What's so social about social media?

Do you tweet, like, post, share of favourite? Do you know why?

Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and the like can rule and control some people’s lives. The influence of such sites can be felt all over the world.  Scores are seen roaming the streets, heads down, fingers and thumbs poised over screens on smartphones and tablets. Social media is a double edged phenomenon as whilst it does actually encourage people to be sociable and interact with other, it’s online and not face to face.

In a time when we are so connected with each other by the web and the devices that allow access to it, it’s interesting to see how anti-social using social media on these devices make us. You can be sitting in the same room as others but be completely removed from them as the hold of Facebook, Twitter et al is so strong that you can’t stop checking updates; being involved in inane conversations; fawning over pictures of kittens or watching videos of others in ridiculous situations. (I can as guilty as the next of doing just this.)

There’s a flip side to this as well, as social media allows you a voice for important issues; to raise awareness of the plight of others; address injustices; educate; inform and empower. It’s all just a matter of how you approach these platforms and choose to use them.  They can be used as a vital tool for good.  Think about how many people use them and how powerful they have become.

So what does this mean for your business? As so many are online sharing, liking, posting and watching social media isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Businesses would be foolish to ignore the importance and impact of social media. Having others like, share and post about you, your products and businesses across social media platforms is a win-win situation. It works as potentially free advertising, whilst gaining recommendations and referrals. Your involvement is minimal; as others do all the hard work for you once you’ve created a post, tweet, blog, etc. There are companies and individuals that exist solely to enhance you profile on these platforms, such is the importance of them. They take the bewildering variety of platforms and make them relevant to you and your business, shouldering the burden of updating, posting and sharing. We can do that for you if you'd like us to.

I hope this post makes sense and strikes a chord with you. I’d love to hear what you think about this issue and how it affects you and your business. We can even meet up and have a coffee, talk and really be social if you’d like.

The first advert for Morgan Gleave Art and Design

Premiering the first video advert for Morgan Gleave Art and Design, offering creative services for businesses of all shapes and sizes.  You can watch it now at: http://youtu.be/Ze_bwh66niE
This is a fun advert created in-house (music too!) giving ideas for some of the creative services offered, and showing some of our illustration skills, as well as our own theme tune! Hope you enjoy it, and please share with colleagues, customers, friends and family.

Thank you for watching!

Face the fear...

What is it that stops you realising your dreams?  What is it that keeps you awake at night?  What do you see when you look in the mirror?  Fear of failure?  Money worries?  Think you’re not good enough?  Think you’re bad?

These are the kinds of issues that keep many people from being their own person and being successful.  I had another one of those episodes this morning.  Will my business be a success?  What if no-one hires me to create stuff for them?  What can I do to make my studio successful?  I was plummeting further down this path and thinking that it might be better not to be in business…

Rather than let this stop me, I’m now writing this post and will create an illustration to accompany it.  I’ve taken the negative energy and turned it around and put it to good use.  I hope the post helps you too.  This approach can be applied to a lot of situations, especially in business.  If you are feeling negative about a task, you can ask yourself why and analyse it, but you can also take the negative feeling, focus on the task in hand and nothing else, and achieve something worthwhile.  When you’ve finished the task, think about what you’ve just achieved.  Now move onto the next task.  By the end of the day (which may have started badly), you’ll be amazed by how much you’ve achieved and how positive you feel.  It is a cliché, but hard work really is its own reward.

The next time you’re faced by a list of tasks, mental or otherwise, that you don’t really want to do and feel bad about, do them.  Don’t fuss, don’t sigh, just do them.  Focus on getting the list ticked off, and be happy when you have.  It’s easier to get on with stuff, even if you’re scared of doing it, how it’ll turn out, how you’ll feel, or how others perceive you. 

 

To end on another cliché, face the fear and do it anyway.  You’ll feel better when you do.

 

Creative services for businesses of all shapes and sizes...

From a logo to a website, business cards to brochures and so on, Morgan Gleave Art and Design can create anything and everything for businesses of all shapes and sizes.

I've been juggling words for copywriting and search engine optimisation over the last few weeks, as my new website is being developed. You know the drill, choosing the right buzz words and key phrases that will entice customers to your site and hire you.  I learnt a lot over the last week about marketing and image, and that the way I choose to portray my business.  The opening statement above is a key example...

I like it as it states clearly what I offer to businesses, and the kind of businesses I'd like to work with. It also reinforces the sometime slightly off-kilter and humorous approach I take to creating art and design.  It helps me and my customers stand out and be unique in a sea of bland, safe, but very nicely put together, design and identity.  That's something else I learnt from a marketing meeting last week.

I think what I'm trying to say is that if you and your business would like art and design that is slightly odd, unique and sometimes funny, you should contact me.  I'm open for business, and ready to make you stand out from the crowd in the competitive world of promoting your business.

Free The Flight of the Conchords!

Everyone likes free stuff, right? Well, here are some fun FREE paper toys which will look wonderful on your desk at work, and make you the envy of your colleagues. (Maybe...)

These are my interpretations of Brett and Jemaine from the wonderfully funny 'Flight of the Conchords' that I created as paper toys a little while, but still seem to very popular around the globe.  They are not officially sanctioned by HBO (who hold the show, not the character copyright), but were sent to them for 'approval'.  Hence, they are free, and not for commercial but fun usage. They'll brighten up any workspace.

Download, cut, fold, stick and enjoy!  Oh, and if you take any lovely photos, I'd love to see them... I must make a gallery at some point.

https://www.dropbox.com/home/Flight%20of%20the%20Conchords