Arts versus commerce in the designer landscape

Can Landscape Designers get by on a raw talent for design and horticulture? Or do they need business acumen as well? - asks garden designer,Elspeth Briscoe.

Having made a brave career change from being in senior management at eBay and Skype, to becoming a landscape designer (now 18 months ago ) - I thought it would be useful to share some of experiences and most significant things I’ve learnt in a series of postings.

When I first started studying for my post grad diploma at Oxford College of Garden Design, I really thought I was entering another world of creativity and practicality; it seemed relatively alien to me coming from an office based, internet background.

However, having come out the other side of my studies, where there are some dauntingly talented designers being born out of Oxford’s post grad course (Alice Bowe & Charlotte Rowe to name a couple) it's becoming apparent that it's only those who can harness both artistic talent AND business acumen who win the contracts and go on to great things.

The bottom line is that it’s not easy becoming a top landscape designer, whatever your background. Those students from business backgrounds have had a steep learning curve on the design and horticulture side. Whereas those from a practical horticultural or pure arts background have had an equally steep learning curve on honing their business skills.

I was lucky enough to have a little amount of both sides having also done a pre-foundation at St Martin’s art college – but quickly realised that there is just nothing like real practical experience - and the mountain to climb for me has been the practical side, and detailed horticultural knowledge.

What's interesting is that the instinctive, raw talented designers, most often come from arts backgrounds. I’m still not sure whether an artistic eye for design is something you can learn or teach. Arguably it's harder to teach artistic flair, than it is business skills. So you are off to a good footing if you have the arts skills as a basis.

But it is common, amongst those with pure arts or horticultural backgrounds to have not experienced having to sell, or do business development - especially for their own businesses. To go even further, it is often counter-intuitive to an 'artist' or designer to have to sell themselves.

It’s also not entrenched in the British culture to talk about your own talents and successes; we are as a national more bashful, cynical and self effacing than some of our international cousins in landscape design – which doesn’t help us when selling.

As design graduates emerging in a tough economic climate, therefore we’re finding that setting up businesses and the skills that go with it - are as challenging and important as our excellence in design skills.

As we interact with clients, it’s became obvious to us (even those with business backgrounds) that closing a sale is fundamental to success. It’s just no good being a top designer, without business acumen to go with it.

As a result of this essential balance between raw design skills and business acumen - that with input and feedback from the students - the college has begun producing some interactive learning videos to help fledgling designers hone their sales skills on their paths to stardom.

It struck us that although at the beginning the learnings in these videos may seem like ‘no brainers’, even with a pretty solid business background I have found these invaluable when pitching to clients.

Especially hearing anecdotes from the big designers like John Brookes, the importance of web sites as marketing, and how to set your budgets – is a grounding reminder.

I think the some of the most significant things I’ve learnt are that artistic flair needs to be balanced with a keen business head, and practical experience must go hand in hand with theory. We need all of it.

As Leonardo Da Vinci said: “He who loves practice without theory is like the sailor who boards ship without a rudder and compass and never knows where he may cast.”

Elspeth Briscoe (BA Hons, PGDIP (dist) Landscape Design).

Elspeth will be lecturing at Oxford College of Garden Design on December 3rd on ‘Building Your Web Presence’.

This is usually an exclusive masterclass open to post grad diploma students only, but there are a few places left on a first come first served basis. If you are interested please contact info@elspethbriscoe.co.uk.

For more on Oxford College of Garden Design you can follow its the blog.

Comments

[John Walker]

An interesting read, Elspeth, but there's a confidence-shattering and clumsy error on the first frame of the OCGD video clips (both of them showing here).

Can they really not spell telephone? Errors like that need correcting immediately (at whatever the cost).

OCGD will no doubt be teaching that first impressions count. If I were contemplating exploring what OCGD could offer me, a mistake like this would be a big turn off.

[Elspeth]

Thanks. You're right. Just testing you ;-) We'll get it corrected asap. Agree that the devil is in the detail - hope you like the bigger picture stuff also.

[Elspeth]

We would be very interested in anyone's thoughts and experiences on their use of business acumen as a landscaper. And also all feedback welcome (thanks John for the typo - we do think this important).

Oxford College of Garden Design continues to be a centre of excellence and can only evolve based on both the feedback of students and the industry - so all interest in this topic is welcome and will be responded to. Look out for more posts soon..

[Duncan Heather]

John

It's called a Typo! clumsy yes, but hardly confidence-shattering. Anybody sad enough to be influenced by this, wouldn't get onto the course in the first place.

You'll be pleased to know (and at huge expense) this error has now been, or is about to be corrected.

I may be dyslexic, but on the brighter side, at least this doesn't make me a jobsworth!

[Oliver]

Having come from business I'd agree with everything Elspeth says above. I think that it's easier to get your first few clients if you are able to manage clients and sell your abilities, which gives an initial advantage to those coming from a business background. However, once both the artists and the business people have a few projects under their belt the cumulative knowledge gained through a longer exposure to the arts must take advantage away from those with business backgrounds.

While some of the pointers in the videos above may seem obvious having read them, they're a very clear checklist that provides a structure to client interaction. Missing one salient piece of information can confuse a client and make them feel uncomfortable, so having a designed process to learn and use is invaluable. Especially as it is one built up from years of experience. As a former business process analyst I'd say that most processes appear obvious once they're spelled out, but that the benefit of having them documented and verifiable is huge.

John, feedback on punctuation or flow would be greatly appreciated(!),

Regards,

Oliver

[Alice Bowe]

Good point Elspeth - even in the most creative jobs you can't escape some 'office work'.

But I wonder if you could argue that some of the most effective marketing also comes from thinking creatively?

[Alexandra Lehne]

Hi all,

if you look around the business scene you will discover many people that are doing a sort of good job but are brilliant in selling and marketing themselves. They make the money, it does not matter into which field you look.
And there are some that are absolutely excellent in their job but dont have a clue of marketing at all. Those often fail. Only a few become well-known but only if they do something exceptional and extraordinary and maybe find someone who does the business work for them. ( That does not apply for all people, please dont take me wrong, but it is most common for people with own-businesses.)

I come from Marketing, Sports Science and Personal Training, it is the same there.

I am absolutely convinced that good marketing comes from thinking creatively.

I have chosen to study at OCGD because of a) the short time, b) the good reputation, c) because I need a second leg in business- fitness& health is my life, gardens are my passion, and d) because i KNOW that I can do it.

It is amazing to see what people with no special art background are able to produce after a short time of learning! I would say EVERY person is somehow creative, you are not born with style so I am sure you can somehow learn it. It depends on how open you are and on the amount of experience you already got in life, what you have seen, explored etc.

The more important question though is: what does "being creative" mean? You can always argue about style and taste...

So at the end I would say, you are either exceptionally good in what you do- a great designer (very rare!) and maybe have somebody who does market you outside if you can not do it yourself or you will be overtaken by the ones that are good designers but know how to do business.

And business is more than only marketing...being organised, being on-time, being a people-person, being self-confident, having good time-management, liking the internet, knowing about marketing tools such as SEO, PR..., knowing about psychology, being good in doing research, knowing your maket, being a sales person, being able to do office management, knowing about tax and law, being able to balance your own life so business does not take over you, liking challenges, being strong and positive thinking, WORKING HARD etc. etc. so in my opinion, if you miss any of that get a person who is good in it and can help you out.

Somebody once told me: "You dont need to know everything, you should just know where you get the information about it from..."

Best regards, Alex

Please excuse any spelling mistakes, I am not a native english speaker...

[Elspeth]

Like it Alice. Yes in fact some of the best marketeers I've come across are actually 'creatives'

[Olivia Stewart]

In such a highly competitive business environment, (lets face it, there are lots of us out there) I've noticed an element of ruthlessness, and motivation is key to a designers success. Having spent a week working with Charlotte Rowe, I can say she doesn't do it by lounging around meditating each move. Its all about getting the business, the articles and getting in first... So, one could argue,no mater the nature of the business, be it retail, IT or art, business is business and dog eat dog I'm afraid - not for the faint hearted.

[Alex Lehne]

;-))))

[fionaheyes@mac.com]

..... with wall to wall self belief .....

[Helen Nock]

Really enjoyed this topic! As a self-effacing, marketing-phobic artist designer 'by default', it's given me a sharp wake-up call. I'm off to step up the plate, and share this info with others......:-)

[Felicity Waters]

very interesting reading ...am a Landscape Architect who is also selling 'products' ......all I can say is you need skills in many areas plus loads of energy to run a business - creativity is in many jobs no matter what field you choose - look at all those IT people inventing new ways of communicating - and maybe a quater of 'at least I tried'