Unsolicited Marketing Advice

Here are 12 tips for becoming a great AE, drawn and adapted from the archives of PRSIG:

1. Learn to listen & take good notes
2. Keep a to‑do list that works
3. Learn to date your work: memos, reports, notes, etc.
4. Learn to delegate
5. Be enthusiastic, positive & loyal (to your agency & to your client)
6. Share ideas (Don't be a yes person)
7. Tune into as many media as can find time for
8. Learn to use technology, adding new skills and applications regularly
9. Make time for professional development
10. Build a network of knowledgeable pros, adding one per week
11. Develop an outside interest which will add dimension to your professional growth, perhaps providing community visibility
12. Pick up a hobby or vocation to take your mind of the biz

Plus, here are some practical pointers for the account exec that are often overlooked:

• Keep your time sheet current
• Always let the receptionist know when you will return
• Don't rely on the artroom or production people to keep track of deadlines
• When you make a mistake ADMIT IT PROMPTLY and get to work on salvaging it right away
• Always promise a little less than you intend to deliver. Better to have a client pleasantly surprised than slightly disappointed.
• If you're responsible for initiating the billing process, do it right away. Your employer can't afford to wait another week before billing every client.

Now it’s your turn: add your thoughts about what makes a great AE by using the comment link below.

Additional Links
SYSOP Ron Solberg Remembers PRSIG (cached link)
Shel Holtz on late PRSIG member Bill Lutholtz

Technorati Tags: Marketing, Public Relations

Labels: Advertising Agencies

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© 2009 Warren Allan Johnson
Posted by Warren Allan Johnson @ 8:00 AM | Permalink | |

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The Random Logo Project
Art Director Bill Green over at Make the Logo Bigger is encouraging submissions to his Random Logo Project on Flickr (see original / recent posts). His modest goal is to create the world’s largest collection of logos, which is probably more realistic than some many of my goals. Nevertheless, this Flickr group is a good source if you’re researching branding approaches, or otherwise need some logo inspiration (or in some cases, dis-inspiration).

Technorati Tags: Branding, Random Logo Project

Labels: Branding

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© 2009 Warren Allan Johnson
Posted by Warren Allan Johnson @ 6:30 AM | Permalink | |

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How Breaking the Review Process into Smaller Pieces
Can Help Everything Go More Smoothly
The best way to handle approvals for significant projects – or projects where there will be significant administrative review – is to divide the approval process into smaller chunks and deal with the pieces earlier in the production cycle. Saving administrative approvals until the end can spell disaster for a large project like an annual report. This four-step process gets “smaller” reviews and approvals at these stages:

• The concept stage
• The copy writing stage
• The design stage
• The final proof stage

More Approvals & Sooner
“Front ending” parts of the approval process by doing them earlier makes the entire project go smoother. This approach allows for earlier input, which has the potential to result in a better final product. In addition, it creates a collaborative atmosphere that helps avoid surprises at the final proof stage. Finally, it allows one to focus the reviewers on the elements that you want reviewed at a particular stage, hopefully avoiding editing frenzy at each subsequent proof.

To gain more control of later approvals, consider gathering reviews at these stages:


1. The Concept Stage
At this step, you should create a document or memo that outlines the objectives and audience for the publication. It should include a description of the distribution plan in order to explain how you’re going to reach the audience in the context of your goals. Another section should be your creative platform, or creative approach, which includes any theme or idea that carries through the publication. This section also gives the sense of the type or tone of the copy, photography, or illustrations to be used. Will it be journalistic? Customer-focused? Employee focused? Is the overall approach abstract, engaging, or traditional? What is visually coming together and how does it relate to the main ideas in the copy? The format and printing should be briefly discussed as well: is it glossy or newsprint? One, two or full color? What is the quantity planned and how will the vendor be selected?

2. Copy Stage
You may not want to send the very first draft that you create out for review, but you do want to get solid copy to reviewers early in the process – with clear direction about the type of input you’re looking for. If you have multiple reviewers involved, copy reviews are best done concurrently at this initial stage, then compiled to create the next draft for any sequential reviews that might be needed by those with final approval authority.

The reason to do initial copy reviews with multiple people all at the same time is threefold: first, linear approvals – where you collect one person’s changes before moving up the chain of authority – takes more time. Secondly, there’s the potential for political sensitivities where someone is reviewing the editing work of another division, or of a subordinate. Finally, you’ll be able to gather more varied input and exercise editorial judgment by starting off with wide input and then narrowing the number of individuals involved in approvals in the later stages. Admittedly, this approach is more work.

Personally, I prefer to receive copy drafts in Microsoft Word with the subject, author, draft and date listed at the top. This gives me the option of turning “track changes” on and making my edits and comments. However, I’m also known for taking a stack of proofreading that I've printed out to a sandwich shop at lunchtime and return the resulting edits to the author by fax. Having an editable document rather than a PDF or hard copy also allows a good reviewer to grab or highlight a section in question for further review by a content expert.

Of course, you may want to modify this approach if you’re dealing with excessive wordsmithing by certain individuals, or if you are only interested in the reviewer identifying critical errors in later approval stages. In these cases, it might be wise to make the reviewer work a bit by having to print out the document or typing their comments into an e-mail (presuming your reviewers aren’t fluent with Adobe Acrobat editing tools, of course).

3. Layout Stage
Sharing some early sketches with key reviewers is appropriate if your reviewers have some degree of visual imagination. Again, by creating an early pencil sketch or layout with Greek text, you decrease the potential of running amuck when someone sees the final, polished design with copy laid in place. Your pencil sketch or dummy could show the number of pages, the general layout in terms of columns, and the treatment of photography or illustrations. If you use stock photography for concept purposes in this initial design proof, you may want to label it clearly so that reviewers don’t fall in love with it too deeply.

Agencies have a tendency to create comps that are too tight at the early design stage, so you may want to insist on old fashioned pencil sketches or drawings on the backs of napkins or envelopes to start with. Sometimes these can be the best approach because they’re clearly crude and preliminary. You can always create a tighter comprehensive sketch for a second stage review, as needed.

4. The Final Proof
This is where you and your reviewers should be looking for nuances like adjacencies, callout text, double checking the spelling of names, titles, and so forth – things that could cause major embarrassments once published. Such details are often hard to catch if the final layout is also the first time a reviewer has seen either the copy or the design.

As you approach the final proof stage, there will always be nitpickers to be dealt with. By using a multi-stage approval process, often one can apply some political pressure in the cover message of later proofs with phrasing such as “the copy has already received administrative review and approval, so at this point we are asking for your input on….” You can also warn people to limit their comments on later proofs to “critical errors” so there are not delays in meeting a previously determined delivery schedule, for example: “…Since the administrative group has previously reviewed the copy of the report, please focus your review on the headlines, captions and any other layout concerns or critical errors. We are on a tight schedule to provide Bob with final copies to present to the board of directors November 15.

Overall, more approvals – but done sooner in the production process – will make things go smoother because people are tracking with you by the time you get to the final approval stage. Although we've belabored each point in this article, the process of doing more small checks and reviews along the way doesn't have to be long or involved, although it may require a bit extra work. In the end, a smooth, organized production process can also advance your career and lower your stress level – all good reasons to take control of the review process by planning ahead.

Now it’s your turn: use the comment link below to share your tips on handling approvals successfully.

Additional Resources
Ann Wylie: How to Develop an Approval Process That Doesn’t Drive You Nuts
(13 steps outlined in 20-page PDF, $17.50)

Technorati Tags: Public Relations

Labels: Copy Writing

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© 2009 Warren Allan Johnson
Posted by Warren Allan Johnson @ 8:00 PM | Permalink | |

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We mourn the passing of Ed Bradley this week with many others from around the world.

I briefly interviewed Bradley after Jimmy Carter’s campaign stop in Syracuse, New York in 1976 along my editor at the time, John Schattinger. I remember the CBS reporter being gracious and humble, especially compared to the general rudeness of the national press corps. Bradley had arrived in Syracuse after a mob scene in Rochester with no crowd control. “Our lights just went out, our cameraman was attacked and I haven’t had much sleep,” Bradley related. Perhaps tongue-in-cheek, his cameraman said the travel never got boring; however Bradley was quick to retort, “He said that, I didn’t.”

The campaign trail can be boring. Bradley’s colleague, Coleman Clarke of NBC entertained himself during Carter’s stump speech by mumbling Carter’s lines several seconds before the future president. I no longer have my notes from that day, so I don’t recall any more of the conversation, but I clearly remember Bradley quickly and efficiently clearing a space for his evening report, before taking a few minutes to chat with us as the team broke down their equipment. Too quickly they were called to the busses by Carter handler Jim King and we never got a photograph. I don’t even remember what Bradley said about Carter’s speech or if it even aired on the evening news that day.

Nevertheless, the Ed Bradley that I met was very much the same person we all saw in front of the camera – poised and professional. American journalism will miss him, and those of us in communication will do well to remember him by trying to emulate his thoughtful approach, his sense of determination and his personable nature.

Additional Links
Wikipedia Entry
CBS News 60 Minutes biography
Tributes and “Best of Ed Bradley” Videos
Washington Post obituary

Technorati Tags: Ed Bradley

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© 2009 Warren Allan Johnson
Posted by Warren Allan Johnson @ 7:15 AM | Permalink | |

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Everyone loves billboards. As a marketing technique, they’re inherently sexy. In addition, perhaps because the “magic bullet” theory of communications is so popular, people overestimate their effectiveness. Plus, they’re a simple, flat canvas, so it seems like they should be “easy” to create.

Misconceptions abound with billboards, but there are a few basics that can help structure your outdoor advertising strategies:

1. Secondary, not primary
In general, billboards are a secondary medium, not a primary one. This means that they act as a support to other parts of an advertising campaign, and are not the main thrust themselves. There are exceptions, of course. Retail operations like gas stations, hospitality, restaurants and such will use outdoor advertising as a primary vehicle to get people to “exit now.” But if you’re selling an intangible product or service, or if your goal is to develop your brand image, then you need to have a plan that goes beyond billboards.

2. Six Seconds, 6 Words
Billboards are viewed quickly, generally in vehicles going over the speed limit. This means there isn’t much time to read a complex message. The industry rule of thumb is that a billboard is read in less than six seconds, and the billboard should have no more than six words. You can have a few extra words in smaller type or a secondary position to give location information or a call to action, but your primary message should be 6 words or less. Generally, it should stand away from secondary text and presented in an uncluttered manner. Once again, less is better, just as Mark Twain once said, "If I had more time, I would have written less."

3. Avoid Metaphors
The need for simplicity is an obvious corollary to the speed and brief message space of a billboard. In Web design, Steve Krug has said “Don’t make me think.” The same concept applies to outdoor advertising. Comparisons should be clear, and while they may be clever, they should be immediately obvious. If you see a concept like this one for IBM and say, “I don’t’ get it,” then you can be confident that the metaphor just isn’t working (Original post: Adrants)

4. Mnemonics Only
When I’m driving with someone, I don’t want them taking their hands off the wheel to write down a phone number. Unless one has some great phone number that spells a simple phrase, don’t even think about using one. Likewise, caution should be given to using URLs, and they must be simple, straightforward and memorable.

5. Buy in Gross
Generally, you’ll want a billboard campaign. So be ready to spend some money. A single billboard will not achieve your communication goals unless you can use the best, most well known billboard phrase: “Exit Now.”

Billboards are bought in “shows,” which are comparable to gross rating points. If you buy a 50 show in a particular geographic area, you will be reaching a number of viewers equivalent to 100% of the population in the area every two days. This is based on the amount of traffic known to go past the board (the Annual Average Daily Traffic, or AADT), the number of people age 18+in each vehicle, and the hours of illumination for the display. Of course, this doesn’t necessarily mean you’re reaching the population that actually lives in the area – especially if you’re posting on expressways or commuter routes.

6. Placement Review
Not every billboard is a winner. In fact, the smaller your organization or your budget, the more you’ll need to do hand-to-hand combat in selecting billboard locations. In addition to different sizes, placements on the opposite side of the road (called cross reads), tall buildings and trees can significantly impact each of your placements. Nowadays, most companies provide a photo, map and description of each placement; although the photos do not always do justice to individual boards, making an automotive survey something worth considering.

Apply these six basics and you’ll be well on your way to successful outdoor advertising effort. Explain them convincingly to your clients, and you’ll be well on your way to a successful campaign -- and marketing career.

Deconstructed Examples

Here are three examples pulled off the local highways showing some good – and some not so good – examples of the six “billboard basics.” Some common problems in these examples include:

• Too much secondary text
• Secondary text not set far enough apart or distinct from primary text
• Too many unreadable, extra, or illogical elements
• Multiple, confused, or too small branding
• Lack of creativity

Additional Resources

• Billboard Terms from ClearChannel
• Outdoor Advertising Language Guide from U.S. Department of Transportation
• One Billboard Company’s Apologetic for Outdoor Advertising
• Wikipedia entry
• AdRants Outdoor Category (RSS feed)

Technorati Tags: Outdoor Advertising

Labels: Billboards

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© 2009 Warren Allan Johnson
Posted by Warren Allan Johnson @ 6:00 AM | Permalink | |

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Merlin Mann has been conducting a series of interviews with author David Allen (Getting Things Done) on his 43 Folders podcast. The most recent episode, Productive Talk: E-mail (iTunes link), is especially good and worth the 18-minute listen.

Once you’ve managed your e-mail inbox, you’ll be able to waste some time on the Internet, which is an honorable activity according to commedian Ian Shoales.

Additional Resources

43 Folders Series: Inbox Zero - The series of post that Merlin references in his podcast about how to keep your e-mail inbox at zero messages.

Getting email to zero - Kelly Forrister at davidco.com discusses what she considers the "black belt" of GTD, namely get to zero emails in the Inbox on a regular basis. The four steps to handling e-mail that she discusses are:

• Delete whatever I don't need
• Do those I can do in less than 2 minutes
• Delegate anything I can hand off to someone else
• Defer anything that will take longer than 2 minutes to some kind of action folder or task list

Best E-mail & Productivity Tips – A collection of Unsolicited’s previous posts on e-mail productivity.

Technorati Tags: Productivity

Labels: Productivity

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© 2009 Warren Allan Johnson
Posted by Warren Allan Johnson @ 7:00 AM | Permalink | |

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