Creating great promotion with freelancers: eight steps to getting the best from creative people who do work for circulation

Folio: The Magazine for Magazine Management, May, 1990 by Elaine Tyson

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

Eight steps to getting the best 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 turn a deaf ear to the client's superior knowledge of their magazine's markets, their 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 copywriting 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.

A word of caution, however: If you need to produce just one test package, there is no need to get bids from 12 companies or freelancers. That's a waste of your time and theirs. Asking your top three choices to bid on the job should be more than enough. (See sidebar on evaluating a portfolio.)

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/her out." (On the other hand, once you have established a good relationship with a writer or agency, they'll probably be happy to help you with these smaller projects as well as the more demanding ones.)

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. That's too limiting for you. And besides, a fresh, unbiased perspective is very often what's needed to establish a new control.

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 can 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.