A conversation with Pratik Borate on digital marketing and tips and tricks for long term growth

Business

24 year old Pratik Borate is the founder of Black Motions and has six years of experience in video production and business operations. For the past one year, Pratik has been studying and impacting the ever growing Digital Marketing space. A conversation with him revealed the trends of Digital Marketing, what goes behind an event and the key to staying persistent in life.

Question 1- So, Pratik. How did this journey begin? What experiences led you to where you are?

Answer- It has been quite a journey. You see, I started in 2014 with short films. I was in college at that time pursuing my graduation and I was also teaching side by side to cover my monetary expenses. That was a remarkable point. Teaching kids in slum areas gave me a lot of patience and leadership skills. I became good at managing talent. Around the same time, I graduated in IT but was not really interested in taking up a career there, so I went with photography. It was my passion. I just had to infuse profitability and persistence in it. I also started handling production work and various corporate and fashion events, like India Kids Fashion Week. It was all on a reference basis. We did not rely on any marketing. Obviously, the first two years were difficult. We were not making profits, per se but we also never compromised on the quality of our work. Eventually, we brought all this work under a company, Black Motions in 2015. Then, I’ve been studying and honing my digital marketing skills- a bit before the pandemic when this particular field started gaining momentum.

Question 2- You mention ‘Black Motions’. What was your inspiration behind setting up your own firm, you know… in your early 20s?

 Answer- There was no such tower moment of inspiration that led to the formation of ‘Black Motions’. It was more of a manifestation of passion. The quest to create something of my own; to foster an atmosphere of self identification and to do something meaningful. ‘Black Motions’ was a medium to do all that and more and that idea continues till date.

Question 3- You say you have been working on Digital Marketing as of late. Could you elaborate that and your own thoughts on this aspect of marketing?

 Answer- Yes, Digital Marketing was doing pretty well in general, but amidst the pandemic it has seen tremendous growth and range. Everyone shifted online to increase their visibility. So competition has increased, I’d say it has tripled than it was pre pandemic. Anyway, when it comes to efficient digital marketing, I think it is important for us and the client to be on the same page with regard to details and strategies. Because like anything else, digital marketing is also a long term process. I try to grow and learn in this process as well. The idea is to always practically learn and implement. You know, be action oriented. Digital marketing is also one of those areas where one can be seen juggling between various tasks. It’s a requirement, however the key is to focus on the task at hand. Striking a balance, as we say it. One has to cultivate that mindset to be able to succeed in the long run.

Question 4- And, what goes behind organising huge events like India Kids Fashion Week?

Answer- See, events like India Kids Fashion Week are all about results and deliverables. An event is an idea, initially. We are creating something that doesn’t exist, technically. Overall it’s a challenging and fun ride, but behind the scenes a lot is happening. I have outdone myself in organising these events. There are a lot of people who come together to execute an event. As a production expert, we meet people who are artistic, some are tech based and so on. The idea is to meet people according to their mindset but with a leadership and entrepreneurial angle so that the event benefits in the end. One has to be good at negotiations as well. It’s all about attention to details that makes an event a reality!

Question 5- That’s beautiful. By the way, what advice would you give someone for being persistent?

 Answer- Persistent. That’s a tricky word. It comes with knowing things and you don’t have all the answers on day one. It’s like starting the car, you put the first gear and then you gradually make your way. The trick is to always keep your eye on the market trends and not be afraid of making mistakes. Mistakes make us more vigilant. The key is to realise that you made a mistake, correct it and never repeat it. Consistency comes with hard work- in the right direction, at the right tasks. Along with that, it is also imperative to take responsibility and set healthy boundaries. That way you maintain a fine balance between professional and personal life. Another thing is to always keep oneself updated and stay abreast with knowledge about one’s line of work.