Best Collaboration Practices for Creatives

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Collaboration is the bread and butter of the creative entrepreneur.

We understand its power and thrive on its creative fuel. But how to make collaboration practices a seamless experience from which all parties can benefit?

The collective of creatives around the world can be tapped easily thanks to the tools for virtual connectivity. From an island in the Caribbean, I have collaborated with people from Mexico to Argentina, South Africa, and Australia.

So, what best practices have we learned from these experiences? and How can you make your collaborations work and become prime opportunities to generate creative synergy?

Here’re our 4 best collaboration practices:

1. State Clear Offer First. When we are clear upfront about what we can do and when we can deliver, expectations are set and agreed to by all parties from the start. Clear offers that are in sync with our personal brand are the foundation of positive collaborative relationships.
2. It’s A Two-Way Street. As the work gets going, collaboration equals communication. We don’t hurdle up inside a cave and work alone, instead, we keep all available channels of communication open and focus on clarity of message. As the project progresses, open communication is the way for all parties to be confident they’ll achieve the results they want.
3. Deliver Your Best Work. No matter the size or reach of the project, giving your best every time plants the seeds for further collaboration. Giving our “best” means being fully invested in the work we are doing and how we’re adding our expertise to the project.
4. Add Value On Top. Beyond the scope of what you do and deliver, when you add a little extra, in the form of support, feedback, additional services, recommendation or resources, you cement your contribution and commitment to the project and your creative value for future ventures.

Collaboration is the foundation of shared creative environments, co-working spaces, and incubators. 

But we also step into the realm of collaboration when we are getting paid. The services we provide are opportunities for learning and growth, for creating connections through our client-base and participate in new projects out of our comfort zones.

When you collaborate with these best practices in mind, you keep all bridges to further collaboration standing. All doors for creative flow open.

Share your creative collaboration story below!