When we started Creative Source two decades ago, we came from
a corporate marketing background. That experience helped us forge important
relationships in the business community—not only with the creative directors
and graphic designers at area advertising agencies, but also with our
colleagues in other corporate marketing departments.
That’s still an important ingredient to our business success
today. We promote signs, displays and printing as our primary product line, and
people come to us when they need those things. But over the years we’ve also
said we offer creative marketing solutions—and we do that by working in
collaboration with our clients, vendors, and marketing partners.
The key to coming up with those solutions is listening.
Clients tell us what they want. Vendors tell us what they can do to help
provide the products and services that will help us do our job better. And
marketing partners—graphic designers, business consultants, PR pros and other
communication experts—provide us with perspectives we might otherwise overlook.
In other words, they make us better at what we do.
The old adage “two heads are better than one” is true. When
you combine your talent and experience with that of others, it makes for more
effective problem solving. Not only that, it energizes you and gets the
creative juices flowing.
In the corporate world, management often promotes
team-building as a way for staff members to be more effective. That’s
collaboration. If it works internally, it stands to reason that it will work
externally, too, when we team up with other businesses and industry
professionals.
At one point in my career, I was content to go to work every
day, disappear into my work area, and do my thing. I was comfortable with my
surroundings and my responsibilities, and didn’t see the need to expand beyond
that. Today, however, that concept makes me uncomfortable!
In order to truly move forward, innovate, and be creative, it’s important to
grow in knowledge and increase our capabilities.
The quickest path to greater achievement is through
collaboration. If you’ve hit a creative roadblock in your thinking, try going
outside of your comfort zone by seeking the input and advice of someone on the
outside. You’ll expand your horizons and strengthen relationships in the
business community that will enhance your productivity, both now and in the
future.
MIKE BOYD is president of Creative Source. Clients looking for sign companies in Canton, Ohio and the surrounding region look to Mike and his staff for creative marketing solutions.
