How can creatives still have archaic opinions?

From time to time, I’ll meet someone who works in creative who spends a majority of their time bashing new technology. Even though they’re still using the latest Macbook Pro and Adobe programs to create and deliver assets, they don’t have a smartphone and oftentimes will abhor those who do. Actually, I know one creative who doesn’t even have a website or portfolio. SMDH.

This person in particular has an odd reason: “I just don’t like new phones and stuff.”

That argument is fine if you have absolutely nothing to do with being a freelance creative, but it’s childish in a way. It’s simple: you want people to hire you to copywrite, create visual assets, project manage, they need to get in touch with you. How many people still check their emails via desktop computers or laptops?

According to this post, 53 percent of email is opened up from a mobile device, meaning if you’re tied down to a PC, then you’re missing out on the potential of many opportunities.

The fact of the matter is that adapting to new tech matters (and I would also argue that this isn’t really new tech, but rather a much more efficient way to communicate) and risking the chance to communicate about new work and to make yourself available is surely a way to keep potential clients at bay. By and large, the freelancers I know who don’t have smartphones (aside from drug dealers) are people who often clamor for old world simplicities — yearning for a day when someone bumps into you because they’re playing Trivia Crack. I get that, however, not adapting to a better and faster way to communicate with people footing the bill will only put you in the dog house and damage your reputation before it’s even started.