The Word of Mouth Manual: Volume II is the second book by Dave Balter, the CEO and founder of BzzAgent, a Boston-based word of mouth marketing company. While it’s not a how-to book of WOM, it is an exceptionally well-written book, employing humor and a number of excellent examples. Balter divides the book into three sections: What You Should Know (In Theory), What You Probably Know Already (Unless You Don’t), and What You Must Know (In Practice).

In the first section, Dave discusses the difference between “pure” WOM and what 99% of the rest of us have (”regular” WOM), including the 4 key features of pure WOM. He also explores the Top 40 phenomenon, including how a product gets on a person’s Top 40 list, how that list is altered, and how it comes into play in people’s daily lives. Using the horrid HeadOn commercials to illustrate his point, Dave talks about frequency, and the shift from mindless repetition to meaningful engagement on the part of consumers. There is also a bit on the Post-Purchase Effect, using the first-generation iPhone as an example, and a discussion about how WOM translates across cultures.

The second section makes a strong argument for the importance of human connection. I admit, I found the section a tiny bit biased (as one would expect, considering the book’s author and his “day job”), but that doesn’t make the points any less valid. Dave exposes some of the misconceptions WOM newbies have and mistakes they make, like untargeted samples, how to deal with “liars” in a WOM network, rewards vs. cash, and the concept that only losers have time to join a WOM network.

The most important point, and the focus of the last section, is that there are no shortcuts in WOM. Though he makes the point in the first section that good WOM cannot be deliberately created and controlled, the last section underlines the fact that WOM takes work. (Here, Dave contrasts the viral Numa Numa video and the resurgence of the Lacoste brand to illustrate this very effectively.)

There is a lot of talk in the book about how WOM is still considered to be an “unproven” method of advertising, compared to traditional methods, and the difficulty in proving its worth financially versus traditional media costs. (There’s a particularly funny story about one of “those people,” the ones who are just out to hate WOM, no matter what, in the second section. As Dave rightly calls it, how ironic that marketers, of all people, are calling out WOM as a con game. Have they taken a look at their “traditional” methods lately?)

I have a lot of respect for and curiosity about the work BzzAgent does – WOM is an aspect of advertising I haven’t been able to implement in my day job, but it is an area I thoroughly enjoy reading and learning about. Aside from this book being a fun, quick read, it peaked my interest by being a study in WOM itself. There’s some very interesting insight into how BzzAgent works, including how they subject themselves to the same standards and experiments they would employ for any client. This book’s BzzCampaign is part of that practice. Rather than being sold solely as a printed book, you can download the book as a PDF (for free) from a number of sources. (If you want, you can buy a hard copy of the book, too, don’t worry.) To download the book, go here. If you want to read a bit more about the book and the WOM campaign behind it, there’s an article on the Harvard Business Publishing website and another on the WOMMA website.

In the interest of full disclosure, I’ve been a BzzAgent since 2007. I reported this review as a BzzReport for the book’s campaign. If you want to learn more about how BzzAgent works and what BzzAgents actually do, visit www.bzzagent.com.

Erin Harris | Visual Communication Designer
erinmharris.com | BoDo Author | Erin Reviews

We’ve come to an end, ladies and gentlemen (and those who have yet to make up your minds). We’ve talked about never working for free again, never working against your education and training, working on your own terms and educating yourself as you go along. We’ve found places to look for pro bono opportunities, places to find contracts and ways to deal with difficulties. We even found ways to trumpet your success to the masses. What could possibly be left?

Well…to be honest with you…not much. I don’t know about you guys but I’m exhausted. Except maybe one thing. Because there’s one big secret about this entire series:

I’m not getting paid to do this. Not a single word. Not a single line.

I took this series on for about four separate reasons. I wanted to write for BoDo because I believe in BoDo. I wanted to learn about online blogging, online publishing and online writing. I wanted to expand my knowledge of Web 2.0 as more than a catchphrase. And I wanted a creative outlet to write about something I loved.

To this endeavor I brought to the table over ten years of experience and endless hours of college and real-world education. I know nonprofits - good, bad and ugly, inside and out. I know freelance work. I know people. I know writing for the public. I know kung fu.

But there were many things I didn’t know when I started. I didn’t know about timed publishing, but I learned very quickly; I didn’t comprehend the vagaries of HTML, but I picked it up as I went along; I didn’t know how time-consuming responding to comments would be (nor how much fun it was!) but I threw myself into it with glee; I had no idea how WordPress worked, but I made it happen.

Did I benefit from this series? You bet your sweet tuckus I did.

I currently work for a very large, very nice, very professional non-profit that decided to upgrade their website. We were called in to a meeting about the redesign where we were asked the following questions:

“Have you ever worked with CSS and online publishing?” Why, yes I do…now.

“Do you have any experience with HTML editing?” Why, yes I do…now.

“Do you know about tagging? How about SEO.” Why, yes I do…now.

I could keep going, but you get the drift. I learned. I grew. I’ve expanded my understanding of the creation of an online presence exponentially. All because I was willing to say yes - to working pro bono on my terms, on my time and in my way.

And I have triumphed. I’ve added nearly a dozen lines to my professional resume, my career skill-set and my personal growth. I even picked up a dozen freelance writing gigs along the way that did make money. I didn’t make a dime on this series and yet I’m richer for every word I put into it. I’ve gathered something that can never ever be taken away, devalued or spent.

Maybe you think “I don’t have time to work for free.” Hogwash; I pull a 40-hour workweek and a full set of weekend activities and managed just fine. Perhaps you think “Well, that’s great for you, but I’m not a writer — I’m a different type of creative individual.” Rubbish again; whether you write, code, design, illustrate or sing jingles you can follow these articles and reap the benefits just as I did.

There are millions of reasons to say no to a new project. Some of them are even believable. But those reasons are just a million little fears made manifest in the smoke of your insecurity. The fear of what-might-happen is the most subtle and insidious poison ever manufactured inside the human mind. The easiest way to combat that fear is simple; step into the unknown and it will not follow.

Work pro-bono to free your mind. Once you get past the minutiae, you’re free to focus on the bigger and better things. They’ll make you bigger, better people. And, young or old, newbie or veteran — the rules still apply. Always get something back, even if you work for free. Treat your pro-bono work and clients like paid jobs and they’ll return the favor. Make a contract to protect everyone’s best interests (with a few extra steps in there to save your own skin). Ask questions. Learn about things you didn’t know before. When the work is done, show the world. Bigger and better, folks…bigger and better.

I wish the best of all things to all of you who have taken on a project pro bono. To my collaborators and friends: Jeff Fisher, Tamar Wallace, Calvin Lee, Jay Wickham and the unflagging support of my editor-in-chief and cheerleader Catherine Morley, I thank you from the bottom of my big fat motherly heart. And to those of you still on the fence - just go ahead and say yes to pro bono! The worst that can happen is that you’ll learn something about yourself, your world and your work.

I encourage you to ask questions and leave comments and tell me how you feel, what you think, and let me know what I’ve missed or just to say hello. In the meantime and every time - be gentle with yourself.

Thanks, and ciao for now.

This series has been dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

Brought to you by Ilise Benun and the Creative Freelancer Conference
August 27-29, 2008 at the Hyatt Regency Chicago
www.CreativeFreelancerConference.com

1. Look Closely and You’ll Find Your Market
When building your market, don’t start from scratch if you can avoid it. The foundation of your business should be rooted strongly in something you know well and in which you already have some expertise. Even if you’re just starting out, you’ve got a history. Past employment experience, a recent pro bono or side project, or even a hobby can be used as a diving board.

If you’re making the transition from corporate work, it’s important to build on that investment, even if you are sick of the field you are coming from. It will be much easier to leverage the relationships and the knowledge you already have than trying to do everything at once. Starting a business and approaching a new market simultaneously is double the work. Once you have a business under way, then you can move toward new markets.

2. Cherry Picking The Best Prospects
One of the benefits of being a freelancer is that you don’t need hundreds of clients. You can afford to target your market very specifically. If your market is non-profit organizations, you don’t have to reach out to thousands of them. Instead, you can choose the ten or twenty-five or fifty you want to work with and pursue only them.

Always keep your eyes open for the choice prospects whose names you come across online and in magazine articles. Then, take a moment to write them a letter, send them an e-mail or just pick up the phone and call to introduce yourself. This is a cold call, yes, but what makes this kind of cold call instantly warm is your genuine interest in this company.

Plus, it’s very flattering to your prospect to hear that you are calling because you have chosen them based on what you’ve seen and what you have to offer. If there really is a fit that you can describe clearly, they just might agree to meet with you. And that may well develop into a lucrative and productive working relationship, either now or later.

3. How to Get Out of a Conversation
Some people have no trouble getting into conversations; it’s getting out of them that presents the problem. So if you don’t start conversations for fear of not being able to stop them, here are 3 strategies to experiment with:

• Get a refill. If there’s food or drink involved in the event, you can always say, “I think I need a refill.” Or you can smile and say, “Excuse me. I need another one of those Swedish meatballs.”
• Involve another person. Introduce another person into the conversation. Then say, “Excuse me while I let you two get to know each other.”
• Stand up. Sometimes you don’t have to say anything. Just stand up! Your conversation partner is likely to take the nonverbal cue.

4. How to rate your prospects
Not all prospects are equal. Some are better than others. Some are worth more effort than others. But how to keep track of it all when the phone is ringing and the email is piling up?

The first thing to determine a rating for each prospect. For example:
“C” = prospects with a casual interest
“B” = prospects with a qualified need and a possible project
“A” = qualified prospects with an actual project
“A+” = prospects who have given you a verbal commitment but haven’t yet signed on

Once you know where all your prospects stand on this scale, you can then determine the best way to contact each (and the proper frequency for each prospect). A creative solopreneur typically pursues a “C” opportunity three or four times in the course of one month. A “B” lead is worth a few more tries (and for a bit longer). While an “A” opportunity deserves more persistence for a longer period of time.

Be sensitive to each situation, and temper your persistence with your gut feeling. If the prospect in question travels a lot, or is an extremely busy executive, it’s unlikely she will drop what she’s doing when you call, but she still may want you to stay in touch.

5. What is Your Money Mentality?
Are you one of those freelancers who is detail-oriented about words or images, but fuzzy when it comes to money?

Do you know how much income you need to generate in order to pay your bills every month, or do you just cross your fingers and hope enough money comes in?

For many creative types, dealing with money is an obstacle to doing business. “I’m bad with numbers,” is a common refrain and, frankly, a common excuse used to neglect essential business tasks like billing.

One fundamental aspect of the financial end of running a design business is the mental attitude you bring to the process. Which of these statements is most familiar to you:

“I can’t stand dealing with money.”
or
“This financial thing is a challenge, but I’m going to learn it and make it work for me.”

How about these:

“I can’t afford to spend money on marketing.”
Or
“What do I need to do in order to afford the marketing I know I need to grow my business?”

It’s up to you. You can choose between an open or closed mentality. Open is better and will facilitate the growth of your business. With this positive mental attitude as a foundation, you can begin planning a business that will support you, your goals, and your future.

6. Why You Must Not Reveal Your Hourly Rate
In order to run a healthy and profitable business, you must know how long it takes you to do various tasks and projects. In essence, you must know your expenses, and time is a major expense. (That’s why it’s essential to track your time.)

However, your hourly rate is not your price.

It’s one of the building blocks of your price, so you need to know what it is, but use it only for internal purposes. Use your hourly rate to determine what to charge for a project, but never reveal that hourly rate in a proposal or in conversations with your client. Not only is it none of their business, it also wouldn’t mean anything to them. An hourly rate is only relevant in relation to how long a project takes, and they have no idea how long your design process takes. By talking about your hourly rate, you open the door to their assumptions.

So when a client asks you how long a project will take, never say, “This will take X hours.” The only thing they need to know about time is when they can expect to receive the deliverable.

Instead, you say, “Let me check what we have on the schedule, and I’ll get back to you with a time frame. In the meantime, let me know your deadline and I will do my best to accommodate it.”

7. Use Your Web Site to Weed Out Tire-Kickers
As a freelancer, you don’t have a lot of time to spare. So you don’t want to waste your time with prospects who can’t afford you. But how do you know that before talking to them?

Your web site can serve as a filter.

Post a form on your web site that prospects fill out if they want an estimate or proposal. The serious prospects will take the time to fill out your form. Tire-kickers and those shopping for price will not.

The form, once filled out, also will give structure to the request, help to focus your potential client and put in one place all (or most) of the information you need to get started preparing a proposal.

Beyond that, this structure also gives your prospect a sense of how you work and some of the requirements of working with you. It’s part of your positioning as a professional.

Here are some of the questions you should include on your web site’s proposal request form:

• How did you hear of us?
• Briefly describe your company.
• What is your immediate need?
• Do you have a budget?
• What is your deadline?
• How and when is it best to contact you?

8. How to Deal With Scope Creep
Scope creep — when uncontrolled changes affect the scope of a project – can be the bane of a freelancer’s existence. If you don’t address it with a client, you easily could squander all your profit on a job.

Scope creep sets in when a project is not well-defined, well-planned or well-managed, or when there is a change in direction. If this happens early in a project, it may be a sign that you didn’t ask enough questions at the outset, or that you underestimated the project.

When this happens, above all, don’t procrastinate. The most important aspect of managing scope creep is communication. As soon as you see that a project is veering off course and that you will be spending more time or more money, you must advise your client immediately and decide together how to handle it.

If, for example, in a status meeting or phone call, it becomes obvious that what you are being asked to do is outside the scope of the project, say so right away: “That is outside the scope of the project as we outlined it in the proposal, so we’ll need to review that and possibly revise the pricing. Are you aware of that?” Then, initiate a “change order” to document the changes.

It’s also a good idea to include a reference to scope creep in your contract so there are no surprises. A simple paragraph that outlines the process if scope creep starts to happen will plant the necessary seed so that you can bring it up much more easily later.

Until the next
Marketing Minute
all the best,
nt

I have absolute faith in you, reader; I know that you have assessed your own skills, scouted your pro bono project, met with and agreed on contracts, and created something incredible. And while your pro bono website, or advertising copy, or printed piece is beautiful, functional and delivered on time to the joy of all concerned, there is no time to rest. Now comes the hardest (and simplest) part of your work: making your creation work for you.

I know, I know — it sounds very confusing. I’m sure you’re wondering why you shouldn’t just take your samples and webshots, stuff them in your portfolio and walk away. But why should your work - a living, breathing, workable item - be sentenced to suffocate inside your zippered binder under a veneer of plastic sheeting? Don’t leave your future to chance; market your success ASAP.

Imagine if you will, two equally matched creatives in an interview. Both have good portfolios, both possess the skills necessary, both are capable. But when your potential boss says “tell me about your work,” and you can say “Well, I’ve been featured in three publications and was nominated (or won!) an award for my pro bono project,” then you’re hired! It’s not just about design, folks; it’s about whether you can bring honor to your work and your workplace. Marketing yourself will not only get your work seen and your style known - it will also get you a job.

Why is this hard? Because artists and creatives are often the last people to consider their work worthy of note or award. Admit it — where others see something of beauty, you can only point out the flaws, or the missteps, or the “oh, if only I had…” thoughts that pervade your head. My advice? GET OVER IT. Get over your own doubts and get to work.

First and foremost, make absolutely sure you’ve secured several copies of your pro-bono work. The source files alone aren’t going to cut it. You need tangible evidence. If it’s a website, you’re a bit luckier — you can take screenshots or place online links from your website. Grab as many copies of printwork, video, flash files and any copy you’ve written for your own benefit. And once you’ve gathered your work, it’s time to start.

Now it’s time write and submit a press release about your work. Some of you will leap at the chance to write something, and others will cringe. Don’t fret! Writing a press release is not about genius or writing prowess. If it were, newspapers would be staffed with novelists. Your press release should be neat and concise. It should consist of what every basic Journalism class refers to as “the five W’s”:

• Who: This is always going to be you. Yes! It’s all about you! Finally!

• What: This is all about your project. A website for non-profit basket weavers! Illustration for a major children’s hospital! Printed brochures about non-profit basket weavers weaving hats for kids in hospitals!
• When: When did this happen? When will it happen? When will it end?
• Where: Is this on the web? Is it available for download or mailing? Can people visit a place and get a copy?
• Why: Why was this project needed? Why did you take it on? Why did you do it for free?

Now, let me be very clear about the aforementioned five W’s: This is not a WAY to write a press release. This is an ORDER. If it were a way to write them, press releases would sound like caveman speech: “Sally Smith make ad for public library Monday, to make kids happy. Go to library and get one. Need to market library.”

There are literally hundreds of websites out there featuring hundreds of ways to write press releases, and I won’t go into them here. Any way that you may write them, from simple to complex, your next move is to submit them to as many news sources that you can find. I recommend starting in your area and working your way outwards. Research your local newspapers and business journals for methods of submission (many of them accept online submissions now, but nothing replaces the old fashioned phone call to make sure that you’re sending it to the right person.) If your pro bono work is website based, I’d recommend hitting up the tech-section of your local press. If your work is about re-branding, look for the business editors. Remember; the more interesting you can make your work, the greater chance of being published.

After you’ve sent out releases to the local market, you need to widen your circle to include design publications and online resources. For that, I’ve enlisted the help of self-professed “media ‘ho’” Calvin Lee, owner of Mayhem Studios. More than just a talented designer across multiple mediums, Lee is a master at getting noticed. In a recent interview with Freelanceswitch.com, , Cal gave an excellent response to the question of why self-promotion is such a necessity:

If you’re a freelancer, self-promotion is a must. How else do you expect a potential client to know about you? Most new designers—even some pros—don’t view self-promotion as an option. Many frown upon self-promoting, as it’s bragging and name-dropping. In a way, it’s bragging but to me it’s more about letting people know who I am and what I can do to help them.”

Quoted from Freelanceswitch.com,

Cal’s list is a wealth of resources; some require a fee and others do not, but if you’ve got a little investment capital it’s worth the investment. Enjoy these links.

For self-marketing, I post to many online press release web sites. PRWeb and PRLeap are the big boys of on-line press releases news wire. They used to be free but they are a little too expensive now. They start at around $80 and up.

Plus all the traditional ways of sending your press releases: local/national news papers and industry related news papers/magazines.

A few free press release web site you can post to.

+ PR Compass
+ Free Press Release
+ 24/7 Press Release
+ PR Log
+ 1888 Press Release
+ Click Press
+ Free News Release
+ I-Newswire
+ PR
+ PR 9

Portfolio, design, and social networking sites that have an option to post your news.

+ Create Magazine
+ Design Related
+ Area of Design
+ Dexigner
+ Facebook
+ Myspace
+ Meetup

Then there are Social Bookmarking sites that can drive a lot of traffic to your site.

+ Digg
+ Del.icio.us
+ Stumble Upon
+ Technorati
+ Furl
+ Ma.gnolia

A few other ways

+ Blogging - Will bring traffic to your site
+ E-newsletters - You can send e-newsletters to your current contact list and clients you want to work with.
+ Forums - Tooting on forums can bring great returns. Like getting into books, articles, interviews, clients, etc. Just look at me!

Many thanks to Cal for all his work and generosity in sharing!

In closing, just a few more tiny bits of advice:

• Work on your self-promotion just as hard as you do your creative work. It will pay off, trust me!

• Make sure you get some official boilerplate from the organization you worked for. This will save you a little time and a lot of grief when writing.
• Remember when I said you should have some scans and copies of your work? You can submit high rez JPGs and TIFFs with your release if you’d like. (this is especially useful for billboards and high-end promotional items, and especially nice with online publications) Not all places will accept them, but it never hurts to ask.
• Do NOT send your release and then forget about it. Marketing is about give and take; you need to follow up with an email or a phone call when possible. If you feel uncomfortable calling people to promote yourself, this is a great opportunity to learn how to do it. Remember - these people want a good story — they NEED a good story. You’re trying to help them find one!
• On the same note, don’t stalk the media. If they didn’t run your story about writing fortune cookie notes for the local Catholic Bake Sale, don’t call and ask why they don’t love you. Believe me when I tell you that media-stalkers who call or email nonstop, are pushy and aggressive, and make life hard for the press will be blacklisted. Be friendly, courteous and honest; and they’ll return the favor.
• When your media releases get published, make sure you collect and file them in your portfolio.

Marketing yourself is a great tool to polish your writing and sales skills, and it adds that extra dash of credibility to your portfolio. Like I said at the very top of this article, your self-promotion is the cherry atop your mound of yummy design skills. And the best part is, you can talk about yourself all day long! What could be better than that?

Up next: A walk down memory lane: a rehash of the Working Pro Bono Series. Join me as we bring a chapter to a close and open a few new doors for you to peek through!

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

When I started out as a freelance designer, it was based on personal need; I’d been unceremoniously canned from a job after I taught a bubbly marketing co-worker how to use Illustrator. My boss had said “You should teach her everything you know, and in return she can teach you everything she knows!” I probably should have known something was up when I realized that she wasn’t teaching me any marketing skills, but I was young and stupid. The moment she learned the rudimentary bones of the design software, I was sailed off the back steps. There were official reasons, of course, and in the end I found myself walking out of the building, box of personal items in hand and a slightly dazed look of bewilderment on my face.

So, I took two things with me from that job; a complete list of business contacts in the area and a severance check that bought me the Adobe Design Suite for my newly purchased iMac. The business of self-employment and self-promotion I learned along the way. I made some horrible choices and some excellent ones, landed some regular customers, occasional freelance jobs, random contracts, and eventually worked my way back into mainstream jobs with non-profits or low-profits. I took the long way around and have the scars to prove it.

Why am I telling you this? Because I want you to read the rest of this post with the absolute comfort that each of the following scenarios has occurred to me, and I made equal amounts of craptastic choices and good conscientious ones. In short, I’m not telling you anything theoretical. All of these things happened to me. Listen and learn.

Pitfall One: Being afraid
I set up the meeting, showed the portfolio, got the appropriate wows and was asked to build a series of web graphics. Ecstatic that I was actually working, I drafted up a quickie contract and bid and shipped it off. They called and said “well, sounds about right.” They didn’t sign the contract, but I was afraid that if I pressed the issue they wouldn’t hire me. The web graphics job started at four graphics, bloated to eight, then ten, then sprouted rollovers, animated buttons, revisions, and a complete scrap and redesign. All along the way I was frightened to say “we need to talk about the price” because I thought they’d refuse to pay for the work, or worse - not use my graphics. In the end, I got paid 200 dollars for 40 hours of work (the real number of hours was closer to 80). The website ran for four years, generating close to a million dollars in revenue.

Lesson learned? Fear is a useless commodity. If you undertake a pro bono project, you are offering your skills for temporary usage. Don’t be tempted to pad the project out of fear of rejection or your own feelings of inadequacy, and especially don’t give in to those “camel in the tent” situations. If you feel manipulated, threatened or just plain worried that they won’t like you, then you’re thinking about them a lot more than they’re thinking about you. This story also involves failure to sign a contract; I might as well have handed them the keys to my house. Your pro bono contract is your shield and sword, and will keep you from fear, apprehension and project creep.

Pitfall Two: The Jesus Complex
I was hired as a theatre director for a kids group in my early dewy youth. When I was introduced to the board of directors, it was as a shining beacon of hope, cradling between my hands some renewed sense of purpose for all; a mighty rock by which they could strengthen the world. They had lost two other people before me, both of which promised to do great things and failed miserably. According to them, I was the solution to their woes. In the span of a year, I went from saviour to the source of all evil, mainly because I was unable to bring in enough money to keep the place afloat. Never mind that I was literally given a zero budget, no resources and a group of kids so jaded they knew I was being fired before I did. I had been placed so high on the pedestal that the fall proved fatal, and I basically had to pack my bags and leave town as yet another failed promise.

Lesson learned? If you take a project and are heralded as the ultimate solution to the woes of an organization, take rapid stock of the situation and decide if you wish to continue. Any group that will hang its entire hope on a new logo or new website is an organization looking for the next person to blame for their failure to thrive. Be very clear that your efforts will enhance their business, but not save it. I’ve said this before: any organization that clutches at you will eventually drag you under as well.

Pitfall Three: Stupid choices yield poor results
This is pretty broad, but it’s important. I was referred to a very small job: designing a small 200×70 pixel graphic for a very small website. It was just one little graphic, but the man running the site was pretty well-connected within the business community and I thought it was an excellent way to showcase my work to a broader audience. So I wrote up a bid and a tiny contract saying I’d generate three or four ideas for him.

About ten minutes after that email went out, I received a phone call from the client. “C’mon,” the guy said “I’m not gonna sign a contract for something like this…it’s just a quick graphic.” It was my second or third freelance gig and I was more concerned about getting a good reputation as an easy to work with designer. So I let it slide. A few days later I sent him four samples, each with the word “SAMPLE” across the front.

The phone rings again. “C’mon, now… I can’t tell if I like them with that big word across the front, and I need to see how it looks on the website.” Once again, I helpfully took the security off my files and mailed them back. Magically he stopped returning my calls, and, equally mysterious in nature, all four of my images showed up on his website. When I finally heard from him, his email reply was “I feel like 65 dollars for a single graphic is too much, so I am paying you 45 dollars and keeping all the files. Thank you.”

Lesson here? Pretty self-explanatory, but the first is to follow protocol, which includes signing a contract, securing your files and not bending to anyone who finds your complex desire for contracts and design plans absurd. If an organization which you intend to do pro bono work with laughs at your contract, politely and positively discuss why a contract is beneficial to all involved. If the laughter turns into refusal, then say “Thank you for the time you’ve given me, and I wish your company the very best,” then pick up your things and depart the building. If they demand that you give them source files, multiple samples, non-protected imagery or fonts, then point them to the contract and ask them if they wish to continue or not. Keep in mind that you’re offering a service, and if you don’t value it, nobody else will, either.

Pitfall Four: Death by Committee
This one is pretty long, but it’s vital. Remember the story of my firing at the very beginning of this page? It was my first experience working with a committee-style work environment. It sounds ludicrous, but it’s dead truth; I found myself with six supervisors. Any design, any brochure, any logo was to be approved by all six of these people. I literally found myself running around the building with a sign-off sheet begging for people to approve the latest revision, which would then return to the big boss, who would axe the edits made by the other six people, and then demand that I send it back around. It was a hell mercifully cut short by my firing (remember how I said that there were official reasons? One of them was “inability to produce materials in a timely fashion.”) Since then, I’ve learned quite a bit about swimming the shark-infested waters of design-by-committee.

Lesson learned? If the organization you’re working for has 14 people on their “Design Committee,” then don’t work with the committee. If this sounds absurdly simple, remember your contract, which states that they should provide a single point of contact for you to work through. Let them wrangle and finagle meetings of 14 people without you. This serves two purposes: they will have to come to a consensus before they deal with you, saving a lot of time on drafts and revisions, and it also keeps you from being considered an employee. You’re a guest at this table; don’t become such a familiar face that they ask you to bring the donuts and coffee.

That being said, you will have to meet all of the committee members, and usually at the very first meeting about the project. Be kind; realize that many non-profit (and some for-profit) employees are terrified of making decisions alone for fear of being blamed if things go sour, and be merciful. Rescue these folks from themselves. Don’t ask if they want to “throw out ideas” or if they’d like to “make suggestions before we start.” This is like tossing chickens into a pit of alligators. You’ll never get out of the room alive.

Instead, say something like “Has this committee discussed the website/logo/design item?” Nine times out of ten they will all look at each other uncomfortably; nobody expected homework. When you see this look, you can say “Well - I’ve created a questionnaire -” and hand a single copy to your Point of Contact. “And if you all work together, I’ll have a clear idea of your opinions and ideas.” Spend the remainder of this first meeting giving a project overview, a timeline and due dates. Don’t take more than 20 minutes. At the close of this meeting, make it clear that you will only need to meet with a few select staff at the next meeting (or even just the point of contact). Save the next full committee meeting for your in-person concept presentation.

These are the four major pitfalls of working - either for free or for pay - that I’ve had the joy and shame of experiencing myself. There are a host of smaller ones I’ve picked up through the years, like never taking more than three copies of a design, regardless of how many people are in the room; using designspeak in a roomful of nondesigners; treating yourself like a subordinate through self-deprecating humor; always remembering to dress like the people you’re working with at any meeting you may have.

I invite you to chime in with your “lessons learned.” Let your painful experiences light the way for some newbie, folks…because it is only through sharing our trials that we can avoid the pitfalls we’d never see on our own.

That’s it for me. Thanks for listening and feel free to share your stories. I look forward to them.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro-bono

Terri Stone (Editor in Chief of CreativePro) is doing a great job of making sure you’re covered when it comes to Improving Your Bottom Line.

If you owed the government a lot of money on April 15, the past week had you either burying your head in the sand of denial, or determined to put your business in order. And if you didn’t owe money, I’ll bet you wouldn’t turn down ways to make a bigger profit in 2008. No matter where you fall in this continuum, we’ve collected a boat-load of resources to help you overcome business-related challenges.

And a boatload it is.

• Creating Your Future, One Month at a Time
• Avoiding the Heartbreak of Collections
• Negotiating with Vendors For Fun and Profit
• Six Ways to Drum Up Business, in Good Times or Bad
• Negotiating in a Soft Market
• Winning Back Lost Clients
• Don’t Get Creamed Before the Recovery
• Nine Simple Rules for Sustaining Success
• Pump Up The Volume of Your Proposals
• What to Do When a Prospective Client Doesn’t Respond to Your Proposal
• Low-Budget Self-Promotion
• Online Marketing Tools for Creative Pros
• Marketing Smart
• Why Cold Calling is Not So Bad (Really)
• Getting Pricing Right
• Negotiating Fees
• Setting Your Rates
• Setting Rates for Your Small Design Firm
• Seven Strategies for Better Customer Service
• A Little Help from Your Friends

Need more? Then slide over to CreativePro and put your suggestions and questions to Terri. And while you are there, be sure to check out their new design. Nice.

Catherine (cat) Morley | Wentworth
Creative Latitude | NO!SPEC | BoDo team

Postcards are a handy and often inexpensive way to get your name out there and stay in touch. You can use them for a variety of things such as a first contact vehicle, announcing a move or a new service. Some folks like to use them as a leave behind or a follow up after a meeting.

Back when I was on my own, I used a postcard campaign as an introduction to prospects I wanted to add to the ‘ole client roster. Mine were oversized – 8.5″ x 5.5″ and printed full color on one side and black & white on the reverse side. The campaign consisted of four postcards. I traded services with a local printer who I’ve worked with for several years. A barter deal like this might be just the ticket for you, too.

All I was trying to do with the postcards was gain some name recognition. To accomplish that, I played off the fact that folks are always screwing up my surname. So, with tongue in cheek, I got together with my main writer guy and we came up with the copy. By the way, I also traded services with him. Gotta love it!

I gathered up my prospect contact info and mailed out one card each week for four weeks. I timed the mailing so the prospects received them midweek. Mondays and Fridays are bad, since folks are getting over the weekend or looking forward to it. During the fifth week I made a phone call to follow up and ask for an appointment to see if there’s a good fit.

The trick here is to first pre-qualify the prospects as best you can. You’ll do more qualifying when you follow up. Next, keep the mailing small for this type of campaign. I did these in groups of 20 - 25. I learned that’s about the most I can handle at a time for the follow up calls. For this type of campaign, it’s important to remember that if you don’t follow up you’re potentially wasting your time and money.

This technique worked pretty well for me. I also asked folks if I can add them to my contact list for e-mailed news releases and little ditties I send out periodically like links to articles, useful sites I find, etc.

Until the next
Marketing Minute
all the best,
nt

Invisible necktie? What’s an invisible necktie? The invisible necktie separates you from the crowd of speculative designers, designers just having fun, and pimply teens wielding a copy of Photoshop Elements with a song in their heart. The invisible necktie is the professional attitude that takes you from the corner of your dorm room or attic-corner flat, to a steel-and-glass office space with a window. Or, if you prefer, a flat overlooking the Thames.

The Invisible necktie is a mindset and a process. A professional process. And it’s doubly important with a pro bono client.

Many designers tend to approach their process only from the design point-of-view - sketch out some roughs, whip up a comp, do the production and “bill ‘em, Dan-O”. They may have even been taught this method in school. But, truth be told, it’s a bit myopic. The business part is being separated from the design part, when, in reality, they’re both part of the project. Also in that mix is how you work with other professionals. Quoted from Neil Tortorella’s Power of the Process

Okay, I’ve meandered long enough on the importance of the invisible necktie. Let’s find out how to tie one on.

Arrange an initial meeting: You gathered a good chunk of info from your initial research; now it’s time to get the inside scoop. Set aside anywhere between thirty minutes to an hour to meet with your pro bono client. In the initial meeting you’ll clarify information about the client’s background, what they’re trying to accomplish, the scope of their project and their overall goals. Use this time to gather additional information about their current audience and the audiences they’d like to capture, the names of their competition, any and all available resources, budgeting and timetable for completion.

BoDo has a list of project worksheets available here, and you can also find good resources at Creative Latitude and Creative Business.

It is at this initial meeting that you should discuss how (and how often) you plan to communicate with your clients. This is a chance for you to set your comfort levels and take control over your own accessibility. That’s right, at the first meeting. Often, in a feel good situation such as a pro bono, your first impulse is to hand over your telephone number and say “Call me when you need me!” Seriously, take a step back and ask yourself if you want your clients to call you at 6 a.m., noon, 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and midnight just because they wanted to add one more thing.

Ever hear of the phrase “familiarity breeds contempt?” If you make yourself constantly available, your pro bono client will mistake you for a tool instead of a craftsperson. Suddenly, that questionnaire you introduced doesn’t need to be filled out, because they can get it to you tomorrow. That vital information for the website? It can wait…you’re gonna be there tomorrow – right? Don’t make this error, or you’ll be chasing and wasting your own precious time. Budgeting your availability makes you a more valuable resource, and it reinforces the importance of deadlines for required materials. Here’s a sample layout that has worked for me:

• Three in-person meetings.
• One scheduled phone call per week (maybe two, depending on the scope of the project.
• A weekly email update to confirm your progress, and
• availability via email with a guaranteed response of some kind, perhaps even saying “You’ll always hear something back from me by the next working day.”

2. Conducting preliminary competitive and audience research for the proposal. This is the hardest part for newly minted creatives. Sometimes you just want to strap on your helmet and make a rush for the finish line, ideas flying from your head. Once again, you need to take some time and find out who your client is. This is also a chance to educate your client on the value of preliminary research gathering. Whip up a questionnaire that’s not too long, not too short, and then ask your client to fill it out to the best of their abilities. Sample questions might include the following:

• What is the current attitude towards your existing website/logo/promotional materials from the outside world?
• What do your employees think of your materials? Not just the administrators and managers, but all levels of employees.
• Name some of your favorite creative websites/promo ideas and provide samples or web addresses.
• What do you want to keep the same or have to keep the same?

Again, check out the forms on http://www.businessofdesignonline.com/downloads-forms/, Creative Latitude and Creative Business for ideas.

While you’re waiting for them to return the questionnaire, you should fill out one of your own. Look around at similar organizations that appeal to you and to others. Do footwork and gather materials of your own.

3. Find out who your team is. If you’re lucky, you won’t be alone in this project. Most not for profit organizations have marketing or public relations people who like nothing more than to help. They’re usually the same people who wait years for the higher-ups to approve changes to their existing logos, written materials or websites. Seek them out and become their compatriots in this endeavor. It will help you tremendously in the long run.

If your client doesn’t have a team formed, explain to your contact that even though the project is not yet underway, the formation of a team is vital to gathering information needed to create an informed proposal. Here’s the list:

Team Leader: Responsible for gathering answers to the questionnaires, serves as a first point of contact for all questions about the overall project. The best team leader is someone you can call on, when the project needs a kick in the pants.

Technical Support: If you’re designing a website, you want a well-informed IT member willing to sit in and outline the capabilities of the organization. The best IT person is someone who can translate tech speak for all those involved.

Quality Control: Usually a PR or marketing person that makes sure the information you’re receiving is accurate and in tune with the needs of the organization. The best person here is someone willing to review everything before it gets to you, not after you’ve printed it.

Budget and Finance: This is usually a silent teammate, but make sure someone is available to provide a clear and constant reminder that money is not infinite. Nothing’s worse than having a team leader ask you for a 30-foot billboard only to find out they can only afford a homeless guy with a cardboard sign.

Your side of the table is a lot more fluid. That’s a very pretty way of saying that you may end up being the only person there. But if you’re fortunate and your nonprofit client has the resources, you should prepare and submit requests for quotes from project associates such as photographers, writers, printers, that are willing to get involved. If you’re lucky enough to have a team ready to help out, it will bolster your client’s confidence in the project as well as create a network of people that will benefit from your involvement. Suddenly your friend the photographer has equal access to the publicity and potential clients, and they’ll return the favor one day.

4. Preparing your proposal and agreement: By this time you should have your questionnaires from your client, your own research and your invisible tie ready to go. Sit down and draft out your plan for the project. Proposals should be like a lady’s skirt; long enough to cover the important bits and short enough to garner some interest. Don’t use the words ‘revolutionize,’ ‘maximize,’ ‘energize,’ ‘revitalize’ or any words that end in -ize. Don’t talk down about the existing materials…chances are somebody in the room approved all that information once upon a time. Be brief and clear. If you’re designing a new logo, don’t “seek to maximize the potential of the client by pioneering a new identity to propel their goods and services into the future.” Try saying something like “Create an identity that is in tune with the new goals of the organization.” Create a timetable that works for you as well as your client, with enough wiggle room to either save you when the project drags or make you look like a hero for getting the project done early.

When you’re done, check with your potential client to make sure you’ve got all the necessary information and that you’re on the right track, then make a dozen copies, stuff’em in your briefcase with the rest of your research and go to step 5.

5. Arrange for your proposal presentation meeting. By this time, you should have your questionnaires gathered. Call up your point of contact or team leader and say. “I’m ready for the proposal presentation. When can you see me?” And you know what the best thing is? You will be. So cinch up that invisible necktie and walk through the front doors. Make your presentation. Once again, remember our lady’s skirt analogy; don’t bog them down in tech-speak. Bring samples but don’t explode your research all over the table. Outline what you’ve discovered and recap what your client has given you. Allow time for questions and answer them as well as you can.

Quick tip: If you don’t have an answer during this meeting, don’t lie. Example: a company I worked for hosted two proposals for a project. The first contractor’s reply to any question he didn’t have an answer for was “We can do that.” Imagine our surprise when “we can do that,” actually meant “We can do that, but we’ll charge you twice as much and it may not actually work.” The second contractor was a little less flashy, a little more cautious, and unafraid of saying “I don’t have a ready answer for that, but I can find you one.” That honesty that won him the contract.

After you finish this meeting, don’t be afraid if you don’t hear an answer right away. All projects are risky, and your client will want a chance to hear feedback from their team without you. Shake hands, say thank you, ask when you might expect a response, then head home and recap what worked, what didn’t and what was unexpected. Get answers to those questions that you didn’t expect and send them on to your contact person with a thank you note (by email or in print is best - that way the information can be shared.)

At this point, you’ll be surprised to know that your work is done. You have done just as much work and put forth just as much effort as any marketing/branding/advertising/design firm in the world on any project. If they pass on your offer, you’ve lost nothing but fifty sheets of paper and a little gas money. You can ask them to provide some feedback on why the project wasn’t picked up, but don’t press the issue; you’ve already gained immense knowledge in how to create a proposal. In the end, you are your own best judge. Pick up your newfound skills and find another pro bono project.

But if you DO get the call saying “we’d like to start immediately,” then you’re in for an equally wild ride. Strap yourself in and go to step 6, which is…

6. Sign your contract. Wait a minute…you don’t have a contract? Well…well, I never… *sigh* Now I’m going to have to write a whole column about why you need a contract for pro bono work…you better be lucky that I like y’all as much as I do. Stay tuned for the epic story of The Camel in the Tent: or Why You Need a Contract for Pro Bono work.

This series is dedicated to the exploration of pro bono practices: from how to find the non-profit client, understanding the expectations of not-for profit work, setting up contracts to protect both parties and the successful (and not so successful) ways to educate yourself and your client on how creatives can and should work together to the benefit of all involved. Along the way we’ll include international design experts, research and statistics, etiquette and most importantly, how to be part of the solution. Stay tuned and let your voices be heard.

Thomas (Tom) Stephan | Director of Something Clever
BoDo Author | Dyer Straits | Working Pro bono