By Catherine Lang-Cline
When Kristen Harris and I first started this business, it was entirely placing people in print marketing. Fast forward 16+ years and everything now tips toward digital marketing. What is the difference? Nothing and EVERYTHING!
Much like the clients, we work with and the people that we place, we have had to evolve our skills, too. Every day we learn about new software, a new app, and a new way to market and we find the people that can do it. Because it is ALL still creative and what better day to call that out than during this week of National Creativity Day, this year National Creativity Day falls on Sunday, May 30.
We can all agree that to draw, write, make, or create anything you have to have a certain talent. I learned that early in school, I was the only kid in class who could draw a perfect circle. How could other people not do that? It is a gift to be able to draw, paint, build a website, and see things in a way that will not only send a message but in marketing, actually sell something. And we see you, creative, gifted people. We see you as our clients and the talent that we place.
So, while many people are trying to cross over to the digital side, do not for a second think that you are no longer a creative person. How you express yourself is just different.
Because we are visual people, let me illustrate this with some examples:
Example #1: You love racing cars. It may have started with Hot Wheels® or Big Wheel® racing. Then you raced bicycles and motorcycles and anything with wheels. Your talent or passion for racing and competing can be expressed in a variety of ways.
Example #2: You started with crayons and then moved to tempura colors. You wanted a new look and tried watercolors and wanted even more and switched to acrylic or oils on canvas. Your talent and passion are within you and you find ways to express it.
Example #3: You started in paste-up or on a drawing board, you moved up to the Mac doing layouts for print, and now you are doing layouts as websites and apps, etc. Your talent and passion can now be expressed in newer, faster ways to reach your clients. Exciting, right?
As visual people, we also like to self-teach. I may be just speaking for myself, but if I watch a Google demo online, I feel I can get the gist and go from there. Some other people might need classes to master things and quite honestly, make themselves a lot more marketable. But get started knowing digital if you haven’t started because the target keeps moving. If you are a designer, learn a little more every day so you don’t get too far behind. Then if something comes up, you are at least familiar with what is going on today. Again, YOU are the talent behind the software.
For our clients, we know those digital and marketing people that you need. We know experts and we know those catching up. Keep in mind that some of that software might have come out last week, too. But people are learning quickly and the creatives out here have the talent to capture the voice, the feel, the look of your company because they are talented.
Here at Portfolio Creative we believe 100% in this quote from Kevin Crossley-Holland, “You can teach someone a skill but you can’t teach them spirit.” or teach them how to be creative. You are at heart, creative. Print, digital, and whatever is next, we have always been here for you. Not sure what you need? Contact us and we would be happy to help.
