So, I’m working on a project with this agency and they start hinting at this other gig. Seems they’ve been writing the copy for this consumer products line for seven years, and while the client is fine with the design work they’ve been doing, they’re just not thrilled with the copywriting. They wanted me to take a look at the latest round of copy and see if I had any ideas. But, before I did, they gave me the deal on the situation. Get this…
They can only use a pre-approved list of words – no deviating. The middle management layers of approval have their own biases AND their own need to justify their existences by making changes or otherwise showing their disapproval. And after those managers are done, they’ve culled down the three concepts that the firm gives them to ONE, which is the one they have the agency creatively execute and then present to the top boss. ONE concept.
And gee, big surprise, he often isn’t nuts about it. Give someone ONE idea to choose from, and that’s a whole lot of pressure to like it. Give someone three to choose from, and even if you know which one you want them to choose, by having a few others there as “filler,”? you make it easier for the client to like yours. Of course, clients are notorious for turning that particular piece of logic on its head and loving one of the filler concepts. But hey, if they’re happy and we get paid, life could be a lot worse.
It was clear to me right from the get-go that the issue wasn’t the copy – it was fine. It was the process that was the issue – a process structured in such a way to make it nearly impossible for the agency to succeed.
And heck, for all we know, this account is one of those that likes to keep their vendors in a constant state of anxiety about their worth to the company. Praise ‘em too much and they might just start asking for more money. Keep convincing them that “you’re just not quite hitting the mark, but I guess we’ll go ahead and use your lame copy anyway…”? But seven years into the process, they’re still working for them, so maybe they don’t suck that badly after all…
As many of you know, this craziness is more common in Corporate America than most people would ever imagine. Well, needless to say, I said, “Pass.”? NOT interested in working under those circumstances. Feels good to say no sometimes.
What sorts of client/project situations do you run from?
Hi Peter! Glad you finally started blogging. Here’s my list for people I won’t work with:
– Small (often local) mom and pop type businesses who have never used a copywriter before and don’t understand that a single brochure won’t bring them tons of business
– Any prospect who starts off by telling me, before I’ve even quoted a fee, that they don’t have much of a budget, but that they expect to be giving me a lot more work down the road if I can cut them a deal on this first project.
– Any new prospect who tells me they like to operate on a handshake and acts like I’ve insulted their integrity if I ask them to sign a simple letter of agreement outlining the project.
– Prospects who want me to write a specific sample just for them. If my online portfolio and additional samples I’ve emailed them aren’t enough to tell whether or not they like my work, we clearly are not a good fit.
– In my niche (alternative health and dietary supplements) there are many companies putting out crappy products. I vet every prospect who requests my services, because I am passionate about promoting good health, not worthless powders and potions. I have occasionally turned down business after doing a little research about their product formulations and realizing how poor their products really are.
These “red flag” prospects used to pop up a whole lot more often. But since I got very specific with my marketing outreach and began targeting a handpicked list of prospects, and since most of my business now comes from qualified referrals, the problem prospects are much less frequent.
I can’t hack the ones who want something for nothing. I am pretty young, so people try it all the time — often with the rationale that “You are too young, you can’t be able to do it well.” So I tell them, essentially, to stuff it, but to have a good day while they do.
Thought you guys would appreciate this response I got from a prospect off an ad I answered on Craig’s List. Like the tone?
“OK, let’s see if we can do a small exercise. A layman arrives at a website and needs to read about Decompensated Liver Disease. You are the editor, so it’s your decision as to what he reads. Even if the layman doesn’t fully understand DLD, what’s most important is not to lose him. So, there you go, start writing. Send me what you have as soon as it’s done.”
Needless to say, I advised him to sit on a tack. And to let me know how it felt.
Love it, Star! Truly amazing that he’d have the cojones to write a note like that – just assuming you’d be happy to write on spec. Idiot. If we don’t train them to treat us like professionals, we won’t get the respect we deserve… Good for you. Would have loved to have been a fly on the wall in his office when he got that note. Probably didn’t miss a beat though. I’m sure there were plenty of writers more than willing to do it in return for a little hope…
PB
I still run into an occasional pain in the butt here and there but it’s happened less and less as I’ve developed the nose to sniff these folks out.
In the early days, when I was still trying to decide whether to do copywriting, Bliss Spa (beauty products) would put out a call for copywriters to send in samples for assigned products. I did it twice, and because I’m the target audience, I knew what I was talking about. Anyway, they never responded either time. And a search on google revealed they never responded to anyone. They apparently were getting free copy–or at least ideas–from all the sample writing they received.
This is a high priced company that can certainly afford to hire professionals.
I’ve never bought a product of theirs since. I just see them as chintzy exploiters.
Hi Peter…I just finished reading every one of your posts and will comment on a couple. I just finished a job, a building maintenance manual for an HOA with a downtown, luxury, high-rise condo building. There is only one man employed who does everything in the building. The HOA board of directors began to worry about what might happen if anything happened to this man. When they decided to have me write a manual outlining everything the man does, he began to worry that they were about to get rid of him. Throughout the interview process, I had to constantly direct him to another perspective…”once they know EVERYTHING you do around here, they’d be crazy to even consider replacing you!” Each time we met, it meant having to remind him of how valuable he is to the HOA (and he truly is)! The agency I did the work for isn’t anything to write home about; if I hesitated over anything, I got the note “if this is going to be a deal buster, then….” But I’m still new in my own business and since my past published work has all been articles, I jumped on the chance to expand my portfolio. When the business is off the ground, I probably won’t jump quite as quickly, or as easily for clients of that ilk…and if that’s a “deal-buster”…oh well.