As I explained in my previous blog what social media is, this blog is what so many companies are doing to build their online identity.
I have read many articles over the internet about social media guiding about how it works, the various platforms, having a website, a logo, presentations, eBrochures helping make an online presence. Although they were all extremely educative and some even opened up new horizons to reach, I feel that there is no strategy as such, it is the human nature, managing it, who builds the strategy of marketing (this is completely my perspective)
There are certain things to concentrate on I agree, as it is going to affect your company’s identity. But overall it totally depends on what you are trying to sell. That is where the most important part of it comes, your WEBSITE. If you believe in online marketing, I am sure you will comprehend that your website represents you and your company on the web. The only way I can judge you is by having a look at the impact your website has on the viewer.
Since the time I have started working at THR3E, I have seen that most start-ups make a mistake of not concentrating on their brand image due to lack of knowledge or financial crunches or come what may. Your Company Brand is going to be reflected by every interaction your company has with the public. A Brand is the personality of the product or service or your company. It becomes conducive to let it encompass and enhance your identity.
When your Company Brand is identifying to the nature of your business and people are perceiving it the way you want, it means you have a successful social media strategy.
In my previous blog, I wrote about the drawbacks of designing. Inspite of
having a wonderful design, if not chosen, it is of no relevance. In this blog
I am going to write about a more grave problem, plagiarism of designs.
Plagiarism is very common in any creative field, be it designing, writing or
film making ..... It is unfortunate that even laws cannot protect your creation
from getting INSPIRED (an enhanced word for copying) In designing, it is the
simplest to copy something, if only the colour or the formation is changed,
it becomes another design and there is no way to prove it is your design.
In this field there is a high possibility of the designs not getting approved
and then you find out that your design is being passed off as somebody else’
ideas and then getting recreated by someone else under their name. This is
plagiarism.
One such incident, one of my client, an eclectic jewellery designer
(although we were told that she had her own brand of bags and belts) came
to THR3E in order to create her logo. She was extremely finicky and wanted a
particular imagery of a peacock in her logo. After providing her 8 logo designs
(officially we give only 3) she did not like anything or rather pretended that
way, then got into an altercation, accusing us of not serving her and that
she made a big mistake by coming to THR3E for the logo and then went
away without any work from us. Now after 2 months her website is live
with the same design logo THR3E provided with just a colour change. She got the idea of using a particular font from our designs and now claims that it was her idea. It is easy to lie but how can one lie to themselves.
It is pitiful to learn that literate, talented and creative people cheat with people
from the same fraternity.
P.S : This blog was solely written to create awareness of the presence of such unethical people.
It is funny I must say I usually never write but when I decided to write this blog, ideas and thoughts have been flooding in my mind. I constantly keep thinking of something and write it down on a piece of paper or a book and at times on my hand when there is no source. While trying to make this blog meaningful and helpful to you, I realised how much I have learned in the bargain. So yet again, I am going to do the same in this article.
The most common question I face is, "Now there are tutorials available to help you create your own website why should we come to you?" And my only answer to that is, everyone can click pictures but for a wedding you need a professional photographer. It is the matter of educating people who are not aware of the strength and impact of art & design. Social Media Marketing is going to take a while to create its niche in India.
I am surrounded by design all day long. I am asked by my designers all the time to comment on what they make. As simple as it sounds, it is not that simple. I agree what they do is much more commendable than my comment but in order to give a meaningful comment and in order to let it make a difference I need to analyse certain aspects of the design. First and foremost I study the requirements then I visualize it in my mind using the examples provided and it needs a lot of wiring in the brain to build the connections and think of what will be the most appropriate solution to it. Even a simple comment can make a difference then I do not need to say how much a design can.
It is also important to be aware of what you are putting on your website. There have to be functional links available, good navigation, proper distribution of space, not too many ads, clear ,balanced and balanced sized fonts, making it search engine friendly. So all of it matters at some point, you will simply lose your traffic by not having one of them.
Well I think that is too much gyaan for now I shall save some of it for my next article.