Liz Craig, Writer

If you’re looking for a freelance writer, designer, Web person, or other creative, please, PLEASE do not hire one from Guru.com. Or Elance.com.

I belonged to each of these outfits for a short time and found that the whole concept is designed to suck money out of a creative person’s bank account for the privilege of bidding against fellow creatives for projects and driving the cost of creative work down, down, down to the depths of hell.

If Guru.com or Elance.com were a Roman amphitheater, you’d be one of thousands of snarling, slavering creative lions in there killing each other for a bite of Christian. Blood and guts everywhere — not the Christians’, but the lions’.

Keep in mind you’re bidding against people in India, China and some faraway places with strange-sounding names, where a dollar can buy a week’s worth of food. You can find a writer there (or even here, if you’re talking about a jobless teen living in his parents’ basement) who will write 20 500-word blog articles for $15.00.

How much time do you think those writers spend on “research” or “polishing” their prose? Or even “thinking?” Nada, that’s how much. The same is true of some writers for low-paying content mills like DemandStudios.com and Examiner.com*. Recently, I read a supposedly informative article from Examiner.com. I could have pulled better content out of my nose.

At a recent manufacturing conference, one attendee piped up, “I found a marketing manager on Guru.com!” I groaned. “She’s really good, too!” he claimed. I wonder whether an engineer knows what a good marketing manager is. What a miracle if it turned out to be the lowest bidder on Guru.com.

If you are looking for creative help, please don’t get writers around the globe slashing at each others’ throats to snag a cheap job. ‘Cause the only kind of work you’ll get is… cheap. And probably bad. You get what you pay for, and if you pay a decent rate, you’ll usually get decent writing, design, or other creative work. And you may even develop a productive long-term relationship with the creative you hire.

Don’t go global for creative help. Outsourcing is bad, especially when there’s plenty of great talent right here in the good ol’ U.S.A. Be a patriot — Buy American! Thank you!

*Qualification: I have read at least one excellent blog post by an Examiner.com writer I know. Quality at Examiner.com is not always bad, but it is variable.

The fantasies of 50s sci-fi are coming true! I’m wearing a lead helmet from now on.

DUKE (US)—A new generation of marketing experts may be able to test a product’s appeal while it is still being designed using advanced techniques to see the human brain in action.

So-called “neuromarketing” takes the tools of modern brain science, like the functional MRI, and applies them to the somewhat abstract likes and dislikes of customer decision-making.

[Read more here.]

Advertising a laundry list of product features doesn’t tell the prospective customer how the product or service being advertised can fix a problem he or she is having. So smart advertisers always ask, “Where’s the pain?”

Are you underwater on your mortgage? Do you have migraine headaches? Is your dog getting fleas all over your house? These are pains a product or service might solve.

It doesn’t always have to be a major pain. One of the smartest new products I’ve seen is the taco shell with a flat bottom. It lets you stand the taco up on the plate while you add the fillings. And if you put it down to take a drink of water, it won’t fall over and spill meat and lettuce all over the table, chairs and floor.

Where’s the pain? For the mom, it’s having to clean up after her kids on taco night. The flat-bottomed shells eliminate most of the mess. A time-saver, a tension-tamer, a neater way to eat tacos, wow! Why did no one think of this before? Maybe because nobody bothered to ask, “Where’s the pain?” for the consumer (the mom, who usually does the grocery shopping).

Pain relief in taco shell form. Brilliant! So it’s not just advertising that makes the sale; it’s also a smart new product idea. But the bottom line, for manufacturers and creators of advertising, is the same: Where’s the pain? and how can we make it go away? If you can answer those two questions and follow up to create a product or message customers see as some kind of salvation, you’re in business. Otherwise, you’re just a me-too. And nobody wants to be that.

Why should we build our personal brands? So when someone hears our name, they instantly think, “Ah, that’s the person who (does or is something specific).” Like, “Ah, Jane Frogge. She’s the one who helped my friend get a job last fall.” Or, “Ah, John Jantsch, that’s the guy who created Duct Tape Marketing.” Or, “Susan Gorman, she’s the one who pitched in to help with my son’s bake sale for Haiti relief.”

Oscar Wilde said, “The only bad publicity is an obituary.” But short of that, there are plenty of so-so or unfocused (even negative) “reviews” of you out there for people to hear, unless you’re consciously building your personal brand around positive attributes, accomplishments, or emotional values. What value can you be to others? That’s the question your personal branding should answer.

In this article, seven experts share their secrets for building their personal brands. Well worth reading.

On the other hand, I have a love-hate relationship with the word, “branding.” So many people use it to mean “a logo.” But it’s so much more than that. In this article, Josh Kaufman says “branding” is an overrated buzzword. But then he offers several tips as to how to improve your reputation, which is really what it’s all about.

So it’s up to you to create compelling advertising for a product. All the information you have to go on is a list of product features in a brochure. It does this, it looks like this, it costs this much. Really basic stuff. But you want to get prospective customers excited enough about your product to buy it. Just describing its features the way Mr. Spock would — from intellectual observation — won’t do the trick. You have to find a benefit in the product that will show prospects they need, want or desire it.

So how do you turn features into benefits? By following the WIIFM method. “What’s in it for me?” is the first question the prospect will ask. And it’s the crucial question you must answer. A fact sheet for a banana might list features like “attractive yellow hue,” “soft texture,” “delicious flavor,” etc. But does that make you want to buy a banana? If you’ve never heard of it before? No. Only if it has a benefit for you. In selling, WIIFM (What’s In It For Me) applies to bananas and every other thing under the sun.

“What do I need a banana for?” your prospect asks.

You reply, “Well, bananas are delicious and handy to take on a trip, ’cause they have their own wrapper. They’re great for snacks or sliced on cereal. Each banana has only 100 calories and no fat. They provide the potassium you need every day to stay healthy. And they’re natural and unprocessed, with no food additives. Oh, and by the way, kids love ‘em.”

“Okay, sounds pretty good, but I’m looking for new menu ideas. Got any?”

“You can make fantastic banana nut bread with it, or ring a fruit salad with alternating slices of banana and kiwi, or — well, here — here’s our new banana cookery booklet, ‘Go Bananas With Bananas!’ There are literally hundreds of ways you can use bananas in salads and desserts!”

“All right — I’m sold!”

What’s the difference between a feature and a benefit? A feature is a “so what?”, while a benefit is the “what’s in it for me?”, the sizzle of the steak, the one thing that makes prospective customers sit up and take notice.

The old AIDA formula still holds:

• Attention

You must get the prospect’s attention so they’ll listen to your message. A great visual, a compelling headline, or on TV or radio, a curious sound (or silence)…

• Interest

You must tell him or her something that interests him or her in your product. Some way to use it to solve a problem, some way the product enhances their life, makes them look more attractive, saves them money…

• Desire

What would make your targeted prospect desire the product? (Better health, wealth, quality of life, convenience, deliciousness, fun?)

• Action

You’ve hit the prospect with the benefits that should appeal to them. If they have a need that your product can fill, then they may go out and buy it.

Sounds simple, doesn’t it? It is, but often, advertisers present a list of features, thinking surely the prospect can figure out how the features are beneficial to them. It’s best not to count on their taking the time to connect the dots.

So as an advertiser creating a campaign, always ask, “What does my prospective customer need this (product or service) for?” If you can’t think of an answer, well… think harder.

It always makes me feel warm and safe when I send out invoices at the end of the month or at the end of a project. But I get a cold chill when I realize that most clients don’t pay me for another month.

Is there a way around this time-lag between billing and receiving the money?

Some smaller clients who have control of their checkbooks will write a check sooner. But big companies with Accounts Payable people seem to drag their big corporate feet. Either that, or it takes that long to go through the maze of corporate bookkeeping.

The bills I get are due within a week or two. Like for utilities, insurance, mortgage payments and other things. At the Quik-Trip, it’s pay right then or go home hungry. So why do big companies get the big breaks?

If anybody has devised a system for being paid sooner than 30 days later, please share.

Y’see, I have an interest-bearing checking account. And for every day my receivables are delayed, I’m forfeiting interest! Actually losing money! So what should I do, charge clients my unearned interest for 30 days?

What do you do? I’d really love to know.

The Geico “pothole” spot for emergency road repair always makes me giggle. Yeah, I like hick humor, okay? I hoot at “My Name is Earl,” Bill Engvall’s “There’s Your Sign” and Ron White’s “They Call Me Tater Salad,” too. I grew up in Mexico, MO, “Little Dixie,” so it can’t be helped.

But to salvage my cultural credentials, I also like Monty Python and Black Adder. And Restoration comedies. Well, some of them. Did that save my credentials or damage them further?

Ever since I saw the first Palm Pre TV spot, I’ve had a creepy feeling about that pale woman with the intestine-shaped hairdo and the monotonous voice. Turns out maybe I’m not alone.

This study finds people generally like the spots. In fact, they report feeling “inspiration” and “happiness.” But their interest flags noticeably when the spokeswoman is the key subject, or even when she turns to face them. Well, after all, what are they selling here, a girl or a smartphone? People are interested in the gadget, not the actress, no matter how bizarre she looks.

I wonder what thinking went into the design of this spokeswoman’s hair style, makeup and dress (I guess there’s a dress; the thin straps are all we can see). Is she supposed to be “simple,” like the Pre? Magical? Zenlike? Tranquilized? I’m stumped.

The actress’ preternatural calm is disturbing, like that of a serial killer or one of those pod people (how ironic!) from “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.” I know I shouldn’t let my distaste for her bias me against the Pre, but it’s difficult to set aside the key element of the campaign. Maybe that’s the problem. The Pre should be the star, not a pod person.

Oh, and by the way, some viewers thought the ads were from Sprint. Uh-oh.

You can participate in the study online by going to MediaCurves.com.

Rummaging in a drawer for a certain business card, I unearthed something I had saved and posted to my bulletin board long ago. It’s a short version of how to do a sales pitch. Just five steps everyone engaged in the business of persuading should learn. And that’s really everyone.

When I say “sales pitch,” don’t think used car salesperson. Every one of us needs to sell something to someone every day, whether it’s a thing, an idea, or ourselves. So adapt these steps to your own needs. Fill in the details that apply, and try it out.

Step One: Start where people are.

What’s the current situation of the person you’re talking with or advertising to? What’s going on in their life or business? Speak to that. For instance, “I understand that recently, you’ve been…” whatever their present challenge is. Be sure they confirm that’s what they’re dealing with before moving on.

Step Two: Talk about problems and opportunities.

Try to state the person’s real problem concisely. I mean, if they have identified a problem, but you see that the problem actually is wider or narrower than they can see, describe and explain what you see as the real problem. If they agree, then start talking about how that problem offers the opportunity for growth, greater understanding, better relationships, more revenue, more fun, or another relevant benefit.

Sidebar:

An account executive wasn’t happy with how his marriage was going. He and his wife didn’t talk much any more, chugged along from day to day all right, but the spark and the fun were gone. So he approached the problem from an account executive’s perspective. He determined an objective: to improve his wife’s satisfaction level with their marriage. His strategy would be to make whatever adjustments in his own behavior would improve his relationship with his wife.

He conducted a one-on-one focus group; he surveyed his wife to learn what specific things she liked and didn’t like about their current relationship. He quantified her responses. He took the findings and developed specific action steps to maximize his wife’s happiness and minimize her unhappiness.

For instance, he found that she really wanted more communication, especially when they both got home from work. So he would make it a point to talk to her when he got home, not just flop onto the La-Z-Boy and grab the channel changer. He would listen to her talk about her day as they washed and dried dishes together. They would go out on a date every Friday night. Things like that. Pretty simple things, but the strategy worked.

When he measured his wife’s satisfaction level after several weeks of his “campaign,” he found there was a significant improvement. Job well done!

Step Three: Talk about objectives and strategies.

If your person desires the benefit you’ve outlined (accent is on “relevant”), then the next natural step is to set out a specific objective: what the desired outcome of any action taken will be. For example, “We will increase our profits by 12% in the first quarter of 2010.” The objective can’t be vague, as in “We’d like to make more revenue in 2010.” The timeline and identified goal must be clear. When they are set, you can move on to the next part of this step, strategies.

A strategy is a broad plan of action moving you toward the goal. Say you’re selling a new product nobody knows about yet. Your goal is to achieve a certain level of top-of-mind awareness of your product among an identified target group. “Our strategy is to gain 25% top-of-mind awareness of the product among 18-34-year-olds in three selected areas of town by implementing a free sampling program during the month of March. We will establish a benchmark for awareness, then measure awareness among the target group at the conclusion of the sampling program.”

Step Four: Then move to the Selling Idea.

Beyond awareness, you want your target audience to be excited about the product’s benefits, too. What is the compelling selling idea? Maybe a new cell phone has more practical apps than iPhone, and the benefit is that you can get your work done more easily. Or maybe the new phone is ergonomically designed to fit the side of your face, so it’s more comfortable to use. Whatever it is, the selling idea has to be strong enough that people who own a different phone will be motivated to switch.

Step Five: Conclude with how the selling idea solves the problem.

Rosser Reeves’ Unique Selling Proposition still works. The USP is a unique statement no other product/service can or does advertise, compelling enough to get people to buy the product, that can be conveyed in the form of a proposition like, “When you buy the ElfPhone, you get 20 practical new business apps that help you get work done in 50% less time.”

Back to the account executive example, his USP might have been, “When you are my spouse, you get a high level of communication and many behaviors that show you how much I care about your happiness.” Now, what woman could resist a USP like that?

You’re a freelance creative looking for projects. You’ve been knocking on doors and calling prospects for months without snagging much work. What’s wrong? Is it the economy? The time of year? The weather? Are you talking to the wrong prospects? Is it your breath?

Maybe, but could it be the way you position yourself in your own mind that’s tripping you up? If so, making these three simple mental adjustments could improve your prospecting results.

1. Know What It Is You’re Really Selling

If you’re a freelance writer or designer, you’re obviously not just selling your ability to type or make pictures on your computer. But by calling yourself a “writer” or “designer,” maybe you’re selling yourself short. What your prospect really needs is someone who can help think through his or her business challenges and devise effective ways to meet them.

Make this mental adjustment: You’re not just a writer or designer. You’re a strategic thinker who can help your prospect win more business. Show results you’ve achieved for other clients, if you have them. If you’ve been spending most of your presentation time talking about yourself up until now, cut it short and start asking questions about what the prospect needs. Take notes. Follow up regularly (but not so often you bug the prospect), and share a good idea or two. Which brings us to the second mental adjustment.

2. Make It Your Mission to Help Others

People like people who help them unselfishly. So how can you help prospects? Let them know that your primary objective is helping them and their business. Maybe they don’t need your creative services at the moment. But you can still help, even if it’s by referring the prospect to a good chiropractor, veterinarian, business resource or fitness club.

“Shine the spotlight on the other person,” not on you. Send your prospects articles they may find helpful, and ask about their business and their family, if you are that well acquainted. Someday, when they realize they need creative, strategic thinking, you’ll be top of mind. By the way, helping others is a good idea in general, even if you don’t see how it will benefit you. Or especially then.

3. Ditch the Success/Failure Model

So you met with a prospect, and s/he seemed uninterested, kept looking at the clock, ended the meeting after 10 minutes and said no encouraging words. Do not beat yourself up for not having gotten new business at that meeting. Do not press the “FAIL” button.

We creatives are often overly sensitive. We tend to take things personally and interpret lack of enthusiasm as rejection. But please realize that the prospect’s behavior may have had nothing to do with you. Maybe s/he was eyeball-deep in work, carved out a few minutes for you, and then had to get back at it. Or perhaps there was a death or illness in the family. Or it could be s/he just didn’t need your wonderful work at the moment.

Timing is all-important. As Jethro Tull once said, “Life’s a long song.” There could be a time in the future when that prospect will need your services and will call you. Just keep in touch, try to help when appropriate, and bide your time. Be sure to ask if it’s okay if you check back in a few weeks or a month. And award yourself a gold “SUCCESS” star for being proactive and requesting the meeting.

• Summing Up

To improve your prospecting approach, adjust your mental attitude in these three ways:

• You’re not just a “Your Label Here.” You’re a strategic thinker who can help prospects meet their business challenges.

• Your mission is to help prospects in any way you can, whether what they need at the moment is related to your services or not.

• You never fail at prospecting unless you quit. Keep in touch, help when you can, and be patient. Your time may come.