I spend a lot of time online – learning, researching, keeping up (sometimes with the Kardashians, I admit!), watching what the bigger and smaller business players are doing – it’s part of my job and it comes with the territory. A lot of the time I come across ideas for marketing, productivity, designs and that ‘something special’ for a particular client. My clients are ALWAYS on my heart and on my mind. Inevitably they take up brain space because we have formed a bond along the way and when I find something that could be particularly beneficial to their business I like to share it – I am always, in good faith, planting new seeds, sharing new ideas and keeping the growth of their business top of mind – anyone who knows me, both clients and friends, know this is the ‘natural state of being’ for me. I’m an idea person. Ok, when you have clients as awesome as mine it’s really not that hard, I have to say, tsk!
Anyway, I digress. So … (yes, a conjunction, gasp!) So, I also allocate time to checking up on my clients’ online presence, what they’re up to on Social Media, if they’re keeping active on their website, if they’re keeping on brand after I have handed over the reins and so forth. I ALSO check up on old clients sometimes too … and often this breaks my heart. *Clients become old clients or ex clients for many reasons as ones business grows, develops, evolves, becomes more popular or you have alternating ideas or moral compasses. It happens.
My heart is often left saddened the most by seeing stagnation in their work and this is especially sad for creative people who’re capable of such great things, but for their own misplaced limitations. Recently I popped onto one of those dear souls Facebook pages where they had been recounting their success through the number of projects completed … the numbers all looked awesome! I was intrigued. I was excited for them! i decide to investigate some more and see what they had been up to … only to discover that they had been producing ‘cookie cutter creativity’. Yoh. Granted, they had a niche market, which is great, but very, very little creative development had happened and as a creative I thought it was a bit sad.
My instinct was to reach out and see how they were doing and if they had any new up and coming projects and maybe meet for a coffee, but my business brain slapped that instinct back with a gentle reminder that i had been available to them for years.
I resolved, once again, to continue to encourage my creative clients as I do, keep on learning more myself and being aware of what was happening ‘out there’ so i could bring home tips, tricks and interesting tidbits – all to keep on planting those little seeds. Ideas are good. New ideas are awesome. Scary? Sometimes yes, but mostly pretty cool once you let them shoot!
I love you guys. You’re the most amazing group of friends, family, clients and followers. Thanks for your support!
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