SME News Q4 2018

SME NEWS / Q4 2018 49 , Industry Creative is a design, print andmarketing agency operating out of Stoke-on-Trent. In early November, Industry were recognised in the SMEMidlands Enterprise Awards as the ‘Print &Graphic Design Company of the Year’ in Staffordshire. Following this well-deserved win, we spoke to Karlton Rowley who, as Managing Director of Industry Creative, has spearheaded the company to outstanding success over the last nine years. Midland Experts Provide Honest and Effective Marketing Advice to Businesses The digital landscape has, over the last decade at least, provided a wealth of opportunity when it comes to encouraging and nurturing creativity and business growth across a plethora of industries and sectors. It would be no overstatement to say that the future of the business world will – eventually – be comprised almost entirely of online endeavours, as brick and mortar establishments become a thing of the past, exiled to the same graveyard as telephone directories and fax machines. The design and marketing sectors too have undergone a renaissance in this emerging digital world, as new technologies open up new avenues for growth. After all, this is the age of information: where someone – indeed, anyone – has the ability to share ideas, words and images with the world at the touch of a button. Yet, Industry Creative have set their sights a little closer to home, harnessing their expertise to help both large and small companies in the Midlands, as Karlton explains further: “We offer design, branding, web design, web marketing and print services to a broad range of clients, including, JCB and Staffordshire University, to Van National in Newcastle-Under- Lyme.” Ultimately, Industry Creative was established to provide honest marketing, design and brand advice to help realise a company’s growth plan. More than that, they aim to be business partners with their clients, looking to establish long-term relationships rather than, in Karlton’s words, “just chasing a single short-term hit.” This ties intrinsically into how the firm differentiates itself in a notoriously competitive environment. “Where we try to differentiate ourselves from other providers is that we are looking for long term stable growth working with customers who want to work with us for the long haul. This is something we try and impart to our clients – the clear message is that only one company can be the cheapest, and that this is rarely the most effective business model. So, we will encourage our clients to focus on what makes them great and then project this message to their clients and potential clients. We have all chased turnover in our business to the detriment of our bottom line at one time or another. The trick is in realising that a great client will be looking for a great product or service and is willing to pay for it.” “We love the Midlands and it is perfectly placed for a multitude of reasons, not just the amazing transport links, and some really exciting digital industries, but also because there is a wealth of talented, well-grounded people.” The conversation soon turns to the trends that Karlton has noticed in the industry: chief among them, the vital importance of keeping pace with swiftly-moving developments. “It’s more and more about the digital, and so many traditional firms are going to be left behind unless they adapt to the changing needs of their clientele. Alarmingly, 50% of businesses don’t have a website at all. And, equally amazing, is that approaching 60% of web pages are now viewed on handheld devices. It’s hard to believe that Facebook and Twitter are a little over a decade old and a massive channel like Instagram is not even a decade old yet. Yet, they have become utterly essential tools for any modern company.” “It can be hard for any business to keep abreast of how fast things change. The digital landscape MID18045 evolves and changes continually and can be quite an intimidating place, from the outset, to try to help guide clients through the bombardment of information and help them through any challenges they face. On the other side, there are still companies out there selling web tactics that went out of date ten years ago that are detrimental to the businesses paying for them - like building fake back links. These are practices that Google got to grips with years ago and will penalise your Google ranking.” In his closing comments, Karlton takes a moment to touch on Industry Creative’s future, as they move into the New Year and beyond: “We are predicting a future defined by steady growth, working with customers that understand that we’re looking at the bigger picture and that we have their business interests at heart.” Contact: Karlton Rowley Address: Field Farm, Moss Lane, Hilderstone, Staffordshire, ST15 8RQ, United Kingdom Website: www.industrycreative.org Telephone: 01782 209500