thoughts on shopping for creativity

i had a phone call today with a prospective client who is shopping for a website designer. i say “shopping” because she seems to be looking at my website and other projects i’ve directed like they’re products on a shelf to be bought or not bought on an “as is” basis. of course, i’m familiar with the school of thought where you look at someone’s portfolio and decide if he/she has the same style as you. i just feel that it’s extremely limiting. you can’t shop effectively for creativity in this manner because website design and many other services are largely custom explorations. every new challenge warrants a suitable response/solution. you also need to be mindful that your website is intended for others to embrace – which means that your taste is only part of what’s relevant to the project.

i believe that clients should hire someone to bring his/her mind and talents TO the project – not AS the project. i feel as though the five most important things to look for are whether or not he/or she is 1) intelligent; 2) resourceful; 3) a listener; 4) a project manager – capable of leveraging additional resources, where necessary; and 5) innovative. clients shouldn’t shut out a service provider because they haven’t worked extensively in one market. as you can imagine, a certain staleness sets in when all you do is work in one market, for one set of client types, etc. ultimately, you want someone who listens well, who is focused on his/her clients in way that brings a fresh perspective to each new effort and who has a knack for innovative results that bring about differentiation – regardless of the marketplace. these people exist – and you’ve found one here at this website.

one cannot reach the pinnacle of creativity in a factory-style environment or by generating the kind of tight portfolio that can be shopped. the only way to stay sharp creatively is by recommitting your mind and talents to each new challenge and seeing where it can take you.