Using Creativity in Marketing

It’s no secret that using creativity in marketing translates into success. Whether it’s a T.V commercial or a direct mailer design, customers love ingenuity and originality. This blog will explore some creative measures you can take to up your company’s marketing game.

What is creativity…really?
Using creativity in marketing. Photograph of multi colored paint brushes and records.
Creativity is essential in marketing

Creativity is subjective. For example, what one may think is aesthetic another may not. At this point, let’s look at the actual definition. Merriam-Webster defines creativity as: “1: the ability to create //her artistic creativity 2: the quality of being creative” —–> https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/creativity

Pretty vague. You get the point though. Creativity can be minimal or complex. Much like the definition. One of the things we learn in grade school art class is that nothing can be wrong as long as some imagination is applied. The same is true even in college art classes. Instructors look for imagination and passion in a work. When they see lackluster effort the grade slips.

The same is applicable in marketing. Slogans, logos, photography, websites, and more all should be creative. Further, the first thing we hear from a new client is, what? Take a guess. Yep. You guessed it, “I want it to be creative.” At any rate that’s the point!

If our creativity is lacking that customer will not want to work with us. Consumers think the same way. They just aren’t aware of it in many cases. If the creativity lacks, the message is lost. Likewise, the grade slips. So, when something catches their eye, it resonates.

Creativity isn’t always easy.

It’s important to realize that creativity doesn’t come naturally to everyone. After all even the world’s greatest artists historically struggled from time to time. You know the saying, “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” Similarly, it took Michelangelo roughly 4-5 years to paint the Sistine Chapel. He undoubtedly hit creative blocks during that process.

Here are a few things to think about when creating materials for your business:
  • Photography. Does the image tell a story? Is it perfectly focused, exposed, and composed? Ask yourself these questions before using an image in marketing. Don’t know what those photographic elements above mean? Google them! Include pattern, texture, or a pop in color. Make the photo(s) as creative as possible.
  • Graphic Design. Likewise as above. Does the design use complementary colors to the brand? Is the logo properly placed? Additionally, it should tell a story. Customers will notice. Any design work for brochures, signage, and other print will need to match your company’s brand image. Including alternate colors or fonts/typefaces will send mixed signals. Stay cohesive.
  • Website. The site needs to function properly. It should also look like your business cards and other marketing materials. Be creative but also simple. We’ve found simplicity over complexity for sites is better. It keeps a clean look. Many customers will want to stay on a site that’s easier to use too. Of course, mobile friendly as well.
  • Social Media. All social media pages will need to match the brand. This includes the messaging content of posts too. These pages are reflective of the company. Equally important, be sure to keep the logo visible. Social media is social. That’s what it’s meant for. However, it is also a great way to create brand identifiability. Make creative and interesting posts for others to engage with.
Screen shot image of the 77 Design Co Facebook page with orange logo. Using creativity in marketing.
Final Thoughts.

Creativity is one of the most useful tools you can apply to your marketing. The uses of color, line, composition etc are all powerful tools in art. These elements take a “meh” marketing piece and can turn it into a “WOW!” Finally, a brand that shows creativity in all aspects of marketing will stand out.

77Design Co logo and business cards.

Analyze. Create. Achieve.

Running a Marketing Company

Running a marketing company has its ups and downs. Like any other business. All things considered though, there are more ups than downs. We can’t complain. This blog we will take a look at some of the behind the scenes things involved in owning and running a marketing company.

Marketing spelled out with Scrabble pieces and colored markers with a 77 Design Co business card.
Ups

Firstly, let’s talk about the fun and positive aspects of running a marketing company. It is an interesting job and dynamic here at 77. We’ve worked for others in the past and developed a sense of what we want/don’t want our company to be like.

10 Fun Things:
  • You get to work mainly from home. At least in our case. There are times of running around to meetings or commercial photography shoots, but the majority of the time is home at the computer.
  • Watching a company grow. It’s fun to start working with a business that is not doing any marketing and then seeing them grow where they want to be.
  • Meeting new “friends.” We understand business is business and work is work. However, there are instances in which our clients also become our friends and closest allies. Being that it’s relatively evident from the start that we only have their best interests and success in mind, great relationships form from this.
  • When you want to take a break, you can. Just go. Unless there are pressing urgent issues it’s easy to duck out and stretch your feet or back. Believe us, stretching out the back or neck is a necessity!
  • Seeing family more than working away from home. This is great, unless your kid nags you to play with them.
  • It’s fun…most of the time. You get to be creative in many cases. Creating new things to utilize in marketing campaigns is fun.
  • The money isn’t bad. It all depends on the work. Everyone always wishes for more but we won’t complain especially in this current economic environment.
  • Getting to meet new people and learning more about different industries. As a marketer (at least one that really immerses themselves into their clients’ business) it’s cool to find out new interesting things about other businesses.
  • Work schedule. We run a tight ship here at 77, but we also allow for time off when possible.
  • Not having to pay (much) for coffee. We still buy our own, but it’s much less and more accessible than working in an office.
Running a Marketing Company. Pen, keyboard, and flash drive image in inverted black and white color.
Things That Suck

We’ll use the term suck loosely. As stated above, there are more positives than negatives. However, to be realistic, here are a few things that aren’t fun.

  • The workload…sometimes. There are times when things get to be extremely overwhelming. We understand that we are the face for many companies that we work with, but too many projects at once can get stressful.
  • Clients that don’t pay, or don’t pay on time. Like any business 77 Design Co also has bills to pay both professionally and personally. This makes it difficult at times.
  • Back and neck pain. <see bullet point 4 above> Working from a computer all day can be a pain in the neck…literally!
  • Deadlines. Deadlines that are agreed upon must be met. We’ll work with the client to create a feasible deadline on a project. This also means working late late late from time to time.

That’s it. These lists could probably grow a little more but for the sake of keeping this blog to a minimum and not boring you we’ll end here. In conclusion, We have fun with our business and still get the work completed accurately. If you are looking for a marketing company that isn’t a bother to you, or just to put things out there for the sake of it, we probably aren’t your company. Thanks for reading!

77 Design Co gray and orange logo
Analyze. Create. Achieve.

Some Benefits to Blogging

Who is Your Customer? 77 Design Co business card, keyboard, and flash drive.

What are some benefits to blogging? You undoubtedly hear this all the time from marketers, “you should blog for your business.” Well, there’s good reasons for it!

By all means, don’t just take our word for it. Look it up for yourself. Here is an article from The Atlantic that discusses blogs and blogging in more depth and what it is: https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2008/11/why-i-blog/307060/

77 Design Co business card, keyboard, and flash drive.

Certainly, a blog should be used accordingly. It is a way to communicate to your legion of customers. Don’t have a legion of customers? Start blogging. Blogs are a great way to build a following.

Some reasons why to blog:

First, it WILL help your business. Blogs need to be consistent though. They need to be written and posted consistently. Create a calendar. Whether that is day to day or month to month. Be consistent in writing and posting blogs.

One of the first reasons is that a well written and informative blog will help your business tell a story. Telling stories is everything in marketing. Any marketer will tell you that. It is a means to explain what you do. You’ll be able to write about how something is made. Share stories of your team. Hell, detail the history of your company if it’s interesting. The possibilities are endless. Go weave a story, or hire someone to write it.

More:

Also, some benefits to blogging additionally include adding a little creativity. Photographs, designs, and/or videos always catch the eye. A bit of creativity can go a long way. Want your audience to continue reading? Break it up with imagery. As we’ve stated in the past, a readers eyes will always go to an image faster than just text.

For example, next time you catch yourself reading an article or blog make a note to yourself how it is broken up by one of the above. Further, while writing your own blog think of ways to bring in creative images or graphics to make the point.

Some benefits to blogging. Image of scrabble pieces spelling marketing.
Next:

Lastly, let’s briefly discuss SEO. If done correctly blogs will help Search Engine Optimization (SEO) for your website. In short, this means increased Google rankings. This section could go on for pages explaining how, so we will keep it short.

Focus on using keywords. Do your research to find the best keywords. Add alt text to the images you post. Size or compress these images accordingly. This will help the speed and loading times. Utilize headings in your blog posts. Write a meta description for the post. The list goes on and on for what Google is looking for. Accurately following these guidelines though will reward your site/blog post.

Most importantly, write a well thought out and planned blog. It’s better to pass along great content and info than worry too much about the SEO side of things. So, there you have it…start a blog today!

77Design Co logo and business cards.

Analyze. Create. Achieve.

Marketing Stats to Ponder

Marketing stats to ponder! Yes, we get it statistics can be boring unless you are a numbers type of person. As a creative marketing agency we are more about the visual and content stuff. However, statistics are important too. That’s the point of the blog this month.

We found these stats to be quite interesting https://www.marketingcharts.com/featured-112414 and if you own a business you may want to take a gander.

Marketing Stats to Ponder. Computer keyboard and shadows.

Typically we discuss things like image quality, design work, color, or the overall look and feel of websites and marketing materials. Branding itself is quite important. On the other hand stats tell their own story.

If you haven’t yet clicked the link above and are still reading we encourage you to do so. Obviously you have some interest in the subject. Although the article was from August 2020 many of these numbers we expect to be the same or higher rolling into 2021. Nevertheless we’ll break down a few things here.

Breaking it Down

Firstly, let’s tackle the “36% US ad spending” in local and regional markets. This is a significant number. Why? Because even large companies realize local and regional customers are a necessity. Belonging to a community and positioning your business locally can lead to huge gains. It will undoubtedly generate many leads as well. All of this of course is pending how you are marketing, what the good or service is, what marketing avenues are being used, and the story it is telling through its marketing strategy.

We’ve found through our work with several local companies that people want to know who the business is. They want to see the owners, employees, and products. Customers feel a connection when the content isn’t always sell sell sell. Custom videos and imagery are a few ways to connect locally. Written stories about these people and products/services also help. The companies we’ve been working with are seeing tremendous results too! If you’d like to know more or want to speak to them yourself just drop us a line. We’ll put you in touch.

Correspondingly, helping neighbors is more important now than in the pre-Corona days. Offering a quality service or product that people can trust and rely on locally are what many are looking for nowadays. If you are using a large national or international marketing firm, you may want to look locally. There are options 🙂 Some marketing stats to ponder!

Options for marketing. Orange 77 Design Co business card and shadow pointing to option button. Marketing stats to ponder.
Options.
Breaking Down More

Next, we have the 75% “using paid social” and display. Our take on this number is that it’s probably not 75%. It’s more likely that 75% said they would be using social. Does posting a few times every month or year count? How often would they be posting? What platforms are they using? What is the content? There are variables here. All of that makes a difference.

Absolutely social matters in todays marketing. And we love that 75% find it worthy to note. However, how it is done, the message being conveyed, and images or videos being used are going to determine its success. That is not to mention tags and times of day when posts are being made along with much more. All of this is relevant. Some more marketing stats to ponder!

Even More

Needless to say these statistics are very in depth. The source did a fantastic job laying out charts, graphs, and information to make them understandable.

Let’s scroll down more to the section “Coronavirus’ Growing Impact on Advertising Efforts.” Next we look at the second bullet point under Marketers. “Ad messages that address the coronavirus pandemic are resonating with consumers. Ace Metrix found that COVID-19 ads are scoring higher on Relevance (+18%), Likability (+11%) and Information (+12%) than the all-industry norm.”

This is important to remember. Not only are customers seemingly interested in corona messages but it also helps the relevance and likability. Sticking your head in the sand and not tackling important issues doesn’t help. Doing nothing is just as bad. With that being said, your business message should steer clear from controversial messages. If your business can help others through this pandemic mess marketing that message needs to be concise. Content is king. It’s super important how you present your company.

There’s a lot more marketing stats to ponder in the given link. As has been noted, take a look at them. See what you can do for your business.

Need more help? Other questions on what your business can do? Our FREE marketing consultation is offered to any business looking to get on the right track. https://77designco.com/services-2/

Analyze. Create. Achieve.

77 Design Co orange logo.

Way Back in 2020

Way back in 2020, you may have believed 2021 was the year everything got back to normal. That is to say, many people thought by simply changing the calendar, everything would magically get better. Nope.

To clarify, we are optimists here at 77. We think 2021 will be a better year. Seriously, we do. However, there are still going to be issues to deal with that we’ve had in 2020, maybe even more so in 2021.

Way back in 2020. Scrabble pieces spelling New Year with a retro background.
What To Look Forward To

With politicians out there using terms like “new normal,” it’s clear nobody has any plans for this stupid pandemic and state (or federal) mandates to go away anytime soon. Whether you believe government is helping, or you believe government is overreaching, it’s evident that business won’t be business as usual. Disagree? We’d love to hear your argument.

People will still be working (IF they are still working) from home. Business offices and storefronts will still be shut down. Permanent closures will continue to occur. Mandates will still be for certain levels of occupancy. Meetings will still be mostly virtual. Keeping your business open and profitable will still be arduous.

Way back in 2020. Old white closed business building.
Way back in 2020. Closed red gas station.
Marketing For 2021

Meanwhile, the last line above is perhaps the most important to you if you are reading this. What can you do?

Firstly, if your business has a website some updates to it can help. If there isn’t a website, get one!

People are searching the Internet daily for what you do. Will they find you? What will they get when they do find your business? Updating the website consistently is key to Google. Having a few interesting, fun, or helpful things added to the website can and will be the difference in them contacting you, or not.

A few of these additions can go a long way. Adding something like games, quizzes, polls, new images, new bios, videos, and more will take that stale website and freshen it up. Updating the content and keywords helps too. Likewise, you can start a blog on the website. Share info and upgrade the site often.

Social Media

In addition to the website you will need to be social. Statistics are all over the place. However, one thing is certain…social media use is WAY up. Way back in 2020, social media really started to jump up. No matter where you look for solid statistical resources it is plain to see companies are increasing social media marketing due to increased usage. Over 50% of the world now uses social media.

Way back in 2020. Humorous orange and blue piechart on marketing.

Utilize this. Create brand exposure for your business. Generate leads from it. Drive traffic to your website and do what you can to boost sales.

Make your social presence fun. People and customers in particular want fun, especially now. Same as above, create polls, fun and professional photos/videos, or games. Heck, create some informative (or humorous) statistics (above) of your industry and share away.

Need more help? Other questions on what your business can do? Our FREE marketing consultation is offered to any business looking to get on the right track. https://77designco.com/services-2/

Analyze. Create. Achieve.

Holidays in 2020

Holidays in 2020. Have you ever thought we’d be in this position? No celebrating with extended family. Close your business. You can only have a certain amount of people to your home. No entry without a mask. Stay home.

As a result of the above state mandates, many will be having trouble celebrating anything this year. What has happened?! Where do we even live? It’s as if we are in an alternate universe. Our lives have changed dramatically since this time last year. Many lives will be impacted forever.

Some businesses are just barely getting by. Likewise, many others have suffered irreparable losses. Moreover, we haven’t even mentioned the other side affects of shutdowns. Increased drug and domestic abuse, homelessness, extensive unemployment rates, and maybe the worst of all…loss of trust. Not many trust in our government officials anymore. No matter who you support. Can you really say you trust them? We can’t. https://www.pewresearch.org/politics/2020/09/14/americans-views-of-government-low-trust-but-some-positive-performance-ratings/

As a result, we despise all of it! It’s no secret that we aren’t fans of business closures. In short, who really is?

Switching Gears

Meanwhile, let’s switch gears. This isn’t meant to be a complaint blog. Although we (77 Design Co) do not like the direction any of this has taken all of us we will still celebrate. So, let’s focus our energy towards the positives.

Image of a green and red Santa Clause Christmas Tree ornament. Holidays in 2020.

With Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years upon us, good things will follow. So, holidays in 2020 will be different. No doubt. On the other hand how long can any of this continue?

We are natural optimists and believe most, if not all of this, will shake itself out soon. How soon? No idea. However, something has to come to a head soon because there won’t be any small business left if it doesn’t.

2021 brings us a new year and hopefully new beginnings. Let’s look at some of the positives of this year.

Positives

1.) We all got to spend more time with family. Hopefully that’s a good thing for you.

2.) Many businesses we know have adapted. Your business HAS TO pivot. Consequently this means marketing your company in different ways and operating in different ways. Unfortunately those that don’t may not make it.

3.) Most importantly, we all got a dose of reality this year. That is to say as bad as it was/is, we will learn from it. Getting punched in the face SUCKS! With roughly 25-30 years experience in martial arts, I know this firsthand.

However, when you get hit, you learn how to avoid it. You learn how to adapt. This is what we are hoping many learn from this. Don’t let your business be vulnerable. Don’t allow your life to be vulnerable. Preparation is key.

In conclusion, go celebrate the holidays. Moreover, enjoy the time off. Spend every chance soaking up the time with friends or family. Likewise, remember to be prepared and diligent. However, remember, nothing lasts forever.

Have a great Christmas, Hanukkah, and a happy New Years!

Orange 77 Design Co logo and Christmas tree. Holidays in 2020.
77 Design Co-helping all small business market themselves better.

If your business is suffering we are here to help. https://77designco.com/services-2/