I have to admit that I am not a natural at marketing my own business. This might seem a strange admission for someone who is in an industry that is closely allied with marketing and selling products and services, but I suspect that I'm not the only one.

The idea of cold calling fills me with dread and it's always hard to get past the 'gatekeepers' as they're affectionately known! So what's the solution?

Well there's no easy answer, especially at the moment. One thing that has worked well for Scapegoat Design though is word of mouth marketing and more specifically networking.

We are members of BNI Riverside Chapter and I have found it an excellent way to get introductions to a wide variety of businesses in a fairly relaxed manner. However, there's still plenty of work involved before deals are done as an introduction is just that at the end of the day.

Persevere though and it will bring rewards and that's what I have found. For anybody who might be interested in coming along and seeing BNI Riverside in operation we have a Visitor's Day on Thursday 3rd September. If you'd like some more information call me on 01 676 2446 or email info@scapegoatdesign.com

Posted in Selling, Networking, Marketing, BNI Riverside

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Sometimes there can be a tendency for the creative community to view the business world with suspicion and vice versa. All the old cliches are obvious. Creative types have their heads in the clouds, they don't understand how business really works. And on the opposite side business people are only about the money, they have no souls, they don't appreciate the skills and talent of creative people and so on.

So which camp do I fall in? Well, to be honest I like to think that I can see the value in both sides of the divide. I started out as an art director in an ad agency but became a business person by default when I set up Scapegoat Design in 2004.

While I was in the ad agency I encountered business types in the form of the client services / account executive people. Some were very good and some were quite lazy. Those who were good never settled for the mediocre. They pushed me to come up with exciting and interesting work. Why? Not because they were trying to create brilliant creative work per se (although that was a happy by-product). No, I think they did it because they realised that ultimately good creative work is going to win their clients more business, therefore keep the client happy, therefore keep us all in a job!

So what can creatives learn from this? Well, while the work was interesting and challenging it was also always on brief. That is the most important thing. It really doesn't matter how exciting or visually stunning a piece of work is, if it doesn't answer the brief it's not worth anything.

The client is paying your wages and it's not an opportunity for creatives to get involved in an ego trip or get all precious about their work. This, I feel, is an important lesson that creatives can absorb from business people. Yes, our work needs to be new, fresh, challenging etc but it also has to do the job it's supposed to do.

And for those business people out there who don't see the value in creativity, who are happy to trot out the same dull, cliched, repetitive work - don't forget the old adage: "Communication that doesn't take a chance, doesn't stand a chance". No truer word spoken!

Posted in creativity, Creative Brief, Communications, Client, Business, advertising

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The first ever Pecha Kucha Night in Dublin went down a storm on Thursday 16th July in the Sugar Club. The theme for the first event being ‘Small Ideas, Big Impact’ which ignited a vast array of interests from the many and varied creative speakers on the night. 

Pecha Kucha meaning chit chat is a worldwide phenomena with this being the first event in Dublin. The presentation style is fast paced, the speakers have only 20 secs per slide and can show 20 slides...no ifs, no buts. No mean feat. 

The overall feel was a mix of design conference / speed dating / down the pub with your mates.... it works!! The next Pecha Kucha Night is scheduled for 10th September. 

Credits: Images taken on night by alwaysreadthesmallprint

Samples of work: (L – R) Conor & David / Designers; Culturstruction / Architecture; Gisele Scanlon / Author; Fountainhead / Digital. 

http://www.architecturefoundation.ie/2009/08/07/pecha-kucha-night-dublin-no-2

Posted in Will St Leger, Thinkhouse, TAKA, sugar club, Pecha Kucha, Now What?, Gisele Scanlon, Fountainhead, design, Culturstruction, Conor & David, Cian Hallinan, BRENB

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