Keep being creative – Think outside the box
For many creative people doing what they love doing, following their dream while earning a living is what life is all about. Finally free to be who they are, being as creative as possible, having escaped the boring aspects of the business world, that were perhaps the reasons for going it alone in the first place.
But as rewarding as working for yourself can be, there is also the danger that creativity could well be sidelined by having to do the business side of the company. Daily tasks like making other companies aware of your services and then dealing with clients once they are clients. Not to mention the accounting aspects and acting as your own IT department. All of this can be a daunting task for those mostly familiar with the creative side of the business. Especially if your used to having other departments to assist you in these other areas.
Most creative people don’t mind working endless hours on the particular area of their skill set, after all that is the part of the business they love. But often in the early days finances might well be committed to fitting out a premises, and purchasing marketing material, developing a brand, acquiring technology and finding some form of transport, which could force many to earn less than the minimum wage. Then there is meeting with clients and dealing with administrative tasks, all taking up a considerable amount of a day, not forgetting further time spent in following up leads for work, along with attracting new business while doing the work you have just brought in and getting paid. Well it’s never easy, and not always the part of the creative business everyone enjoys doing.
This is all challenging enough at the best of times, but now everyone has started to notice the current economic situation isn’t making life any easier for creatives, and for small businesses in general. But the great thing about creative people is that you can be creative, and its this thinking outside the box that will be effective in helping to not only survive, but to thrive in this climate.
As many of the subscribers here at Left Over GREY MATTER will already know EO Creative was created in response to many of the above concerns. Creative people such as copywriters, designers, developers, illustrators and animators are brilliant at what they do, producing outstanding creative work, after all for many they have spent their lives training to do just that. But there is often things that most agencies don’t prepare creative people to handle such as:
- Dealing with criticism
- Encouraging personal development
- Better work/life balance
- Creating comfortable environments
- Greater communication
- Embracing new markets and technologies
When EO Creative was set up it was the idea that creative people are different and therefore should be able to work different. After all with the available technologies why can’t we make the business work for us, and still give our clients outstanding work?
Communication and collaboration has been discussed here before and we have been featured in the Business Eye Magazine, Enterprise Nation, iGEN and in various other media about this subject. Why, because that is the secret – no one is an island and managing business relationships is critical to our success. It should be critical to all businesses and organisations a like.
At EO Creative I have developed a network of creative associates, some self employed, some not, other freelancing and others are full time or small business owners. But all strategic business partners and valued as such. We collaborate skills, present ourselves as one brand, selling ourselves, our work, all while managing clients expectations and dealing with any difficulties before they are a problem.
Because each person at EO Creative is working in the area they are best suited and yet also where they want to be. There is no waste of resources or time. Technology is at the forefront of how we work together and communicate, with many people in various locations. We like to borrow the term ‘Micro-Environments’, although this is a marketing term we view ourselves in our micro-environments as one organisation or more like an organism. Something that is alive and breathing, with new and fresh ideas exploding all the time, without the barrier of geography nor time zone restrictions
Our reputation online has been growing rapidly as we make use of the various avenues of communication available on the internet. We dare to dream up new ways of working with what is available, promoting what we do best without any hard selling.
‘Social Media ‘is a term banded about, but if social media is used properly it is the crucial answer to 21st century business success. If your reading this post and you are still working alone. Don’t let the challenges dampen your enthusiasm. Instead communicate with others and find ways to collaborate. We are living in a brave new world and anything is possible. There is room for everyone to do what they do best.
If you want to get in touch you are always welcome to contact me or become a part of our collaboration, and bring what you do to the virtual table at EO Creative.
There’s a definite correlation between creatives and a dislike of practical stuff. It comes with the terrority.
But, we all have to get stuck into admin, IT, marketing, networking, customer relationship management. That’s why it’s so important to learn new stuff. Sign up for all the free courses you can. Search the local colleges for IT workshops. Attend networking events where the speaker’s imparting practical tips.
And, finally, get onto Twitter. There are lots of helpful people out there and you have to become one yourself too, to gain trust. It’s a great source of market research, help, tips and pointers in the right direction, for people who HATE being practical.