Don’t Just Hire An Illustrator, Hire A Collaborator
There was an article titled America’s Top Digital Cities in the December 15-16, 2018 issue of The Wall Street Journal.
It talked about the importance of collaboration for companies that are trying to innovate and “be the absolute best at what they do.”
This line jumped out for me:
Famously, Google’s only two “Level 11” engineers (on
a scale of 1 to 10) code by sitting next to one another, staring at the same screen and working on a single keyboard.
Most collaborations aren’t that extreme, but I think the importance of collaboration is often overlooked, especially when it comes to visual communication.
The key to successful posts are visuals that get people to stop scrolling. The visuals also have to be a good fit for your brand and what you’re trying to say.
Stock photos don’t work because 1) they look like stock photos 2) other people use the same or similar images, and
3) they’re not designed to fit your brand.
By contrast, custom images do work because 1) they’re designed to attract your target audience 2) they’re one of a kind, and 3) they’re designed to fit your brand and your message.
Collaboration is all about freely sharing ideas with another person. Not having to worry about voicing “dumb ideas” or “dumb questions” because it’s agreed: there aren’t any.
Talking to a trusted partner helps clarify your own thinking. Things start coming into focus. Worthy collaborators become invested in your brand. Everybody wins.
Two heads are a lot better than one when it comes to building your brand. So shop around. Don’t just hire an illustrator, hire a collaborator.
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About Mark: I’m an illustrator specializing in humor, branding, social media, and content marketing. My images are different, like your brand needs to be.
You can view my portfolio, and connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
Questions? Send me an email.
Mark Armstrong Illustration Specializing In Content Marketing Advertising Editorial Infographics Animation Videos and Social Media 
All such important points! And the two-heads-are-better-than-one illustration is great! ::applause::
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I’ve often been referred to as two-headed. I’m always getting nice compliments like that… 😳😵 Thanks a mucho, RK!!
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Amen! It was great collaborating with you on the illustrations for my book!
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Ditto, Freddy, and thanks again for asking me. I really enjoyed illustrating Copyediting With An Attitude. It’s the perfect resource for anyone who proofs and edits marketing copy. I’m proud to be a part of it.
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