I asked the same questions as I asked Ryan because they are relevant to Iain Moyser. Instead of recording the interview I typed because we were in a public place and it was hard to hear what he was saying myself. Here is my interview:
What is your profession(s)?
Marketing manager for Europe's largest printing company - The Northern Flags.
What does your job involve?
Currently he is working on re-branding the UK's work which includes website development. The work he is doing at the moment is a big deal for the future of the company because it is a step forward in a new direction. He is working on automating their services via the new website and this will change the way the company operates. He is in charge of anything associated with marketing. He will soon be launching a company that should make a huge difference to the future of the business. He is organizing development in social media because the company does'nt have much involvement on social media at the moment.
What skills are required to do your job?
An understanding of marketing channels like social media is an important skill. This is because it has changed so much in the past 5 years you need to have a solid grasp of whats the latest trend. You need to understand data that is put in front of you, therefore having a skill of studying information is key. You also need to be able to work solidly. Be good at researching and collecting information (data analysing). Skills in web design and graphic design is key.
How important is social media to your comapany?
The company is pushing for the use of social media at the moment because the customers reviews have shown they are very interested. They are on some social channels but the main one they use at the moment is twitter because it is easy to use and can spread news further. He believes it is very important to be active on social media and to regularly write posts. You can't put a post on social media and leave it weeks even months before posting another or you will loose the interest from your customers,
Does your company hire photographers?
Yes they do but they don't have a regular photographer. They are interested in pushing photography in the future to expand their business. They could do with an in house photographer at the moment. A photographer would make a massive difference to their company. They are only interested in having one photographer though.
What would you look for when hiring a photographer?
He would look for an edge to their work. They don't want dull, boring work. The photographer needs to have an eye for their brand especially for re-branding their business.
Do you use Photoshop in your work and what features do you use the most?
Yes. He uses displacement mapping to to brand stock onto images the most but uses pretty much every feature of Photoshop.
Do you work to deadlines? Can you describe one time where you felt under pressure delivering to a deadline?
Everything is done to a deadline. He is re-branding the new website at the moment and starting from scratch but needs to have it finished soon. One time an editor of a magazine wanted him to write for them and needed it to be done the next day. He sent the work in and an hour before the deadline they said they didn't like it. He had to re-do it within 30 minutes and make final changes in 5 minutes.
What are your top tips for setting up a business?
He has set up two businesses before - one failed and one was successful. He cannot stress enough how important planning is. You need to understand financially what you are getting yourself into. Don't get lost in believing things will get better when they start falling apart. Marketing is the most important thing. Be prepared to change.
Are there stages in succeeding as a business?
You need to start planning and preparing yourself for worst case scenarios. Understand your finances so you know you have the money in case things start to go bad. Have a strong and consistent marketing strategy.
Is branding important?
Yes massively. You need to know your audience. You need to know who you are. What do you want to present to people? Do you want to be approachable?
What makes a good brand?
Understanding your competitors, your voice and your audience.
Do you believe working in media is a sustainable future?
Yes - people will always sell things. Everything is becoming more automated. Copywriting departments are disappearing. You need to have so many skills. People don't want to be paying money to hire several people when one person can do them all.
Thinking about photographers you know, do you think it is important for a photographer to be flexible in their work? i.e. photograph different subject areas/expand into different roles?
Answered above.
What I have learnt from this interview is that I need to work on my branding. I know I would like to be a dog photographer and I need to focus my branding on the right audience and to show who I am with my branding. Being good at dog photography and knowing I want to be a dog photographer is great as a starting point but I need to also know as much as possible in photography because as Iain explained..having as many skills as possible will make it easier to be hired in the future. I would like to be more open on my choices to accept work experience. At the end of the day, being financially stable means not always being able to choose what you want to do.
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