Make Works
  • Make Works Handbook
  • Introduction
    • Exploring a Region's Potential
    • Who can set up a Make Works Region?
    • Talking about Make Works
    • Stay Connected
  • Assessing your Make Works Region
  • On boarding new Make Works Regions
    • How to: Fab City Full Stack Workshop
    • How to: Region's About page
  • Factory Visits
    • How to: First Factory encounter
    • How to: Prepare for a Factory visit
    • How to: Film in Factories
    • How to: Get a brilliant interview
  • Listings
    • Checklist: For creating a listing
    • How to: Use Make Works
    • How to: Enter a listing
    • How to: Taxonomies - Materials, Processes, Industry
  • Launch
    • How to: Decide on a launch format and schedule
  • Communications
    • How to: Content Writing
    • How to: Submit a Story
    • How to: Use Make Works' Stories
  • Up and running
    • How to: Maintain relationships with listed factories
    • How to: Manage your Day to Day
    • FAQ: Tricky Situations
  • Funding & Budgets
  • Acknowledgments
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  • Two strategies to contact manufacturers
  • How to: First Conversation

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  1. Factory Visits

How to: First Factory encounter

PreviousFactory VisitsNextHow to: Prepare for a Factory visit

Last updated 3 years ago

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Before you start visiting manufacturers we suggest checking to see if there are existing listings of information from your region that you can access to do your research.

If existing lists of information does not exist, start a map or Excel sheet from scratch using existing data from your on and offline research, by asking friends, designers, makers, manufacturers in your region.

Two strategies to contact manufacturers

  1. Send out emails to your contact list, and then call after 1 - 2 weeks to check in with them, set a date for a first visit to build a relationship with them

  2. Call them directly, give them a short introduction to and your region, and ask for a visit for a more detailed exchange. Ask for an email to send out more detailed information.

How to: First Conversation

  • Introduce , a short explanation of the history of Make Works, explain your region's engagement and what you have done so far or plan to do

  • Show them an example on Make Works which is related to their own work, this can happen on the phone or a computer

  • Emphasise that this listing is completely free for them as well as for the users of the platform

  • Let them show you their space, and obtain information about their machines, processes and who they work with - empathy is key. What is the history of their space?

  • If they are interested in being listed on Make Works there are two strategies to proceed, depending on the time the factory and / or you have:

    • If you prepared in advance, take the opportunity to sit down with them to collect the initial information about the factory for a listing on Make Works and then agree a date and time for a second visit to take pictures, and film footage if desired

    • Or, set up a different date and time to return and gather the information and take the photographs for the listing

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