Practical Social Media Skills — From Someone Who Actually Runs a Shop
No Jargon. No Generic Advice. Just What Works on the High Street.
Our workshops are designed for independent retailers who want to understand social media, get it working for their business, and walk away with ideas they can use immediately.
Most social media training is written for corporate teams, freelancers, or online businesses. The advice rarely translates to the realities of running an independent shop — the time pressure, the seasonal rhythm, the importance of local community.
Our workshops are different because the person running them is a retailer too.
Cecile opened her own gift shop, made it profitable within four weeks, and built a customer base where 80% of people found her online before they visited. She did it with real knowledge, a clear strategy, and without a marketing team.
Each workshop is a focused, practical session. You will leave with specific ideas and actions you can put to use in your shop straight away — not a folder full of slides you will never look at again.
These sessions are ideal for independent high street business owners and their employees, or anyone responsible for the social media of a high street business. If you have ever thought "I know I should be doing more with social media but I never know where to start" — these workshops are for you.
Our Workshops
A 90-minute, hands-on workshop that gets your high street business found locally — on Instagram, on Facebook, and on the map. You do it all on your phone, in the room, before you leave.
Put Your Shop on the Map
Bring a Workshop to Your Retail Group or Business Association
Our workshops are also available for retail groups, town centre partnerships, Business Improvement Districts, and trade associations. If you are organising a training day for a group of local retailers, we can deliver a tailored session that reflects your area, your local market, and your members' specific needs.
Get in touch to discuss group bookings and bespoke sessions.
Ready to Make Social Media Work for Your Shop?
All workshops are run by Cecile — founder of The Shop Life and owner of The Slow Life gift shop. You will not get generic advice from someone who has never stood behind a till. You will get practical, proven strategies from a retailer who has used them herself.
Places are limited to keep sessions focused and useful.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The Shop Life runs three workshops designed for high street businesses: Social Media Quick Wins, which focuses on fast, high-impact actions; Attract Your Ideal Local Customer, which covers audience targeting and local reach; and Content Ideas That Drive Foot Traffic, which gives business owners a practical bank of content ideas to use straight away. All three are delivered by Cecile, who runs her own high street shop.
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Yes. The workshops are designed for busy independent business owners who may have little social media experience or who have been posting inconsistently without seeing results. No technical background is required. The focus is on practical, immediately applicable strategies rather than theory.
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The workshops are held in Towcester NN12 6BX and are intended for businesses within roughly an hour's drive — covering areas such as Northampton, Milton Keynes, Banbury, Daventry, Brackley, and Buckingham. Check the individual workshop pages or contact The Shop Life directly for current dates and venues. We can also come to you (min. group size: 6)
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Workshop pricing is detailed on each individual workshop page. They are designed to be accessible for independent high street business owners, with a focus on delivering practical value that pays for itself in increased footfall and customer engagement.
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These workshops are built specifically for footfall-dependent businesses — shops, cafes, salons, and other high street traders. They are not generic digital marketing courses. Every example, strategy, and content idea is drawn from Cecile's own experience running a gift shop on the high street, which means the advice is grounded in the real constraints and opportunities of independent retail.