attendances at our company?
• Tell us about a time you used a creative approach to solve a problem?
• Can you tell us when you have used research findings to influence your marketing activity?
• How do you compare our brand to X competitor?

The places I look for arts/charity or cause-related marketing jobs are:

• Artsadmin E-digest
• News from Voluntary Arts Scotland
• goodmoves Jobs by Email service
• Guardian Jobs
• Arts Workers ebulletin E: artsworkers@tab.org.uk
• www.a-m-a.org.uk
• environmentjob.co.uk
• CharityJOB Alert
• s1jobs.com
• C21news

7,628 people came to Celebration Weekend. Up 58% on the same weekend last year. Managed to attract visitors against fierce competition from cold beer and the great outdoors over the first real weekend of summer sun.

On 20 February, I spoke at the Museums and galleries marketing day about ‘Second Life: a new third place?’.

This is how it felt. A big cinema space. A huge screen behind me. A stage. Me wired up (and my voice booming round the room). Sound guys recording me from the top right. Lights shining in my eyes (now I know why rock stars wear shades!). About 60 people in the space. 35 mins talking (I went fast!), 25 mins Q&A. A dry mouth once in a while. Think it went well – the questions were great fun. Will find out more from the feedback results and listening (if I can bear it) to the audio.

1. This is the most important one – I missed your price list when I walked in. Buy an A4 perspex holder, and put it on the counter with the price list in (as you walk in – facing the door). I totally missed it on entry as it was flat on the desk – without prices, I have no idea if anything is for sale, or for how much.

2. Add some more info to your price list. At the very least contact details – what if I liked something, and decide to buy it when I get home, but you have not given me your contact details? – you lose the sale. Ideally also include a ‘welcome to my show’ type line, a very brief biog and some info on how to buy at the top of the price list (how do you accept payment – cash/cheque?) – also encourage people to contact you to discuss buying/commissioning.

3. Put your ‘about you’ laminated wall biog right at the start. That way people walk in, see your price list standing up, and then can read more about you – the traditional way to start viewing a show.

4. Put the price list on your website if you have not already.

5. Get any good comments about your work in the comments book? Put them on your website too.

6. Include the comments at the top of a letter (not email) you send to the key galleries, reminding them that there are only X days left to view the show, and that you would love to offer them a private tour and glass of wine while it is still on.

7. Does the comments book ask for (and have a space for) people commenting to join your email list? It should. You have an email list right?

8. Flyer the cars and houses nearby (one for saturday morning – when people will be thinking about what to do today).

9. Did the press people come that you wanted to? If not, call them and invite them to come while it is still on (mention the comments from the book again).

Even if you do a few of these (number 1,2 and 3) it will make a difference.