Guest Post: Does Right-Brained = Recession-Proof?

Today's post comes to you from T.N.T. of Digital Dynamite, the copywriter who writes a lot of Marketing Mentor's promo copy. (What? You thought those magical words wrote themselves? Ha!) With the economy in such upheaval, we're all looking for new ways to look at our businesses, especially when it comes to ferreting out strengths that might be of use to us. Brilliant copywriter to the rescue!

Many of the freelancers and solopreneurs I talk with are worried about how the current economic downturn will affect their business. Those who are less established (or less experienced at marketing) are already having more difficulty finding work as their regular clients cut back. But even those who have plenty to do are concerned that the other shoe could drop at any moment.

But take heart! As a self-employed creative professional, you’re already winning half of the battle to stay competitive in today’s economy. That’s the message of a book called A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future, by business and technology writer Daniel H. Pink, a former speechwriter for Vice President Al Gore.

Until very recently, the “smart” way to make a lot of money was to master a left-brained skill, such as accounting, engineering, or computer programming. Unfortunately, these are precisely the kinds of jobs that are now being replaced by computer software or shipped overseas to the lowest bidder.

As a provider of a right-brained skill, however, you have a talent that’s hard to automate or export. What’s more, you are a resource that companies in today’s economy need more desperately than ever: the ability to get a product or service noticed.

“Artists give people something they didn’t know they were missing,” Pink says. “Catering to that need is the best business strategy.”

Pink used the example of the iPod to illustrate this concept in a recent interview. Eight years ago, most people didn’t know what an MP3 player was. Today everyone has to have one. The iPod dominates the market because of the elegance of its design, even though there are many other models that have more left-brained technologies built into them.

I highly recommend Pink’s inspiring and thought-provoking book, whether you’re looking for new opportunities for your creative business or just need a little extra encouragement in these tough economic times. It’s available on Amazon.com, or if you’re an audiobook fan like me, you can download it from Audible.com.