Data Analytics for Creative Business Growth

Level(s) of Study: Professional
Course Fee:
£295
Start Date(s): 9 March 2027, 15 June 2027
Duration: Tuesdays 10 am - 4 pm, two days
Study Mode(s): Full-time
Campus: City Campus
Entry Requirements: More information

Introduction:

Are you running a creative business but unsure which data to track, what the numbers mean or how to use them to make better decisions?

This practical two-day course will help you make sense of your business and marketing data, identify opportunities for growth and turn insights into action. With a week between sessions to gather your own data, you'll apply what you've learned directly to your business and leave with a personalised KPI tracker, action plan and reporting process.

You’ll be part of a design community that promotes collaboration and experimentation.
With a limited class size, you'll receive the attention needed to gain new skills which you can then apply to your profession.
Benefit from learning with a tutor who brings established links to the profession and current design thinking to the course.
Study in-person (rather than online) and explore ideas in our studios.

What you’ll study

Running a creative business involves making decisions every day, from where to invest your marketing budget to which services to develop and how to attract more customers. But how do you know what's working and where there's room for improvement?

Your website, social media, email marketing and other business platforms can provide valuable information about your customers and business performance. The challenge is knowing which numbers matter, what they're telling you and what to do next.

This practical course will help you understand and use your data without getting overwhelmed by complicated dashboards, technical jargon or endless spreadsheets.

You'll explore how different data sources can help you understand your customers, evaluate your marketing activity and identify opportunities to improve your business performance.

You'll also learn why context matters when interpreting results, how to recognise meaningful patterns rather than focusing on vanity metrics, and how to use data to investigate common business challenges.

Working with your own business as a starting point, you'll develop a simple, sustainable approach to tracking performance and using the results to inform your decisions.

Whether you're a freelance designer, creative entrepreneur, marketer or agency owner, you'll gain the confidence to move beyond guesswork and make more informed decisions about your business.

During this course, you will:

identify the key performance indicators (KPIs) that matter most to your creative business
understand how to interpret data in context and recognise which metrics are less useful
explore the data available through platforms such as Google Analytics, social media and email marketing tools
map your customer journey and identify where potential customers may be disengaging
create a simple KPI tracker to monitor business and marketing performance
use data to investigate common business challenges and identify opportunities for improvement
recognise trends and patterns that can inform your marketing and business strategy
develop a personalised action plan and manageable reporting routine.

You'll build your understanding of business and marketing analytics and learn how to identify, access and interpret the information most relevant to your creative business.

Topics include:

understanding the role of data in creative business decision-making
identifying meaningful metrics and avoiding vanity metrics
exploring data from websites, social media, email marketing and other platforms
interpreting data in context
understanding the customer journey and its key measurement points
creating a simple KPI tracker.

Between sessions: You'll gather relevant data from your own business, using the tools and methods introduced in Session 1, ready to apply your learning in the second session.

You'll explore how data can help you understand business challenges, evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.

Topics include:

using data to investigate common marketing and business challenges
identifying trends, patterns and potential problems
interpreting your own business data and deciding what action to take
developing a personalised action plan
establishing a simple reporting process and schedule
using data to support ongoing business decisions.

By the end of the course, you'll have a working KPI tracker, a practical action plan and a reporting process tailored to your business.

How you’re taught

This practical course is delivered over two days, with a one-week gap between sessions.

Teaching combines live demonstrations, individual exercises, group discussions and scenario-based problem-solving.

You'll work with examples of common business challenges and have opportunities to apply what you've learned to your own creative business.

Between sessions, you'll be encouraged to gather relevant business data to use during the second day.

The course is designed to be accessible and jargon-free, with no previous analytics experience required.

Contact hours

You'll receive 12 hours of tuition from an experienced creative business owner and educator.

Tutor profile

Vicki Wallis is a freelance designer, creative business owner and educator with over ten years' experience running her own fashion business.

For the past five years, she has also supported freelance designers and creative professionals through her education platform, Freelancing Simplified, helping them develop the business skills, systems and strategies needed to run their creative practices.

Having worked with clients around the world, Vicki brings first-hand commercial experience and a practical, approachable teaching style.

Her teaching focuses on making business concepts accessible and relevant to the everyday challenges faced by freelancers and creative entrepreneurs.

Careers and employability

This course is designed for creative professionals who want to strengthen their commercial skills and make better-informed decisions about their business or freelance practice.

It's particularly relevant for freelance designers, illustrators, photographers, marketers, creative entrepreneurs and agency owners who are already working with clients and want to improve their business performance.

You'll develop practical data literacy skills that can help you evaluate marketing activity, understand customer behaviour and identify opportunities for business growth.

You'll also gain greater confidence in using evidence to support your recommendations and decisions when working with clients, colleagues and collaborators.

By the end of the course, you'll be able to:

identify and monitor the metrics most relevant to your business
interpret marketing and business data with greater confidence
use data to investigate problems and opportunities
make more informed decisions about your marketing and business activities
maintain a manageable reporting process to support ongoing improvement.

Certificate of attendance and digital badge

Upon successful completion of the course, you will receive a digital certificate of attendance and a digital badge powered by Accredible.

Your digital credential is more than just a certificate – it’s secure, verifiable, and protected against fraud through encryption and blockchain technology.

They also come with detailed metadata, including an overview of the skills you have achieved on the course, evidence of completion, and assessment criteria if appropriate.

Share your achievements seamlessly with friends, customers, and potential employers online, and proudly add your badge or certificate to social media platforms such as LinkedIn, so all the right people can see it.

Entry requirements

Level: Beginner in data analytics. Suitable for established creative professionals and business owners.

No previous data analytics experience or technical knowledge is required.

This course is particularly suitable for people already running a creative business, working freelance or managing marketing activity, as you'll have the opportunity to work with data from your own business.

You should be comfortable using basic digital platforms and accessing your business accounts.

You must be over 18 to attend this course.

Fees and funding

The fee for this course is £295

Payment is due at the time of booking - ask us if you'd prefer an invoice sent to your company.

Your course fees cover the cost of studies, including great benefits such as the use of our modern library and free use of the IT equipment and software on the campus during your course.

Please bring with you to the first session:

A laptop, tablet or smartphone.
Login access to any analytics platforms you currently use (such as Instagram, Google Analytics, your email marketing platform, or website dashboard), so you can follow during live demos.
If analytics tools are not currently used, set up advice will form part of the course.

You can read the terms and conditions of booking here.

How to apply

You can book your place via the NTU online store:

9 - 16 March 2027, Tuesdays 10 am - 4 pm, two days

15 - 22 June 2027, Tuesdays 10 am - 4 pm, two days

Any questions about booking this course or tailored training opportunities?

Contact the short course team:

Email: creativeshortcourses@ntu.ac.uk

Telephone: +44 (0)115 848 2813