In an age of businesses being introduced to customers almost exclusively via websites, entrepreneurs have been forced to become more than just business people. Entrepreneurs who want to succeed today have to be part businessman, part artist, because it is through multimedia that they will reach and engage with the most customers. Here are the top four artistic skills that all modern entrepreneurs should have at their disposal.
An Ear for Music and Sound
Although often disregarded, audio still plays a huge role in business marketing. Online advertisements frequently use backing music to set the tone and mood for customers, while podcasts have become their own marketing tool. Entrepreneurs who want to capitalize on these elements of business don’t need to train themselves into classical composers, but an ear for tone and musical melody can be a useful asset in the entrepreneur’s toolbox.
Software-Based Image Creation and Editing
When you first encounter a new business, chances are your initial interaction consists of seeing a single image somewhere online. Image-based advertisements, logos and email images will play a huge part in online marketing efforts, so be sure to create striking visuals that will draw customers in. The best way for entrepreneurs to tackle this element of their business activities is to become familiar with one or more forms of graphic design software. Once you know how to manipulate images using modern software, you can create everything from book cover by using tools such as Adobe Spark’s Wattpad cover maker to promotional brochures with ease.
Storytelling Abilities
Today, customers are more interested than ever before in the backgrounds of the brands they are considering making a purchase from. If you want to enhance your ability to sell, you need to have basic storytelling abilities. Your story could be about yourself as an entrepreneur or about the company you have created. Ideally, your story should have a problem-and-solution format, wherein you explain exactly what problem your brand is trying to solve. Adding relatable personal experience to your story is also useful, as it can help potential customers connect to your brand on an emotional level.
Acting, Presentation and Video Creation
In 2015, a survey conducted by Vidyard found that 70 percent of marketers saw better conversion rates with video marketing than from other types of content. Video is more important now than ever, and entrepreneurs must develop video creation skills in order to succeed in the modern marketing environment. These skills include both technical abilities, such as lighting and video editing, and more artistic abilities, such as acting and presenting information in a compelling manner. Entrepreneurs who master the process of video creation will be positioning themselves for success in the most important marketing medium of our time.
Though entrepreneurship and artistic skills are intimately linked, these four skills are the most important for entrepreneurs to learn and master. In modern business, artistic creations are used first and foremost to engage potential customers and increase their interest in your brand. If your creations are better than those of your competition, you can expect success and sales.