Originality: How It Helps and How It Hinders
Originality: the ability to think independently and creatively, or, to be unusual. That is the official definition. In terms of social media and online business, originality is key to getting and retaining business. There are ups and downs though, so let’s explore this concept.
In basic terms, originality is being unique - different from anyone else. It allows one to use their imagination and creativity to produce something that no one has seen before, or to come up with a new concept that has not been seen before.
The best way to do this is to have a huge brainstorming session. You sit down, and simply think, or write down any ideas that come to mind. When I’m doing this, I don’t judge or criticize my thoughts. I write down whatever comes to mind, and just let the thoughts flow. Some of them might not be great, but then you can build and grow from there. Most of my ideas for sticker design or blog ideas stem from other concepts that have already been developed - why redesign the wheel?
In any industry, the biggest hindrance to originality is the pressure of coming up with the unique idea. It’s difficult to know if someone else out in the world has come up with that same exact idea (hence, where Trademarks come into play). Most of the time, your idea has been thought of before. Take Etsy shops for example - it’s hard to find a niche that is so unique that it stands out amongst the crowd. If it is super unique, people are either going to love it or hate it. Your product might cater to a very small group of people and that’s not good for business.
Like I said earlier, why re-invent the wheel? Instead of coming up with a completely new concept, just re-write the storyline a little bit. In the example of stickers on Etsy, many, many people create stickers. Design might be the same (i.e. garbage icon stickers), but, if you’re smart, you can create a theme that’s different, and then you don’t run into the issue of copywriter infringement. Stealing someone else’s work is a big deal, even if it’s completely unintentional.
Aside from the difficulty of finding or coming up with an unique idea or design, there is a very fine line of being too unique and not unique enough. Too original, and you cater to that small group of people only. If your product is ‘run of the mill’, people are more likely to choose from a company that is already well established.
So how do you find the middle ground? Well, it takes time, and it also takes a certain mindset. You need preserverence, and you have to stick with it. If you don’t find the answers right away, the trick is to not give up. You keep at it day after day, and eventually, you will find the originality that is you. Personally, I find a lot of it comes through with your personality. Let your originality shine through, whether it’s in how you write, talk to people or how you design your product. Voice your ideas (especially if you work in a larger company or for someone else). If one of your values is to express kindness, let that show through your voice and your work. You might wonder how to start this, but it really comes down to your experience, and how long you have been in your field. As you grow, so does your confidence, until it becomes a cycle. Your confidence allows you to grow and you become more certain of your concepts and ideas, and this in turn allows your business to flourish.
Thanks for reading! Join me next week for another blog!
❤️ Sandra
