Creatives had a once-in-a-life chance to get a global perspective and learn the best practices of the creative industry from Emmy award-winner and international creative consultant Chris Do in the second day of CREATE Philippines 2018 at The Globe Tower, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig.
In his masterclass, Chris engaged the participants through an interactive question-and-answer discussion on “the Business of Design.” The audience also participated in his hands-on workshop where they came up with solutions to the worst working scenarios in the Philippine creative market like dealing with nightmare clients and lowballers.
In case you missed him, here are some anecdotes from his masterclass:
Make the Economy Work for You
“If you live in the Philippines, the economy works against you if you only serve local firms but it works for you if you make content or design for global brands or firms abroad,” said Chris, noting the low cost of living in the Philippines compared to other countries.
Raise Awareness on Your Actions
“Good news! Someone out there is looking for you right now. It’s bad news they can’t find you,” said Do to his fellow creatives. “Explore new platforms—make your own Youtube channel, Behance, or an Instagram account. Get yourself out there.”
Don’t Get Defensive
Chris said creatives should stop the habit of overly defending themselves whenever clients lowball or make unreasonable requests.
“Do not try to overly justify your position and price. Tell them that they can also do it with all the available tutorials online,” he said. “But if they (clients) want your skill and expertise then tell them that they should compensate you appropriately.”
“If you have an angry client, do not bite back. Change the energy of the conversation by getting them excited with a project or a solution,” he added.
Set a SMART goal
“Before you start a project, get smart with your goals by making it specific, measurable, attainable, relevant and time-bound,” Chris noted.
He added: “That way, you and your clients have a common understanding on what you want your project to become and you can easily gauge if you could meet or exceed their expectations. It also keeps them from asking for more results.”
Face Your Fears
“The things you are afraid of, do it,” Chris emphasized after sharing his realizations in establishing The Futur, a YouTube channel that provides lectures all over the world on the business of creativity.
“What got you here, won’t get you there. Don’t go to the same place and expect to be in another,” he added.
Inbound is In
“[Everyone here] should not underestimate inbound marketing because today, getting people’s attention through referrals and content marketing is the way to go,” Chris said.
“Content marketing enables you to engage with your audience. It makes them feel they are part of the creative process which can lead to more support for you and what you are doing,” he added.
Value Validation
“People (referring to clients) usually don’t buy the best choice but rather the safest choice. That is why you need portfolio, validation and statements about your work. Building rapport gives you more leverage,” noted Chris.
To learn more about the event, follow CREATE Philippines on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also download the CREATE PH app on Google Play (Android) and Appstore (iOS).
CREATE Philippines 2018 is organized by the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), the export promotion arm of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in partnership with the Communication Design Association of the Philippines (CDAP), Globe myBusiness and myLifestyle, Beyond the Box, Crown Supply and other industry and private stakeholders.
