Any startup working in a creative industry will have many different considerations to get right before they can start to compete. This is because while the creative industries might seem more free-flowing and flexible than many other businesses that sell direct products, they need to conform to essential standards that enable them to remain as productive and successful as possible. In this post, we’ll discuss how that success can be defined, what operational principles you should keep in mind, what mistakes to avoid, and how you can better market yourself. Furthermore, in an industry with thrives on visibility and worthwhile exposure, we hope to discuss how you can put yourself out there without being taken advantage of. Additionally, it’s important to recognize that while creative industries can seem much more ‘fun’ than others, they are in no way less ‘technical’ than others, nor do many of them thrive without the direct cultivation and development of client relationships. For that reason, creative industries can actually be harder to thrive in than others selling a strict, measurable product. With our advice, you’ll have the greatest chance of success.
Have A Stringent, Uniform Social Media Presence
It’s important to be active on social media as a creative firm, because being able to present yourself with full confidence is essential in the creative space. Also, your social media presence will often determine just how effective you are as a firm. If your banners are mis-sized, or you use different fonts for each one, or your color palette isn’t properly uniform, or if your messaging isn’t consistent from platform to platform, then it’s highly possible that someone who may in fact use you for similar needs may be put off by this. It’s also important to get the little things right in this way. Furthermore, it’s important to consider what aesthetic your brand is going for. Often, creative firms try to present themselves as modern, innovative, as businesses with its pulse on the market and cultural trends. This will determine your font design, or what colors you use, or how you integrate modern imagery within your logo. Keep that in mind, and what kind of branding you’re trying to sell. Make sure your website and social media presence is perfectly reflective of that.
Perfect Your Portfolio
Without a portfolio, your firm will be struggling to make good on the possible leads it’s generated through marketing measures like SEO and direct promotional campaigns. Clients wish to see exactly what kind of work you do, and what kind of brands you may have worked with. This may include video snippets of infographic content you’ve curated, videos you’ve shot, edited and color graded, or examples of radio snippets and jingles you’ve produced. Make sure it’s relevant to the space you’re in. If you’re known for creating custom banners, logos and profile designs for content creators online on platforms like YouTube and Twitch, showcase your work and try and encourage testimonials where you can. It will make a big difference.
Protect Your Copyright
Creative work should be properly protected with the right copyright. Using an essential copyright lawyer, like Briffa, can make all the difference here. This way, you can properly protect all creations, as well as transfer the rights over (or properly license your work) to those who commission it. This way, you can make sure that your work is properly used, that it isn’t stolen without the ability to gain proper and thorough financial recompense through affirmative litigation as necessary. Reserving your rights is essential, but the technicalities of the law, how far it reaches, and what protections you are afforded is hard to keep track of as a startup without an in-house legal team. It’s doubtful you have the funds to curate that as of now. Thankfully, firms such as the one provided can help you through every stage, and ensure that any questions you have to field are properly answered.
Clearly Define Your Services
Creative work can tend to be a little wishy-washy in terms of what a client might pay for, expect, or request from you. For this reason, it’s essential to structure your packages in a manner that makes it absolutely clear what you charge for and what you do. For instance, a whole video production package including shooting, prop design, photographry, color grading, editing, and delivery of materials may be a certain price. But do you charge by the minute of content that you produce? Does your graphic design package include social media banners? If so - what sizes will you provide them in, and what deliverables will you give? How flexible are you in terms of client requests? What will you not do? What topics will you not broach? What is your speciality? For instance, there’s a big difference between a video production company that specializes in advertisements and those that specialize in music videos for a given industry. Clearly define what you offer, what you’ll deliver, what the wiggle room is, and what the prices may be. You can then use this as a format to open up any conversation with an inquisitive client. Sure, you may add more or less to a client package depending on their needs, but allowing them to feel 100% in the know (and agreeing to picture-perfect, crystal-clear terms ahead of time) will prevent you from any disagreements later on.
Give Yourself The Right Tools
It’s essential to make sure you’re using worthwhile equipment and software tools. For instance, the Adobe Creative Suite is considered industry standard for many reasons, and employees you hire will be most likely to be fluent in some of these apps. Make the tools you work with very clear, including how you record, or what cameras you’re in possession of. Invest, reinvest, and train in this. It will help you compete with larger firms and provide an industry standard worth appreciating.
With this advice, we hope you can measure the most essential tips for creative startups and apply them where needed.
