4 tips (and a bonus) on how to work with creative people

Designers. Writers. Photographers. Art Directors. These are just some of the creative people that you may run into as you work on marketing or advertising for your small business.

Using a creative brain with ad agency experience, freelance experience, or a combination of both, can bring a new dimension to your marketing. These professionals generally have training from college or art school, and understand the fine points of writing and design.

The good ones know that they are selling a product or service, and work hard to understand what your position in the market is and how to speak to your particular audience.

They also know the differences between a headline and a headline that sells, or how to make sure your logo captures the essence of your company.

To help you get the most out of your creative team, here are four things to remember as you start out.

1. Educate your team. You know your business better than anyone. Take the time to tell the creative team about your business, who your customers are, why they buy from you, what your challenges are, etc.

2. Understand your point of difference. What sets you apart from your competition? If you know, make it clear to your team. If you don’t know, talk to your best customers and see what they say.

3. Know what your objective is. Do you want to find more customers? Repair a reputation? Introduce a new product? If you can tell your creative team what you want out of your marketing, they can find a way to help you get the word out.

4. Find your ONE thing. Unless you are making a two-hour movie, you can’t get everything about your business into one marketing piece. Figure out the one thing you want people to know and stick with it. Then, decide what the supporting points will be and get them in as needed.

BONUS TIP:

5. Give specific direction. There’s nothing worse that hearing something like, “Can you make that pop?” Be clear about what you like or don’t like about the creative work and let your marketing team know.

When you use all of these tips, your business — and your creative team — will find success.