8 ways to create great promotion with freelancers - creative work in magazine promotions - Circulation

Ground rules for getting the most from creative people who do work for circulation

Have you ever looked at the copy and comprehensive art for a new direct mail package, renewal series or space ad and wondered what went wrong? Even worse, was the creative effort so totally off the mark you couldn't imagine how to save it?

You've probably had one or more of these Twilight Zone experiences - I've certainly had my share. However, you may, in fact, have unwittingly contributed to this dismal situation. Hiring and directing creative people is not a simple job - nor is it one most circulation executives are trained to do. Fortunately for clients, freelancers, agencies and consultants, the necessary skills can be learned. Let's take a look at some basic ground rules for getting the most from the creative people who do work for you.

1. Avoid prima donnas

This business is filled with nightmare stories about clients who abuse, ridicule, insult and destroy good creative work - not to mention creative people's egos.

It's also filled with tales of highhanded, award-raving, creative types who turns a deaf ear to the client's superior knowledge of his or her magazine's markets, pleas for cost-effective promotions and the traditional approaches to solving creative problems.

So, let's get rid of these people immediately. No client should have to arm wrestle a writer to get accurate facts into a circulation creative assignment. No writer should have to accept inane criticism from some 90-day wonder who fancies him-or herself a copy-writing whiz kid.

The truth is, winning work is created by clients and writers who cooperate with each other, allowing each to do his or her own job with veto power in their own areas of expertise. Any other approach wastes time and money - with devastating results.

2. Hire the right people

Good creative people have good reputations and good track records. Your search for the right person starts with this fact. Ask business associates and friends for referrals. You can also get referrals from other suppliers - your printer, lettershop or computer service bureau. If the person you're interested in is speaking at an industry function, go catch the show. You can learn a lot this way.

There are also directories of creative people available and trade press advertising that you can review to narrow the field of candidates.

Also, when you have a particular project in mind, remember that it doesn't take the same amount of skill or experience to produce insert cards as it does to create a complete direct mail package. So, don't offer a big-name writer a tiny first assignment to "check him out."

Generally, it's best to choose a writer who has a working knowledge of magazine subscription promotion and direct response advertising techniques. It's much more difficult to work with creative people who don't know anything about the publishing business or what should be included on a subscription form to make it work. However, creative people can handle almost any subject matter. Therefore, it isn't necessary or even desirable to demand that a writer have hands-on experience with your magazine's particular editorial subject.

3. Know how much you're paying for

what

It's always best to discuss fees immediately. There will be times when you simply can't afford the "dream team." Creative people understand that. No one will be upset with you for saying, "I'm sorry, but my budget is not large enough to accommodate your fee." This would be the point at which the creative person might offer to reduce the fee to accept a project that truly interests him or her. However, don't expect much more than a 20 percent reduction. Producing a direct mail package takes a lot of time and hard work. Good people don't have to give their work away.

It's also a good idea to be absolutely clear about what is included in a fee. There are many, many ways to price creative work. Most writers include first revisions as part of their fee. If you want a second, third or fourth draft, almost anyone will charge you for it.

Ask what else the fee includes. Many freelancers and all agencies also provide comprehensive art (tight color layouts). Does the fee include this service, or is it only copy and writer's roughs? Some freelancers and almost all agencies will not supply copy only. You should know that freelancers feel they can't do the best job unless they control the entire creative assignment.

Mechanicals or camera-ready art is quoted separately unless included in an overall project fee. Many companies also bill back out-of-pocket expenses. Some mark up outside services for items such as type, and some must charge sales tax.

When you discuss fees, be prepared to discuss your due date. Obviously, the more time you allow, the better. Keep in mind that some writers need a lot of notice because they're booked far a advance. Even in agencies with more than one writer, it's unwise and unnecessary to demand all your work overnight. Creative people usually have anywhere from five to 15 jobs going on at once, and limit overnight rescue missions to good clients who understand "overnight" means overtime. And remember that you can't expect rush jobs for the same fees as routine assignments (or that something will be done for free). Creative people are also business people.

Bottom line: Be sure you know what you're buying before you give out a job. Always put fees, terms, deadlines and the job description in writing. This policy eliminates any misunderstandings later on. Written agreements protect everyone - both you and the creative people.

4. Provide enough information

One of the reason client expectations sometimes go unrealized is a pure and simple lack of information. Good creative work demands lots and lots of background information. You have to be prepared to give the writer whatever is needed to do a good job for you.

Experienced writers want your control package and offer, lots of copies of your magazine, whatever research you have about the publication and current subscribers. Publisher's statements, list history, results of previous campaigns, testimonials - anything you have that helps clearly explain your magazine, your magazine's market and prospective subscribers.

Designate one person at the client company to be the writer's or agency's primary contact. This person must be available to answer questions or discuss objectives and creative direction. Cooperation between the writer and primary contact is essential to creating successful circulation promotion.

Once you've provided all the background material and answered questions in a timely manner, your job is to wait until the due date for the creative work. This means you don't keep calling with last-minute instructions and new ideas that change everything. Doing so causes stress for the writer and delays completion of your work.

Keep up-front meetings short and to a minimum. You should not need to meet during the writing phase of the project. Nor does the writer need to hear from you daily to "see how it's going." It's going fine or you'd be the first to hear about it. Professional writers don't miss deadlines.

However, if it seems necessary to meet face-to-face, both parties should be on time for the meeting. I always know - and so does everyone else - when someone is keeping me waiting just to show me who's boss. I don't like having my time wasted, so I wait 15 minutes - then I leave. This amount of time should enable anyone to end a phone call or impromptu meeting. It's rude to keep people with appointments waiting. Clients should expect the same courtesy from creative people.

5. Be prompt with feedback

The creative people do want to hear from you once they have completed your assignment and presented it to you. Don't wait too long to give them some feedback. Most writers and designers worry about your reaction to what they have done with your project. A brief phone call to say, "We have your copy and comps. Everything looks great, but we'll be back to you once we've looked the job over carefully," does wonders to relieve anxiety.

6. Critique copy

constructively

The most negative way to read copy is with a pencil in your hand. Never, never read copy that way. Put the pencil down and read your copy while you look at the layouts. Be certain to read copy as though you were the prospective subscriber, not the client. Good direct mail copy is written only to the prospect's viewpoint. Consequently, if something won't matter to your prospects, it shouldn't matter to you.

I've presented copy and comps at meetings where the clients wanted to critique the work on the spot. That simply cannot be done. You need to live with the copy and concept a bit to know what you think. So, hold your comments until you can actually study the copy and layouts. Self-respecting, talented writers or designers will not sit still for such a feeding frenzy. They'll probably leave you sputtering at a closed door. After all, it took weeks of hard work to create the assignment you hold in your hands. Do you really think you can judge it honestly and fairly in a noisy room with six people talking at once? I don't.

Copy should be reviewed in a factual manner. It's not enough simply to request revisions. You need to tell the writer specifically what is wrong and how you think it can be improved or strengthened.

This doesn't mean you should rewrite the copy yourself. It does mean you should give the writer factual changes and any corrections that must be made so he or she can incorporate them into the assignment.

7. Streamline

the approval

process

It's true too many cooks spoil the broth. The committee approach to copy approval never, ever works. Committees don't create, they only criticize. If you route copy to 10 people for approval, each will feel compelled to change things to suit his or her own taste and bias. This approach is completely unproductive. You'll end up with too many points of view, too many tones of voice in the copy and, therefore, a weak piece of direct response advertising.

If your company's approval system is similar, don't be surprised when your creative people dig in their heels and fight for the their own good ideas. Creative people want to win tests. In fact, they must win - and often - because their professional lives depend on it. Given these realities, no one will stand by quietly while his work is savaged.

I've always wondered why a company hires a professional direct mail writer - only to render his or her copy useless by requesting so many changes, most of them unnecessary, that the very reasons for selecting that writer are lost. Hiring writers and agencies whose judgment you aren't prepared to accept is a waste of your time and money.

You should also avoid the "opinion poll" method of copy approval. Don't show your copy to a spouse or your neighbors for their opinions. Direct mail copy should be judged by professional marketers, not your family or friends. If you're not sure what you think of the copy or why something was done, talk to the writer about it. He or she will tell you exactly why he did what he did.

Streamline your approval procedure as much as possible. I think the circulation director should have the final authority - after all, it's circulation's bottom line that is at risk. The editor and publisher should also have their comments considered.

The truth is, with the obvious exception of correcting factual errors, your new creative work will probably succeed or fail in direct proportion to the number of revisions you request. The fewer revisions you make, the better it will work.

Once you've decided what changes must be made, mark one photocopy of the material with those changes - including what portions need to rewritten - and send it to the writer.

8. Build good relationships

It takes a little time, but sooner or later, most clients and creative people learn to work only with the people they like and respect. It just isn't any fun otherwise. Clients who intimidate creative people never get good work. Writers and designers who attempt to terrorize clients should be avoided like the plague - you can be sure they won't do a good job for you because their egos get in the way of the success of your package.

Assuming you want to go on doing business with each other, there are some things you can do to ensure that the creative people you want to use again also want to work with you.

* Play fairly. Costly vary a great deal from freelancer to freelancer and company to company. You can always shop for price if you want. But do keep in mind that if you have an estimate for copy and comps of $2,500 from one individual and $10,000 from another, there is a reason. Usually, it's reputation, talent and track record. Let your conscience be your guide. You usually get what you pay for. I would be suspicious of anyone who is willing to provide copy and comprehensive art for a traditional direct mail package for less than $5,000. That's the low end of the price range.

* Pay promptly. Freelancers and small companies need to be paid on time. It's their only means of support. Holding up an independent contractor or small business for 90 to 120 days is pretty unattractive, not to mention unfair. Word gets around about companies that don't pay their bills in a timely way - and creative people shy away from them. On the other hand, if your company is on a 45-day (or more) payables schedule, tell everyone up front. Many people are willing to wait - as long as they know when the bill will be paid.

* Cooperate with information and answers to questions. Give your creative team your attention and be sure all questions are answered clearly. If you brush off their need to talk or seem annoyed by them, they will try to avoid dealing with you. This is not what you want. Everyone is busy, but if you want good creative work, you need to be involved. Creative people must be treated as professionals whose questions deserve respect and answers.

* Don't waste creative people's time. Time literally is money to writers, designers and agency personnel. Meet with them only when necessary, make sure you are on time for meetings, and keep the meetings as brief as possible. Most jobs can be handled smoothly by phone, fax or overnight mail services - particularly small jobs.

* Give everyone printed samples. Writers and designers deserve to see printed samples of their work. Not only do they need the samples to sell future jobs, they also need to see if everything they did actually worked as planned. This is very important. Plan to give them at least 10 complete packages.

* Discuss results. Creative people need to know what happend when you tested their work. Did it win? If so, by how much? If not, what did win, and by what percentage? These are reasonable, not nosy, questions. Creative people need to win - for their clients and for themselves. No one likes to lose, but everyone needs to know when it happens. So don't withhold information simply to spare someone's feelings. It's sometimes possible to turn a losing promotion into a winner with some minor changes.

In the majority of cases, clients get the advertising they deserve. Good clients get good work. If you're unhappy with your circulation promotion, maybe you should consider rethinking the way you're dealing with outside creative people.

Elaine Tyson is president of Tyson Associates, Inc., a Connecticut-based direct response advertising agency and consulting firm. Clients include business and consumer magazines.

COPYRIGHT 1992 Copyright by Media Central Inc., A PRIMEDIA Company. All rights reserved.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group