I was reminded today about the benefits of having a well written Master Services Agreement.
Read about it in this Storify.
The Future of Advertising Isn’t Advertising – by William Owen
An excellent post from William Owen of Made by Many the covers his recent presentation at the APA International Content Summit 2010.
…advertising is losing its dominant place at the centre of communication between brands and customers; its influence is waning and it’s under attack: there’s a big shift happening and awareness of this is moving mainstream. This talk asks: Why? And what does the new model look like?
Fifteen years ago when I started in design and advertising every agency was busy naming its proprietary process for branding, positioning, research, etc. They all had self-important names like Brand Truth Discovery Process and a cool flow chart to go with it. At the time I didn’t understand what the hell those agencies were talking about and I didn’t understand why it had to have a name. Some would say we’ve evolved past those chest puffing days—others, like the Ad Contrarian, would disagree. But either way, I’ve come to understand why agencies do it. Hell, I’ve even named some of my own creative frameworks. (You’ll read about the Marketing Ecosystem in a future post.) They do it for one simple reason: it’s easier to sell it when its real. Read the rest of this entry »
Sharp Thinkers & Digital Guides. Part 3.
This week’s Sharp Thinker is someone everyone in PR, marketing and social media should get to know, Brian Solis.
Brian Solis is globally recognized as one of most prominent thought leaders and published authors in new media. A digital analyst, sociologist, and futurist, Solis has influenced the effects of emerging media on the convergence of marketing, communications, and publishing.
Brian’s recent work with Jess Thomas on The Conversation Prism has been pretty visible on SoMe channels and in the design community, so you may have already seen their infographic (shown above). But there is also an excellent blog on the site which both Brian and Jess are contributing to.
One recent post from Brian, Using the Conversation Prism to Establish a Conversation Index, is an excellent primer on how organizations can learn to participate in social networks. And how they can learn to integrate “marketing, service, sociology, psychology, creativity, sales, and a dedicated practice of transparent Social Customer Relationship Management”. Great stuff.
Read the article: Using the Conversation Prism to Establish a Conversation Index
Read Brian’s blog: http://www.briansolis.com
Sharp Thinkers & Digital Guides. Part 2.
Around Hero we’re still feeling inspired by the Boulder Digital workshop 2 weeks ago. We’re clicking through the presentation decks almost daily, encorporating what we learned into our thinking. One of the workshop decks, A Generation Has to Die by Edward Boches, has become a bit of a touchstone for us.
It’s a sharp overview of the changes taking place in the minds and behaviors of consumers in this post-digital age. Its also a wake-up call for marketers and agencies who are still clinging to things as they were. Read the rest of this entry »
“Everything is Digital” – @edwardboches
Today I attended day one of a three day workshop at Boulder Digital Works called Making Digital Work. Today’s stellar presentations left me with these thoughts:
Over the past few years advertising agencies have worked to integrate digital and social media capabilities into their service offerings. They even used the phrase integrated marketing to show clients they were smart enough to put all the pieces together—traditional, digital, research, social and pr. Well, those days are gone. Integrated isn’t special anymore, it’s the norm. And digital isn’t a bolt on service. As Edward Boches says “Everything is digital”. No doubt, he’s right.
The word, digital, has come to represent a host of discreet tactics such as websites, video, web apps, mobile and social media. It’s also the glue that connects all elements of a campaign together. Ex. A campaign is begun in social media, anchored by a fan page, supported by a website that aggregates user content, which is published from a mobile app, promoted by paid media (online, tv, print), fulfilled by direct-mail, editorialized by PR and posted back out in social networks. At every point the web, mobile or networked, is the bridge from one point of engagement to another. It’s the feedback loop that rewards users with what Michael Tabtabai calls “digital souvenirs” and it provides the analytics that agencies use to monitor, adjust and evaluate a campaign.
So the question about digital today is not whether to use it, but how to use it. How to express a big idea through the right mix of channels, platforms and technologies. It’s a question I’m hoping my time at the Making Digital Work workshop will answer.
More thoughts tomorrow.
Learn Selling from a Drag Queen
Last night I watched an episode of Ru Paul’s Drag Race. A reality show competition of drag queen divas. It has all the things you would expect a show like this to have, the drama, the camp and the predictability. But it had one more unexpected thing, lessons in selling.
If there’s one skill common to all good drag queens, it’s the ability to sell. They know how to sell a whole package, to create a persona, wrap it up in a show and deliver it in a song. They do this so well we suspend dis-belief and are captivated by a performance so ballsy that it commands our attention. Ever wish you could do that? I’m not talking about the drag, I’m talking about the selling. I’m talking about casting aside your fears and creating selling show. One that your prospect can’t ignore.
The thing that sparked this thought for me was something one of the contestants said. She said that by wearing a costume she was able to overcome her fears, transcend herself and be the character who could do all those brash and captivating things on stage. Doing this, she was able to make it through difficult times of self-doubt and create success. Could it be the key to your sales success? I say yes.
Of course I don’t mean you should join the drag show and start looking for a sequined gown. I mean you should create a sales persona, create a costume and put on a fearless show for your prospects. Your persona could be the seasoned vet or the whip-smart MBA. Find the most powerful part of your personality and amplify it. Make a costume. It could be a suit, it could jeans—it doesn’t have to be fancy. Think about Steve Jobs. What’s his costume? It’s no accident he wears the same outfit at every presentation. Just make sure to “own it”, like a drag queen. When you wear your costume you’ll have the permission and courage to be the most captivating version of yourself. Then put yourself on stage and command the attention of your audience. For at least as long as it takes to sing I Will Survive.
Our new freelancing friends often ask us about how much their hourly rates should be. It’s a common dilemma and one that inevitably ends with the phrase “it depends”. Sure there are average rates in the market, a range that collectively we feel the market will bear. But that’s a very localized thing. So much so that across the Denver metro area you’ll find significant differences north to south, east to west.
What everyone should be focused on is find a balance point between the market average and their skills—one that leans toward value for the client. It’s that value quotient that keeps you at the top of the list when clients have new projects. How do you figure out your pricing for new clients? What about repeat clients? What about work that comes to you through other freelancers?
Today Seth Godin takes and interesting view on issues around these questions in his post Open Buying and Open Selling.
How Clients Can Get Better Design.
If you’ve ever hired a plumber, the experience probably went something like this: you called, he showed up, you showed him the leaky sink, had a brief discussion and then left him alone to do the job. Some time later, he came to you, said the job was done, handed you a bill and left. No muss, no fuss — and little required from you except a phone call at the beginning and a check at the end.
It’s not uncommon for clients to think they can approach professional graphic designers as they would a plumber. Meaning, they view the relationship as a purchase of a turn-key solution that, once in place, will take care of itself.
We call this the “Buy-a-Logo-Get-a-Logo” mindset. It’s the shortest path to design that provides little, if any, real value. Read the rest of this entry »
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