Understand, when I write these blogs, I'm really trying to give practical and tactical information on HOW you can achieve better results for your business. It's really that simple, but sometimes, the larger point is difficult to connect with the real-world question of, "How?"
If you read the original Scary Marketing blog, you found out about three tremendously cool websites that will absolutely freak out your teenager - while they earn kudos in an incredible fickle marketplace. What they all do is generate an instant relationship with a young audience and hold them enthralled for a significant period of time.
It's called DURATION.
In the Sequel, you learned of more practical ways of employing the base strategy of defining your target audience and giving them reasons to "share the ride" with you.
That's effective use of CONTENT.
Yet, no successful horror movie would be complete without it's triptych... in this case, "The Skeleton Key - a simple singular tactic that you can employ at your next trade show. I offer this up because I really want to help make the point of how you can take these concepts and bring them into a system that is neither expensive or difficult to accomplish.
So here's the HOW TO...
Trade shows are notorious for wasting everyone's time. You pay good money for the space, booth, graphics, the upgrade to the marketing materials, travel, hotel rooms, per diem AND the lost time at work. And for what? The chance at locking up that big account. Proving that you're one of the "big boys". Wandering the aisles aimlessly trying to figure out why the Sham-wow guy is getting all the good leads.
The point was supposed to be that you were going to see your good customers and vendors, that you were going to generate new sales leads and that you were actually going to sell something. How many of us have missed the mark in that regard, and still called the show, "a success"?
The Skeleton Key is a tactic that is simple to employ and typically brings people to your booth, both known and unknown. It starts with your database, a safe of some kind and a bunch of keys. Of course, there's a big prize in the safe, and to win it, your key needs to unlock it. Make the prize intriguing enough and you're sure to see folks saunter by your booth for the chance to win.
You can start by developing an e-mail with a thriller or espionage theme (I know, corny, but it works). Extend that theme to a direct mailer or postcard; maybe a Western Union letter. The more you play it up, the better. When you send out the keys in a "classified" envelope, make sure the letter is crafted with the appropriate cut out letters from the newspaper.
Is the entire booth done up thematically? Maybe, or maybe just a section. Maybe there's Roger from accounting just standing there in a black suit, black tie and black shades with the briefcase chained to his wrist. This is where your ingenuity and creativity can add to the fun. (I told you it was corny... but it still works.) It's such an easy conversation starter that you can't help but gain new leads.
Is the prize connected with the theme? It should be. Does it relate to your product? Can it be both product and prize? Maybe you get a case of free widgets AND a 3-day trip to Las Vegas and $500 in cash. Can't do Vegas... how about your local Indian Casino? It's really very easy and reasonably priced. Oh, and who gets the key/or keys? Well, you could let it be completely random, or (and you didn't hear it here) it might mysteriously end up in the hands of a client who's on the fence in purchasing that next big order.
Lastly, make sure you follow up - with everyone. E-mails, letters, calls... something. Find out how they enjoyed the show. Get to talking with them, even about how Roger really didn't make such a good Secret Agent. The point is, you just have read HOW to "share the ride", create duration in something that you do every year. How much time did your prospects and customers spend with you?
Only the shadow knows!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Scary Marketing II: the sequel for the real world
For those of you who read my most recent missive about three nifty web based initiatives to garner more teen loyalty, you may have been left feeling scared and alone. Why? Because you were thinking, "Sites like HOTEL626, LEVEL26 and CIRCLE OF 8 sure were neat, but how can I use this to my advantage?"
Great question, glad you asked...
These spooky sites use big time graphics, storytelling and gee-whiz programming to deliver an experience that's as good as anything the Internet has to offer. But, you need to understand what's really being done here... targeting a specific audience with a reason to enjoy your company. These would-be customers don't even have to know you well to begin, but by the end of their time with you... you should become "friends".
What can you do to "tag-along" with your prospects, specific prospects - you know, the 20% who actually mean something to your business? Study them, their habits, needs, desires and interests. Is there something in common? It might be that they all utilize a certain type of equipment that you just happen to service. Or, they might all be Packer fans, as far as you can tell. The connection point could be anything - an upcoming event like an industry trade show is all you need.
Compelling content is really the key.
These scary sites had great want-to-stay-longer-to-find-out-what-happens kind of content. Can you do the same? Sure. Let's say you make flame retardant roofing... why couldn't you tell the story of how your stuff might prevent a business changing tragedy when a military flare fell upon a roof (oh, wait, that's a real story!). You could also make it up, turn it into a mystery... it could be way over the top - just for fun - but, often, you can find real world news that could be co-opted for your own business. That's compelling reading. That's someone who's engaged every bit as much as teens freaking out as they run through the Flash created corridors of a haunted virtual hotel.
Fine... but my budget ain't 6 figures...
or 5 or even 4. Wondering what to do with a small business budget? No problem. Don't give yourself that as an out. Setting up an e-mail campaign or sending "something in a box" that directs recipients back to your website and some special content is all that you're after (make sure there is an easy way for them to contact you for even more information to continue to the dialogue). In the case of that 20% audience you defined, exactly how many prospects/customers are we talking about? For many businesses, it's about 20 total... and that's A-OK. If you have 100's or 1000's, use this as a chance to test your strategy with only 20 or so. How many do you need to convert to make the program a "push"? I'm here to tell you right now, that if you can get it to cover itself, you win, because the long term effects of applying this will net more and more and more. Your conversion will increase and your innovative thinking will spill over to the rest of your prospects.
When a stranger calls...
The strategy of scaring is pretty simple: you wait for just the right person to come along and jump out and yell, "Boo!" When you set that moment up, it's friendly and fun - if you don't, you may get a bloody nose - or worse. What are you doing to maintain a conversation with your best prospects and customers so that when you do give them a surprise, they'll actually find the fun in it? Great sales people know that making "touches" are hugely important. Right now, pick out your top 20 and send the bottom 15 a hand written postcard/letter and for the top 5, just pick up a phone and make a call. Since it's almost Halloween, try this for starters ... "Have you checked the widgets..."
< Click here, if you dare >
Great question, glad you asked...
These spooky sites use big time graphics, storytelling and gee-whiz programming to deliver an experience that's as good as anything the Internet has to offer. But, you need to understand what's really being done here... targeting a specific audience with a reason to enjoy your company. These would-be customers don't even have to know you well to begin, but by the end of their time with you... you should become "friends".
What can you do to "tag-along" with your prospects, specific prospects - you know, the 20% who actually mean something to your business? Study them, their habits, needs, desires and interests. Is there something in common? It might be that they all utilize a certain type of equipment that you just happen to service. Or, they might all be Packer fans, as far as you can tell. The connection point could be anything - an upcoming event like an industry trade show is all you need.
Compelling content is really the key.
These scary sites had great want-to-stay-longer-to-find-out-what-happens kind of content. Can you do the same? Sure. Let's say you make flame retardant roofing... why couldn't you tell the story of how your stuff might prevent a business changing tragedy when a military flare fell upon a roof (oh, wait, that's a real story!). You could also make it up, turn it into a mystery... it could be way over the top - just for fun - but, often, you can find real world news that could be co-opted for your own business. That's compelling reading. That's someone who's engaged every bit as much as teens freaking out as they run through the Flash created corridors of a haunted virtual hotel.
Fine... but my budget ain't 6 figures...
or 5 or even 4. Wondering what to do with a small business budget? No problem. Don't give yourself that as an out. Setting up an e-mail campaign or sending "something in a box" that directs recipients back to your website and some special content is all that you're after (make sure there is an easy way for them to contact you for even more information to continue to the dialogue). In the case of that 20% audience you defined, exactly how many prospects/customers are we talking about? For many businesses, it's about 20 total... and that's A-OK. If you have 100's or 1000's, use this as a chance to test your strategy with only 20 or so. How many do you need to convert to make the program a "push"? I'm here to tell you right now, that if you can get it to cover itself, you win, because the long term effects of applying this will net more and more and more. Your conversion will increase and your innovative thinking will spill over to the rest of your prospects.
When a stranger calls...
The strategy of scaring is pretty simple: you wait for just the right person to come along and jump out and yell, "Boo!" When you set that moment up, it's friendly and fun - if you don't, you may get a bloody nose - or worse. What are you doing to maintain a conversation with your best prospects and customers so that when you do give them a surprise, they'll actually find the fun in it? Great sales people know that making "touches" are hugely important. Right now, pick out your top 20 and send the bottom 15 a hand written postcard/letter and for the top 5, just pick up a phone and make a call. Since it's almost Halloween, try this for starters ... "Have you checked the widgets..."
< Click here, if you dare >
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Scary new marketing you need to be aware of...
Halloween always brings out a bonanza of mainstream marketing mayhem as big time advertisers attempt to capture teen eyeballs. In years past, it's been promotional packaging and concert tours, but this year, the Internet cross-over is hitting full stride. I give you three examples of recent offerings by Doritos, Mountain Dew and Dutton Publishing (via Anthony Zuiker - the CSI guy):
www.hotel626.com
www.myspace.com/circleof8
www.level26.com
Capturing teens (and twentysomethings) is like herding cats.
If you can get them on your lap, they will purr for you, but at the slightest annoyance, they'll ditch you in the dark. With a U.S. teen population of over 35,000,000, it's easy to see why marketers are interested to tap into their psyche. One sure fire way to start is to use the horror genre. Kids love to be scared... in a fun way. Like a great haunted house, they wish to experience terror, but with the expectation that it's ultimately safe: the shouts, the giggles, the nervous energy... and the loyalty they'll extend to those who offer up the best frights.
What these sites attempt to do is provide first-rate content, that not only holds the viewer at the site for an extended period of time, but encourages a community atmosphere to share that experience. Marketers speak of reach and frequency, but the real key is "duration". The longer these marketers effectively befriend young consumers, the more apt they are to spread a message to their friends.
Doritos' Hotel 626 campaign is an interactive video game online that held my collegiate son for well over an hour (only open after 6pm - a shrewd gimmick), as he navigated his way past a frightening asylum of characters, attempting to make his way out of a haunted hotel. It's very effective - because it not only captures their eyes, but their e-mail addresses AND their cell phone numbers... willingly! The push from Doritos is subdued, yet when it comes time to choose at the grocery store, you can see how one of these fans will pay the extra dollar for a bag of chips.
Circle of 8, the triple collaboration between Moutain Dew, MySpace and Paramount Digital is the latest to tap into big production values, delivering Twin Peaks like oddities, mysteries to solve and murder, within the confines of "The Dante" - an apartment complex filled with (guess who?) ...20-somethings. Mountain Dew plays a more active role here, offering new clues to decipher on the site as well as their new promotional package designs. The commercialism here still works by smartly turning their own packaging into a Scooby Doo mystery solving device. It's an effective way to turn fans into big time viral agents.
The last on the list is the "digi-novel" concept of Level 26. An illustrated book from Dutton Publishing, with special clues within the pages. These clues act as a bridging link to 3-minute live action cinematics with recognizable acting talent. Do fans of CSI shows really want to take this next step? Do suspense readers really want to put movie images and sound to the characters in their heads? Does the censor-free spaces of books and the Internet provide an edge over traditional TV offerings. The answers are, "of course they do." Zuiker has been a master of tapping into the things that we squeamishly allow into our memories for years. Level 26's serial killer Sqweegel is the boogey-man you hope never to see, but believe actually exists. Clever... like 3 days duration clever.
In the end, the challenge for all marketers in this new arena is, "Will it sell?" There's little doubt in my mind that it will generate serious $$$ (and spin offs). However, reaping this kind of payday is for the patient. This kind of indirect sale is long, but those that welcome it may find that they're producing viral sales agents, far better at communicating "cool" than any sales manager could ever "train." The trick, of course, is to not let them down with your content - otherwise you'll face a fate worse than death: a teenagers' wrath.
Effectively finding ways in which your target audience will spend minutes, hours, if not days, with your message, will always help your bottom line - even if that line is covered in blood.
Happy Halloween!
www.hotel626.com
www.myspace.com/circleof8
www.level26.com
Capturing teens (and twentysomethings) is like herding cats.
If you can get them on your lap, they will purr for you, but at the slightest annoyance, they'll ditch you in the dark. With a U.S. teen population of over 35,000,000, it's easy to see why marketers are interested to tap into their psyche. One sure fire way to start is to use the horror genre. Kids love to be scared... in a fun way. Like a great haunted house, they wish to experience terror, but with the expectation that it's ultimately safe: the shouts, the giggles, the nervous energy... and the loyalty they'll extend to those who offer up the best frights.
What these sites attempt to do is provide first-rate content, that not only holds the viewer at the site for an extended period of time, but encourages a community atmosphere to share that experience. Marketers speak of reach and frequency, but the real key is "duration". The longer these marketers effectively befriend young consumers, the more apt they are to spread a message to their friends.
Doritos' Hotel 626 campaign is an interactive video game online that held my collegiate son for well over an hour (only open after 6pm - a shrewd gimmick), as he navigated his way past a frightening asylum of characters, attempting to make his way out of a haunted hotel. It's very effective - because it not only captures their eyes, but their e-mail addresses AND their cell phone numbers... willingly! The push from Doritos is subdued, yet when it comes time to choose at the grocery store, you can see how one of these fans will pay the extra dollar for a bag of chips.
Circle of 8, the triple collaboration between Moutain Dew, MySpace and Paramount Digital is the latest to tap into big production values, delivering Twin Peaks like oddities, mysteries to solve and murder, within the confines of "The Dante" - an apartment complex filled with (guess who?) ...20-somethings. Mountain Dew plays a more active role here, offering new clues to decipher on the site as well as their new promotional package designs. The commercialism here still works by smartly turning their own packaging into a Scooby Doo mystery solving device. It's an effective way to turn fans into big time viral agents.
The last on the list is the "digi-novel" concept of Level 26. An illustrated book from Dutton Publishing, with special clues within the pages. These clues act as a bridging link to 3-minute live action cinematics with recognizable acting talent. Do fans of CSI shows really want to take this next step? Do suspense readers really want to put movie images and sound to the characters in their heads? Does the censor-free spaces of books and the Internet provide an edge over traditional TV offerings. The answers are, "of course they do." Zuiker has been a master of tapping into the things that we squeamishly allow into our memories for years. Level 26's serial killer Sqweegel is the boogey-man you hope never to see, but believe actually exists. Clever... like 3 days duration clever.
In the end, the challenge for all marketers in this new arena is, "Will it sell?" There's little doubt in my mind that it will generate serious $$$ (and spin offs). However, reaping this kind of payday is for the patient. This kind of indirect sale is long, but those that welcome it may find that they're producing viral sales agents, far better at communicating "cool" than any sales manager could ever "train." The trick, of course, is to not let them down with your content - otherwise you'll face a fate worse than death: a teenagers' wrath.
Effectively finding ways in which your target audience will spend minutes, hours, if not days, with your message, will always help your bottom line - even if that line is covered in blood.
Happy Halloween!
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
Doctor Operates on Own Brain and Lives!
Now that's a headline.
Think of how incredibly difficult (albeit macabre) this operation would be... completely conscious of your actions while you lay on an operating table, cutting and probing into your own skull. Yet, this is completely applicable to each and every one of us.
Why?
Because as marketers, we know that we need to sell our own business ideas, yet we're reluctant to produce them for our own benefit. Not for lack of know how - we're the big experts... typically is really isn't money... it's time? We're so busy with everyone else, that we never get to the stuff we know we're supposed to do. Like the brain surgeon with mirror and scalpel in hand, we refuse to put on a gown and start the operation.
"Branding" is that all encompassing term to describe the action of making a perceptional (and tangible) name for yourself, your business or your cause. Branding is every little drip, drop and splash you can make that might positively affect how others - namely your desired audience (read customers) - come to relate to you and your endeavors. In short, everything that you can put into the public eye, the better. From the logo you create to an ad in a magazine; an embroidered polo or your company website; your county fair booth or even the cleanliness of your rest rooms... all make a statement about who you are and what you value. Your brand is built over time with consistency and TLC.
Since this is so, we've also begun to embrace social media venues because of their immediacy and their ease of use. From Facebook to LinkedIn, Twitter to Flickr and more, using "the box" to magically spearhead your branding campaign seems like it should be so easy to access. And yet, so few of us put all of the pieces together. Most of us are hardly off the dime. Maybe you've set up these tools, but you haven't maximized how you use them... frankly, you have little idea of how to use them at all.
So why are we doing this?
Because it will help your branding efforts. It will earn you new business, and your life will be transformed.
Believe that? I didn't think so, but here's the bet:
By coordinating the process, you could save time and energy, while maximizing how many times your branded messages get out to your public. Like good salesmen say, "The more touches you have with your customers, the more likely they'll be to buy what you have to sell."
I think the thing that hampers our efforts is that we're so busy working out the details for everyone else, that we never take our own medicine and work out all the sticky details so that this "social media machine" actually works. Monetizing the web is the silver bullet we're all looking for, but, making silver bullets ain't easy. Like they say, if it was, everyone would be doing it.
Lucky for you, I'm a doctor of Marketing and I have your prescription (in 9 easy steps):
1. Understand your business, it's +'s and -'s and where you know your customers come from. This is easier said than done, but comprehending this honestly may be more important than the rest of these tips combined.
2. No matter what you do, make sure you're consistent in tone from your website on down to a single Twitter. Have a focused brand message really means that you don't have to spend as much to make an impact. And that's just smart business.
3. Set up a blog of your own. Add to it on a consistent basis, but there's no real right or wrong - just that it reflects your best thinking that actually helps someone.
4. Set up an autoresponder e-mail campaign. There are many 3rd party tools you can use. Finding one that allows you to put it on autopilot will pay off in time.
5. Set up social media sites for your best people, products and/or business. Today you can set up shop right in the midst of your customers. Why wouldn't you?
6. Link as many as possible to each other. 8 words - a lot of work. Not hard work, just the back-n-forth of getting the blog to link to Twitter, the RSS Feed to reach a customer, a web form to feed into the e-mail database. BUT, do this, and your reward is a transformational leap in productivity. Write a blog/send an e-mail/post a link, and it auto feeds to your customers, wherever they are.
7. Stop "selling" and become consistent about adding value to your customer's lives. That's Carnagie, as old as dirt, but its still so true and so effective.
8. Monitor where people are connected with you and how. It would be nice to know, wouldn't it? Just keep doing those things that warrant the most connections.
9.Enjoy your transformed life. :-)
Steps 1 through 6 are the brain surgery part. The rest is gravy. In subsequent blogs, I hope to give you insights into exactly HOW it's all done. But for now, you have the template. You can readily access this kind of information all over the web. Discerning which works and why, well, as you can imagine, guys like me are all too eager to hire out their services to assist you.
But for you, just sit tight until the next JacksonSpencer Blog.
Think of how incredibly difficult (albeit macabre) this operation would be... completely conscious of your actions while you lay on an operating table, cutting and probing into your own skull. Yet, this is completely applicable to each and every one of us.
Why?
Because as marketers, we know that we need to sell our own business ideas, yet we're reluctant to produce them for our own benefit. Not for lack of know how - we're the big experts... typically is really isn't money... it's time? We're so busy with everyone else, that we never get to the stuff we know we're supposed to do. Like the brain surgeon with mirror and scalpel in hand, we refuse to put on a gown and start the operation.
"Branding" is that all encompassing term to describe the action of making a perceptional (and tangible) name for yourself, your business or your cause. Branding is every little drip, drop and splash you can make that might positively affect how others - namely your desired audience (read customers) - come to relate to you and your endeavors. In short, everything that you can put into the public eye, the better. From the logo you create to an ad in a magazine; an embroidered polo or your company website; your county fair booth or even the cleanliness of your rest rooms... all make a statement about who you are and what you value. Your brand is built over time with consistency and TLC.
Since this is so, we've also begun to embrace social media venues because of their immediacy and their ease of use. From Facebook to LinkedIn, Twitter to Flickr and more, using "the box" to magically spearhead your branding campaign seems like it should be so easy to access. And yet, so few of us put all of the pieces together. Most of us are hardly off the dime. Maybe you've set up these tools, but you haven't maximized how you use them... frankly, you have little idea of how to use them at all.
So why are we doing this?
Because it will help your branding efforts. It will earn you new business, and your life will be transformed.
Believe that? I didn't think so, but here's the bet:
By coordinating the process, you could save time and energy, while maximizing how many times your branded messages get out to your public. Like good salesmen say, "The more touches you have with your customers, the more likely they'll be to buy what you have to sell."
I think the thing that hampers our efforts is that we're so busy working out the details for everyone else, that we never take our own medicine and work out all the sticky details so that this "social media machine" actually works. Monetizing the web is the silver bullet we're all looking for, but, making silver bullets ain't easy. Like they say, if it was, everyone would be doing it.
Lucky for you, I'm a doctor of Marketing and I have your prescription (in 9 easy steps):
1. Understand your business, it's +'s and -'s and where you know your customers come from. This is easier said than done, but comprehending this honestly may be more important than the rest of these tips combined.
2. No matter what you do, make sure you're consistent in tone from your website on down to a single Twitter. Have a focused brand message really means that you don't have to spend as much to make an impact. And that's just smart business.
3. Set up a blog of your own. Add to it on a consistent basis, but there's no real right or wrong - just that it reflects your best thinking that actually helps someone.
4. Set up an autoresponder e-mail campaign. There are many 3rd party tools you can use. Finding one that allows you to put it on autopilot will pay off in time.
5. Set up social media sites for your best people, products and/or business. Today you can set up shop right in the midst of your customers. Why wouldn't you?
6. Link as many as possible to each other. 8 words - a lot of work. Not hard work, just the back-n-forth of getting the blog to link to Twitter, the RSS Feed to reach a customer, a web form to feed into the e-mail database. BUT, do this, and your reward is a transformational leap in productivity. Write a blog/send an e-mail/post a link, and it auto feeds to your customers, wherever they are.
7. Stop "selling" and become consistent about adding value to your customer's lives. That's Carnagie, as old as dirt, but its still so true and so effective.
8. Monitor where people are connected with you and how. It would be nice to know, wouldn't it? Just keep doing those things that warrant the most connections.
9.Enjoy your transformed life. :-)
Steps 1 through 6 are the brain surgery part. The rest is gravy. In subsequent blogs, I hope to give you insights into exactly HOW it's all done. But for now, you have the template. You can readily access this kind of information all over the web. Discerning which works and why, well, as you can imagine, guys like me are all too eager to hire out their services to assist you.
But for you, just sit tight until the next JacksonSpencer Blog.
Thursday, August 20, 2009
The Power of Youth
As we break from "base camp" to take my oldest son back to college, I am reminded of the excitement, mystery and fear that all young people face as they prepare themselves to enter the working world.
I, for one, always had a healthy self-esteem, and yet, found myself settling for B and C type businesses to approach for a project or job because I had already counted myself out of the A-list. How strange, you might think, that I (and maybe you, too) would do this. It's not unlike coming to that point in a project negotiation when price is discussed. Of course, each side wants the other to go first so that a counter offer or acceptance can be made. Do you know what the project is worth?
Do you know what YOU are worth?
One of the great powers of youth is that you're cheap. In fact, it might be the greatest power of all. Why? Because the person or firm that could employ you has so little to lose. It would be easy to bring you in, if only to let you go a short time later if it didn't work out. Bringing in an "old guy" like me is tough. Oh, they can see I have skills and experience, but I come with the baggage of cost. If it doesn't work out with a guy like me, the ramifications (and expectations) can be great.
So what's the advice?
Don't be afraid to go after exactly what you want, right from the start. In fact, that's exactly what you should do. You should, of course, take every measure to build your skills and your understanding of the business to the highest degree, but in the end, no matter where you feel that you are in your development, aim high... AND, take the opportunity of youth, to ask what you're missing (or how you missed) when the A-list firm doesn't accept your query.
This is where so many of us went wrong. We thought, "I can't approach them, they'll laugh at me," or "I'll only get one shot at this, I better have everything perfect."
Wrong!
Set up the appointment. There is no "perfect". You might be surprised at the answer you get... like, "You've got the job!" And, if you do "blow it", make sure you ask, "How come?" Demand the real answer. It very well might be, "Your book isn't near good enough for us." GREAT! Ask them to show you something that is what they're looking for - so that you know where the bar is set. Then tell them, "I'll be back." Believe me, you'll get a second chance. Know that they'll be thinking that you'll never return.
Return.
Trust me, they'll see you, because few ever do return.
And to you veterans out there, I have a challenge for you... when it comes down to "how much?" Tack on an extra 20% next time. You'll still get the job and you'll have a little extra spending money (and if you feel inclined to send me 10%, I will accept it). The line between winning and losing the business often comes down to the confidence you exude. Knowing what you're worth and what risk you pose to someone evaluating the hiring of you really can make all the difference.
Just know, you're worth more.
I, for one, always had a healthy self-esteem, and yet, found myself settling for B and C type businesses to approach for a project or job because I had already counted myself out of the A-list. How strange, you might think, that I (and maybe you, too) would do this. It's not unlike coming to that point in a project negotiation when price is discussed. Of course, each side wants the other to go first so that a counter offer or acceptance can be made. Do you know what the project is worth?
Do you know what YOU are worth?
One of the great powers of youth is that you're cheap. In fact, it might be the greatest power of all. Why? Because the person or firm that could employ you has so little to lose. It would be easy to bring you in, if only to let you go a short time later if it didn't work out. Bringing in an "old guy" like me is tough. Oh, they can see I have skills and experience, but I come with the baggage of cost. If it doesn't work out with a guy like me, the ramifications (and expectations) can be great.
So what's the advice?
Don't be afraid to go after exactly what you want, right from the start. In fact, that's exactly what you should do. You should, of course, take every measure to build your skills and your understanding of the business to the highest degree, but in the end, no matter where you feel that you are in your development, aim high... AND, take the opportunity of youth, to ask what you're missing (or how you missed) when the A-list firm doesn't accept your query.
This is where so many of us went wrong. We thought, "I can't approach them, they'll laugh at me," or "I'll only get one shot at this, I better have everything perfect."
Wrong!
Set up the appointment. There is no "perfect". You might be surprised at the answer you get... like, "You've got the job!" And, if you do "blow it", make sure you ask, "How come?" Demand the real answer. It very well might be, "Your book isn't near good enough for us." GREAT! Ask them to show you something that is what they're looking for - so that you know where the bar is set. Then tell them, "I'll be back." Believe me, you'll get a second chance. Know that they'll be thinking that you'll never return.
Return.
Trust me, they'll see you, because few ever do return.
And to you veterans out there, I have a challenge for you... when it comes down to "how much?" Tack on an extra 20% next time. You'll still get the job and you'll have a little extra spending money (and if you feel inclined to send me 10%, I will accept it). The line between winning and losing the business often comes down to the confidence you exude. Knowing what you're worth and what risk you pose to someone evaluating the hiring of you really can make all the difference.
Just know, you're worth more.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
A Young Designer's Primer on Selling
The young designer meets with the business owner. He shows his portfolio, proud as a peacock for the wonderful logos, posters and web pages he's designed. He tells the owner his design philosophy, his going rate and then asks for the owner's business.
He doesn't get the job. The owner doesn't even pay for the coffee.
He walks away with his beautiful stainless portfolio and curses under his breath that the business owner is a jerk for not understanding real talent when he sees it.
What our friend doesn't recognize is — whatever they may be. I've found it very possible (even likely) that the portfolio never needs to be shown to a prospective client. Especially in today's world, where your website is your OPEN 24 HOURS sign. Your prospect will have already viewed your work before he's ever met you.
Focus on the business owner.
The "mission" then, is to listen and to ask a series of questions that draw out what the owner is most interested to achieve; where there may be new opportunities; and what concerns he's in need of fixing. Most importantly, you're a conduit to getting him sales. How you fit into the equation is the answer you seek. For many, just figuring out the equation is half the battle.
Freely providing opinion, counsel and advice on how to handle the work is something worth providing. All too often, designer's become very protective of their work - fearful that it will be stolen. The truth is that most people can't do what designers do. Go ahead and offer up big ideas... the more the merrier. It has been my experience that the report (read "trust") with the prospect increases dramatically, allowing the project to be awarded to you without ever even asking for it.
Now, young designer, go out and "sell" by asking the best questions in town.
He doesn't get the job. The owner doesn't even pay for the coffee.
He walks away with his beautiful stainless portfolio and curses under his breath that the business owner is a jerk for not understanding real talent when he sees it.
What our friend doesn't recognize is — whatever they may be. I've found it very possible (even likely) that the portfolio never needs to be shown to a prospective client. Especially in today's world, where your website is your OPEN 24 HOURS sign. Your prospect will have already viewed your work before he's ever met you.
Focus on the business owner.
The "mission" then, is to listen and to ask a series of questions that draw out what the owner is most interested to achieve; where there may be new opportunities; and what concerns he's in need of fixing. Most importantly, you're a conduit to getting him sales. How you fit into the equation is the answer you seek. For many, just figuring out the equation is half the battle.
Freely providing opinion, counsel and advice on how to handle the work is something worth providing. All too often, designer's become very protective of their work - fearful that it will be stolen. The truth is that most people can't do what designers do. Go ahead and offer up big ideas... the more the merrier. It has been my experience that the report (read "trust") with the prospect increases dramatically, allowing the project to be awarded to you without ever even asking for it.
Now, young designer, go out and "sell" by asking the best questions in town.
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Lessons Learned from Jacko PR
It is not my intent to speak ill of the dead, nor to be completely crass, but with the sudden demise of the King of Pop, there are lessons to be learned by anyone (or any company) that must face the scrutiny of the public eye -- especially in crisis.
For the past five days, Michael Jackson's death has trumped ANY other story... worldwide. It is truly a testimony to his "icon" status - apparently, "Elvis has left the building." However, as everyone knows, Michael Jackson's eccentricities, his fiscal debts, as well as his accusations of molestation had left his image tarnished and a brand that was on the verge of a star's worst fear: irrelevancy.
So how do you ensure a legacy worth remembering?
You get ahead of the curve and own your content such that you can dictate the message to be digested by your public. Far too often, we see politicians and businesses who have come under bad press precisely because they used a "head in the sand" approach... just hoping for it all to "go away."
Nothing could be worse.
Jackson's family (and publicists) knew the "story" was going to be big - the question was not "Who was going to tell it" (because everyone was), but "How would they tell it?"
By delivering steady portions to a ravenous media, they effectively have controlled which items would be newsworthy in a given news cycle. When everything you do is the fodder for publicity, the anti-crowd can not mount a persuasive campaign because the news of the day is already set. It is my contention that those closest to Jackson - and to his estate - decided very swiftly to set the agenda of how he was to be perceived: whether he was a victim; did someone need to answer for his death; and how others OWED their careers to a "legendary pioneer." A tainted Michael Jackson is a devalued brand. And a devalued brand is money and opportunity... lost.
To my knowledge, there has not been a single derogatory story regarding Jackson. This morning, home movies of Jackson frolicking with his unmasked children appeared, exclusively on the Today Show. "Michael Jackson as good father" should have been the headline. An intriguing rebuttle to the creepiness-factor of veiling your children by offering up the loving dad who did so to protect their identities and to give them a chance at "normalcy". (Curiously, showing their faces now ensures that they will have no such luck from this point forward.) No matter, that's NOT the story. Everyone will still think he was an eccentric, but moving public perception from pedophile to a loving father attempts to soften cynical hearts the rest of us held about his integrity -- giving his memory a new chance at redemption.
What his true legacy will become, only time will tell - but one thing is for certain, those that were in line to put their teeth into his estate to extract their debt owed may be thinking twice as they stand in a line at the profit potential of a "New Graceland" ...for decades and dollars to come.
For the past five days, Michael Jackson's death has trumped ANY other story... worldwide. It is truly a testimony to his "icon" status - apparently, "Elvis has left the building." However, as everyone knows, Michael Jackson's eccentricities, his fiscal debts, as well as his accusations of molestation had left his image tarnished and a brand that was on the verge of a star's worst fear: irrelevancy.
So how do you ensure a legacy worth remembering?
You get ahead of the curve and own your content such that you can dictate the message to be digested by your public. Far too often, we see politicians and businesses who have come under bad press precisely because they used a "head in the sand" approach... just hoping for it all to "go away."
Nothing could be worse.
Jackson's family (and publicists) knew the "story" was going to be big - the question was not "Who was going to tell it" (because everyone was), but "How would they tell it?"
By delivering steady portions to a ravenous media, they effectively have controlled which items would be newsworthy in a given news cycle. When everything you do is the fodder for publicity, the anti-crowd can not mount a persuasive campaign because the news of the day is already set. It is my contention that those closest to Jackson - and to his estate - decided very swiftly to set the agenda of how he was to be perceived: whether he was a victim; did someone need to answer for his death; and how others OWED their careers to a "legendary pioneer." A tainted Michael Jackson is a devalued brand. And a devalued brand is money and opportunity... lost.
To my knowledge, there has not been a single derogatory story regarding Jackson. This morning, home movies of Jackson frolicking with his unmasked children appeared, exclusively on the Today Show. "Michael Jackson as good father" should have been the headline. An intriguing rebuttle to the creepiness-factor of veiling your children by offering up the loving dad who did so to protect their identities and to give them a chance at "normalcy". (Curiously, showing their faces now ensures that they will have no such luck from this point forward.) No matter, that's NOT the story. Everyone will still think he was an eccentric, but moving public perception from pedophile to a loving father attempts to soften cynical hearts the rest of us held about his integrity -- giving his memory a new chance at redemption.
What his true legacy will become, only time will tell - but one thing is for certain, those that were in line to put their teeth into his estate to extract their debt owed may be thinking twice as they stand in a line at the profit potential of a "New Graceland" ...for decades and dollars to come.
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