The Art Of Client Service, Revised And Updated Edition Part 7

CHAPTER 43.

Before You Give Clients What They Need, First Give ThemFirst Give Them What They Want I'll often say to clients, "Give us the problem, not the solution. Ask the question; don't give us the answer. Let us solve the problem. That's what you hired us for. We want to help you get to the right place."

Some clients agree, some don't. These days, lots of clients hire agencies to execute, not to think. Clients are not entirely to blame; agencies have contributed to the erosion of their authority with clients. Agencies have been better at making television ads than at solving marketing problems. This has allowed consulting firms to replace ad agencies as chief strategy advisors to "C-level" client executives.

The result is many clients no longer say, "This is the problem I need you to address." Instead, they say, "Here's how I want my problem solved; now go execute some advertising."

If this is what you're confronted with, what do you do?

First, let me advise you on what not not to do: Do not give in to the temptation to save clients from themselves. If they make a decision, if they give you direction, respect what they say. Be prepared to give them what they've asked for. to do: Do not give in to the temptation to save clients from themselves. If they make a decision, if they give you direction, respect what they say. Be prepared to give them what they've asked for.

However, if what they've asked for is wrong, or if it falls short in any way, you have an obligation to go above and beyond what's called for.

After you've done everything possible to execute the client's direction effectively, you should present other possibilities. Make sure you give the client what they wanted first, then show the client what you think they need.

Presented with a choice, many clients will make a wise decision. Especially if you truly respected their wishes and did the best possible job with the direction they gave you. And especially if you've developed a relationship built on mutual respect and trust.

Still, even the smartest clients will occasionally make choices that are not the smartest. If there is no way to persuade them otherwise, and if there is no way to get them to research or test your he marketplace to do your persuading for you. Perhaps the next time the client will be more willing to ask the question, rather than provide the answer, and to rely on you and your agency for the solution.

CHAPTER 44.

How to Write a Letter of Proposal Writers get to fill their books with broadcast and print ads, some outdoor and Web stuff, and maybe a collateral piece or two. Account people don't have books to showcase their work, but if they did, they would fill them with Word doc.u.ments and PowerPoint presentations. Not exactly the most scintillating material, it's a better cure for insomnia than anything else. But the reality is, if you want to be a really good account person, you need to master writing a good letter of proposal.

There are some terrific books on how to write well, and I include three in Chapter 57 Chapter 57, "Invest Some Time (Again) in These Books." But I also think it would be helpful to explain five things that I think are critical in putting together an effective letter of proposal: 1. 1. It's an It's an agreement agreement, not a contract contract. I may be parsing words, but if you allow the lawyers-yours and the client's-to get involved in drafting a contract, the a.s.signment will be over before you sign anything, and the only one to profit will be your attorney. I may be parsing words, but if you allow the lawyers-yours and the client's-to get involved in drafting a contract, the a.s.signment will be over before you sign anything, and the only one to profit will be your attorney. In all the years I've been in advertising, I have never needed help arriving at a client agreement. Instead, I've relied on a simple and thorough letter to establish an a.s.signment's scope of work. Once I've completed the letter, I ask my client to sign it before beginning the a.s.signment. In all the years I've been in advertising, I have never needed help arriving at a client agreement. Instead, I've relied on a simple and thorough letter to establish an a.s.signment's scope of work. Once I've completed the letter, I ask my client to sign it before beginning the a.s.signment.Letters of proposal do in fact operate as "legal agreements," but by keeping the writing personal and informal, I get to an outcome that's faster, cheaper, and better. And if you deliver on the scope of work you described, you won't need to call your attorney.2. Write the way you speak. Write the way you speak. You are not trying to replicate "party of the first part" legal language. Write conversationally. You are not trying to replicate "party of the first part" legal language. Write conversationally. 3. 3. Tell them what you are going to tell them. Tell them what you are going to tell them. After the usual pleasantries that you use to open the letter-"It was great to see you the other day, blah, blah, blah."- make sure you outline what the rest of the letter will entail. The letter should include the following elements: After the usual pleasantries that you use to open the letter-"It was great to see you the other day, blah, blah, blah."- make sure you outline what the rest of the letter will entail. The letter should include the following elements:[image] A recap of the a.s.signment A recap of the a.s.signment[image] A discussion of the various components you plan to include in the scope of work A discussion of the various components you plan to include in the scope of work[image] A budget estimate, both for your fees and any third-party costs you might incur (media, production, travel, etc.) A budget estimate, both for your fees and any third-party costs you might incur (media, production, travel, etc.)[image] A schedule A schedule[image] Next steps Next steps[image] Another "thanks for the opportunity" closing, with a reminder that you will call to follow up. Another "thanks for the opportunity" closing, with a reminder that you will call to follow up. 4. 4. Use short paragraphs. Use short paragraphs. Use headlines to separate the letter into digestible segments. Keep your paragraphs short; six lines maximum is the rule. Use headlines to separate the letter into digestible segments. Keep your paragraphs short; six lines maximum is the rule. 5. 5. Write it, then rewrite it. Write it, then rewrite it. The key to getting a letter of proposal that is clear and convincing lies not in the writing but in the rewriting. The editing process will not only sharpen your language, it also will clarify your thinking. The key to getting a letter of proposal that is clear and convincing lies not in the writing but in the rewriting. The editing process will not only sharpen your language, it also will clarify your thinking.

There are countless ways to write a letter of proposal, and I'm certain my approach is just one among many. Still, I thought it would be helpful if I included an example.

The letter that follows is one I sent to a potential client, sanitized to maintain confidentiality and to remove the actual numbers I quoted. Admittedly, it lost a bit of steam as I did my housekeeping, but it still gives you a sense of the approach. (In case you're wondering, I did not get this a.s.signment.) With apologies to all the really good writers out there, here it is: SOLOMON STRATEGIC.

January 7, 2008 Ms. Jane Doe CEO.

Jane Doe & Company 123 45th Avenue New Town, California 98765 Re: Website.com proposal

Dear Jane,

I hope you are having a good trip out West. I enjoyed our breakfast meeting and found our conversation about conducting a measurable television advertising test for Website.com to be invigorating.

We spoke by phone shortly thereafter to consider how we might structure a test around the two :30 spots you emailed with just $00,000 to spend. What follows is a proposal that recaps the a.s.signment; discusses creative, production, media, and measurement; and outlines cost and timing.

a.s.signment Recap In addition to having a simple, unique, and memorable URL, the Website.com website provides a real service to consumers by making it fast, easy, and convenient to compare various offers, then apply online for the offer that is best suited to their individual needs.

Even in the absence of broad awareness-building advertising, traffic on the site is brisk and growing. But a question remains: can Website.com substantially grow the number of online applications through an advertising effort?

The purpose of the test is to answer this question and to do so for $00,000.

If our goal is merely to drive increased click-throughs to the Website.com website, our test would be relatively simple to construct: choose a test market, pick some dayparts and stations, run the spots as constructed, then measure results.

But our goal is not not to measure traffic; it is instead to measure to measure traffic; it is instead to measure completed orders completed orders.

This makes the a.s.signment more complex, and as a result, there are four issues we need to address: creative execution, production, media, and measurement.

Creative For starters, the :30 spots don't explain why or how viewers should apply or benefits for doing so. Music choice is admittedly subjective, but there are alternatives to explore that could be more engaging and enticing. You also explained that we don't have permission from the companies to run their brands on television.

In an ideal world, we would create a new direct-response-oriented television (DRTV) spot, geared to encouraging viewers not only to visit Website.com but also to apply for one or more cards when they are on the site. To give us the time we need to tell viewers exactly what we want them to do, and to help us qualify for lower-cost DRTV media, we would create a :60 spot, not a :30.

But the reality is, you've already invested in creating two commercials, and it will be far less expensive for us to convert one of the current :30s into a :60, rather than starting over.

I've watched the spots; I'm confident we can convert either of them into a :60.

We would do this by combining a new voice-over commentary with a range of graphic "slates" that would be intercut into the existing spot. We might, for example, open and close with slates and the new voice-over. We also might insert one or two "breaks" within the commercial itself, to reinforce the message we are trying to convey.

Traditional DRTV marketers would add an incentive to induce the behavior they're seeking, but this isn't something you would consider. Regardless, the goal is to stretch the current :30 into a full :60, without adding any on-air talent and without reshooting any live action.

In the end, we will try to construct a spot that maintains rhythm and flow by designing the breaks to be smooth and efficient. The objective is to create finished advertising that is built as if it was an original :60 DRTV spot.

There's a good bit of creative development to address here. To a.s.sist me, I will select a copy/art creative team from among my roster of options. I have several people in mind; my goal will be to select people who can work fast and cheap.

Production We also need to produce a new spot. We will select an actor for the voice-over and choose a recording studio to lay down the track. We need a company to create the slates we will use. We need to relook at the music, make some recommendations, and arrive at a selection. And we need to edit and mix everything together at a studio, do final conforming, then traffic the spots to the stations on which the ads will run.

All of this is fairly technical work, and to a.s.sist me I will hire a freelance producer. I have one in mind whom I've worked with in the past. If he's available and the price is right, it will help. If he isn't, I will need to explore other options.

Media Planning and Buying With DRTV, the best, most efficient way to buy media is nationally, which allows us to gain the efficiencies of a countrywide cable buy. But with just $00,000 to invest, we need to control cost, which means we will conduct the test in a single market.

I'm not a media expert, and normally I would turn to one of the media planning and buying shops for a.s.sistance. I know a number of smaller shops and consultancies who might be willing to take this on at low cost and will explore these.

I also will talk with Comcast, Time Warner, and Cablevision about bypa.s.sing the media planning/buying agencies and working with them directly on market and daypart selection. I have contacts at Comcast and Cablevision (both clients) who can help me, and I have a source who can help me with Time Warner.

Regardless of the approach I pursue, I'm a.s.suming we will choose a single market in which we will pick three to five local cable channels to run on and in which we will choose several dayparts. From this, I will construct a very simple media plan for a three- to four-week test.

Measurement In our initial discussions, we agreed that measurement presents a challenge, given the site doesn't presently embed a means of doing this. But in a subsequent voice mail, you indicated there is a way to capture results.

This clearly requires more discussion, but regardless of the approach, once we select our test market, you will need to create some pre- and post-baseline data on application volume, which can serve as our "control." You then can measure results during and immediately after the spots run in-market. You also should measure results in the weeks that follow to see if applications return to their normal levels.

What we hope to see is a significant increase in volume, at a cost-per that meets or exceeds the target number we establish for the test. We then want to convert this into a story to tell investors, with a projection of what the numbers would be like in a broader rollout. We will need good data, and good theater, to merchandise our story.

Cost and Timing I did a quick, back-of-the-envelope calculation on how I would break down the $00,000 budget: This clearly doesn't leave much to invest in working media, but given we're confining ourselves to one market, and given we're buying available, pre-emptable DRTV time, I a.s.sume the $00,000 will allow us to acquire a reasonable volume of advertising. This is something we will to explore in more detail.

But as I look at the budget, there is an even bigger challenge to address.

As I deconstructed the work to prepare this letter of proposal, I realized there is more to do than I initially envisioned, and I need to answer a number of questions to develop a tighter estimate-for my time, for the time of the people who would work with me, for the third-party costs we would incur, and for the working media dollars we have left to invest.

For example, I need to speak with creative teams to see what they would charge. The same is true with a freelance producer. I also don't know what our voice-over talent will cost (I'm a.s.suming this will be nonunion talent, to avoid ongoing holding and renewal fees). I don't know what it will cost to create the slates. I don't know how much it will cost to modify the spots to obscure the credit card brands, should we go this route. And I don't know how much a recording studio and an editing studio will cost.

To address these questions, I propose we divide the work into two phases. In Phase 1, I will contact creative and production people to get an estimate on their time. I will also explore the various media options and arrive at a recommendation. I will develop a tighter estimate of cost-something we can rely on. I will lay out a production schedule. And I will present all of this in a detailed letter or PowerPoint presentation.

a.s.suming Phase 1 yields answers you're comfortable with, we'll proceed with Phase 2 and execute the work.

Phase 1 will take about one or two weeks. My fee for this work is $0,000, which is below my standard $000 an hour rate but sufficient to get Phase 1 done and to get you to a sound, well-informed go/no-go decision point.

Next Steps I realize this letter of proposal has taken you down a path that is different from the one you expected. My apologies for this, but I think it's preferable to raise and address these issues first, before we begin work and prior to committing to a significant investment.

If you decide you want to proceed, you can authorize me to begin work by signing below and returning a copy of this letter to me. I will then issue a $0,000 invoice, which will need to be paid before I present my findings, which means in about a week.

Stepping back from this detail for a minute, this is an incredibly challenging and interesting a.s.signment, and I'd be delighted to partner with you in developing and executing it. But regardless of your decision, I appreciate the opportunity to submit this proposal and look forward to hearing back from you.

I'll follow up with a call later this week. In the meantime, if you have any questions or concerns, or need additional information or clarification, please call me at (000) 000-0000 or email me at [email protected]

Best regards, Robert Robert Solomon Solomon Strategic WEBSITE.COM AUTHORIZATION:.

__________________________________.

Name Date The letter proposals you'll write won't sound or look at all like this one, but this should serve as a modest guide you can use to improve your work.

CHAPTER 45.

The Zen of PowerPoint Okay, there's nothing Zen about this; I'm sorry. I struggled for a t.i.tle, and this was the best I could do.

I'm often reminded of how easy it is to ridicule PowerPoint presentations. I recall a New York Times New York Times article in which the author showed how PowerPoint can dumb down a message as inspiring as Lincoln's Gettysburg address or Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech. article in which the author showed how PowerPoint can dumb down a message as inspiring as Lincoln's Gettysburg address or Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech.

No argument here. Badly used, PowerPoint can eviscerate even the most thoughtful content. That said, PowerPoint has its purpose. Account people like it because it is relatively simple to use and quick to fix without the help of an art director or a producer. Plenty of times, I've edited my material just as I was about to go on stage.

But speed and ease also are part of the problem; we're not any good at playing art director, and that's reflected in the slides we proudly put up on the screen.

So how do we make PowerPoint work well? Here are eight suggestions with examples taken from a presentation I give on this book: 1. Start with a template you create and own. Start with a template you create and own. I'm certainly no master at creating an original template, so this is where I turn to an art director for help. Instead of working in PowerPoint, which is visually limited, the art director first works in Quark or Photoshop to create the template, then imports the result into PowerPoint. I'm certainly no master at creating an original template, so this is where I turn to an art director for help. Instead of working in PowerPoint, which is visually limited, the art director first works in Quark or Photoshop to create the template, then imports the result into PowerPoint. That's exactly what I did on the presentation that I developed to support this book. Here are the three basic template forms I asked an art director to create for me: That's exactly what I did on the presentation that I developed to support this book. Here are the three basic template forms I asked an art director to create for me: Template 1 Template 2 Template 3 I used these templates to create the content of my talk: simple, visual, and effective, I think. We don't have the benefit of color in this book, but if we did, you'd see The Art of Client Service The Art of Client Service highlighted in a bright sash of warm red with the book photograph casting a shadow. highlighted in a bright sash of warm red with the book photograph casting a shadow. 2. 2. If you're confident and the audience is receptive, open with a joke. If you're confident and the audience is receptive, open with a joke. If I had to rely on my own material for humor, you'd be walking out the door in the first minute. But if you have If I had to rely on my own material for humor, you'd be walking out the door in the first minute. But if you have The New Yorker The New Yorker "cartoon bank" at your disposal, you're on much more solid ground. For about $20, you can start with something at least mildly amusing. Here's what I used: "cartoon bank" at your disposal, you're on much more solid ground. For about $20, you can start with something at least mildly amusing. Here's what I used: 3. Keep it short. Keep it short. My slides work like billboards, cuing me to the right content, helping the audience to follow along. This is about the most material I want to be on a slide: My slides work like billboards, cuing me to the right content, helping the audience to follow along. This is about the most material I want to be on a slide: 4. Think in headlines. Think in headlines. This is all I need to prompt a lengthy riff on the importance of integrity in client service: This is all I need to prompt a lengthy riff on the importance of integrity in client service: 5. Be visual. Be visual. I was very proud that I could construct this "c.o.c.ktail napkin" in PowerPoint, which replicates what I include in the book on its last page. It shows, better than mere words could, the key elements of client service: I was very proud that I could construct this "c.o.c.ktail napkin" in PowerPoint, which replicates what I include in the book on its last page. It shows, better than mere words could, the key elements of client service: Also, when you don't have data to rely upon, create the appearance of support. Most of what I have to say on the subject of client service is opinion, not fact. But it helps if I can quote an article or two. Here's an example from Advertising Age: Advertising Age: 6. "Produce" your slides. "Produce" your slides. Unfortunately, I can't show you step-by-step how I built the slide below; for that you would need PowerPoint itself operating in "presentation" mode. But PowerPoint has a surprisingly easy and intuitive "slide customization" capability that allows you to add animations, wipes, and sound to what otherwise would be a static image. Here's an example of a fully produced, finished slide. Each one of these images "wipes on" to the page at a mouse click: Unfortunately, I can't show you step-by-step how I built the slide below; for that you would need PowerPoint itself operating in "presentation" mode. But PowerPoint has a surprisingly easy and intuitive "slide customization" capability that allows you to add animations, wipes, and sound to what otherwise would be a static image. Here's an example of a fully produced, finished slide. Each one of these images "wipes on" to the page at a mouse click: 7. Handwriting helps. Handwriting helps. It doesn't take much to scan something written by hand to add some visual interest: It doesn't take much to scan something written by hand to add some visual interest: 8. With a presenter or without? With a presenter or without? This is the last point-and the most important. This is the last point-and the most important. Many of the best presentations serve as visual support for the presenter. In cases like these, PowerPoint should be a prop, not the central focus. But what happens after the presentation, when someone who was not in the room reads the material? They would struggle to fill in the blanks. Many of the best presentations serve as visual support for the presenter. In cases like these, PowerPoint should be a prop, not the central focus. But what happens after the presentation, when someone who was not in the room reads the material? They would struggle to fill in the blanks.Presentations like these must stand on their own, without a speaker. They must tell a story yet still be structured in PowerPoint.The best way to show you this is to share a full presentation with you. s.p.a.ce prevents this, but if you visit www.artofclientservice.com, you can download an example I posted there. you can download an example I posted there. There are books that can help you create effective PowerPoint presentations, but if you follow these eight simple rules, you will master the Zen of PowerPoint and emerge as an enlightened "deck swami." There are books that can help you create effective PowerPoint presentations, but if you follow these eight simple rules, you will master the Zen of PowerPoint and emerge as an enlightened "deck swami."

CHAPTER 46.

In a Hi-Tech World, Be Low-Tech I was having lunch with two incredibly talented creative people when the subject of the new edition of this book came up. "It's been four years since your last book, and so much has changed," one of them said. "Are you going to write about how to use technology to serve clients?" was having lunch with two incredibly talented creative people when the subject of the new edition of this book came up. "It's been four years since your last book, and so much has changed," one of them said. "Are you going to write about how to use technology to serve clients?"

I wasn't planning to talk about technology. But then I realized that I have a cell phone, a BlackBerry, and two email addresses that allow me to be in nearly 24/7 contact with my clients. And it's not at all uncommon for me to respond to client voice mail and answer their emails at midnight.

So I should talk about what having all this hardware and software means. I thought long and hard about it and ultimately came to a startling revelation: It means almost nothing to a good account person.

Yes, it's great to be in contact. Yes, it's both smart and productive to respond to voice mail and email at all hours of the day. And yes, your clients will no doubt approve of your dedication to their interests.

But there's something almost insidious about having this technology at your disposal. The client service people I know are busier than ever. The easiest thing is to email or late call. Get that task off your plate and move to the next one.

And therein lies the problem. As voice mail and email replace live, in-person contact, you find yourself more in touch but less connected with the people you serve. So in a business that is all about the 21st century when it comes to communicating, I urge you to remain firmly last century. Use hi-tech to help, not replace, face-to-face.

I've got to go now-my BlackBerry is buzzing, and my cell phone is ringing.

Trouble

CHAPTER 47.

Always Think Endgame The client was wrong. The agency had agreed to create a print ad on a ridiculously tight schedule, with the understanding that we would do our creative presentation on a particular day. Now the client was saying she couldn't meet on the day we agreed to; she wanted to delay a day, but still make all the magazine closings. "You can make up the day in the schedule," she said.

Normally we could. Normally we would be delighted to have an extra day to develop creative concepts. But this schedule wasn't normal. It was broken down into hours, not days. A day lost was a big deal. It threatened to blow our closing dates.

We could have insisted on holding to the original schedule. We could have won the argument, but we would have lost in the end.

The client would remember. The next time we needed her to be flexible on a date, I could see her pointing to the schedule, then pointing to me and saying, "This is what you committed to, so don't even think about asking for an extra hour, let alone an extra day."

So we figured out how to make the publication closings even with the one-day delay on the creative presentation. The message: Working with clients and colleagues is a never-ending process of negotiation and compromise. Always think endgame. Remember that an argument won can become an account lost.