Month: February 2007

Sundays I read the New York Times (and do the crossword puzzle). This week, there was a whole section devoted to real estate. Now normally this wouldn’t be of any great interest to me (I’m not interested in NY real estate, being in California) but I couldn’t help but be blown away by the front page’s main story: Selling on the Web–Making Every Pixel Count. Above the fold there were two pictures of the same property–one done by the agent and one by a pro (more examples inside the section)–and the differences were striking.

The article discusses how most buyers use the ‘net to house shop and of those who did, how they “rated photographs as the most useful tool in their search.” Later in the article, Lauren Cangiano of Halstead Property in NY is quoted saying “When you look at the difference between professional photos and ones taken by brokers, it’s not hard to see that you get what you pay for” (emphasis mine).

While a little later on they also interview an agent who shoots his own, I think what he says actually proves that hiring a pro is a better idea:

Mr. Neuwirth takes his own photographs, but he has bought high-end equipment and will spend hours trying to capture the perfect angle “to make sure the pictures tell the story the right way.”

He tries to take pictures using as much natural light as possible. “Shooting at night is always a mistake because the light will come out dreary, and a flash that bounces off a window is just horrible,” he said.

Regardless, the point is that real estate people, who rank at or near the bottom in “cheap client” lists, understand how vital good images are. They get how valuable they are. So, the next time you get a cheap-o client who wants it for free or practically, show them this article. And price your work appropriately.

Alternately, you could send them to this little animated gif (hat tip to Jane G. for the link).

I firmly believe that–creativity is motion towards; it’s positive, even when based in pain and struggle, it is, at its essence, a positive act. Creation isn’t destruction, even when its deconstructionist; then it is a re-building. I just can’t find a place where creativity is a negative-based entity.

So why the hell are so many creatives so negative?!

The easy answer is fear, but that excuse is getting tired. Everyone is afraid–we have that hard-wired into our primitive monkey brains, self-preservation and survival of the species above all else–and yet there are so many of us who are happy and, therefore and not coincidentially, successful. What is the difference?

Think about it–how many successful people do you know who are dark, solitary, and negative? Who let their fears dictate their lives? With the exception of Howard Hughes (who suffered from all sorts of mental illnesses apparently), I can’t think of any (and even he made his fortune before become dark and solitary). I certainly can’t think of any successful creative professionals who don’t put themselves out there and overcome their fears every day.

With every moment, we have the choice to let the fears dictate–to be negative and defeatist, or we can choose to be positive, hopeful, reach out with our art and our selves and to work towards a better future. For example, today you may be told “we never have anyone expect 50% up front” and you can choose to let the fear of being different and the fear of not getting the project win, or you can choose to say “Well, that is my business policy and the way I do business, I hope you can respect that.” You can not win a project with Client A and not let it stop you from trying again with Clients B-Z. You can choose to do a self-assignment rather than take a bad deal. You can make your best art rather than caving in to what you have been told is the “right” kind of art to make.

At every moment, choosing to be positive is simply another way of saying “I choose to respect myself, my art, and my business.”

Can’t wait for the iPhone? Make your own!

Okay, so it’s made out of paper and doesn’t function as either a cell phone or an iPod, but it can sit on your desk and make you excited about the future…in that totally geeky way so many of us can relate with.

I had a photographer call me today because he didn’t know what to do. While he’s not a client, I have spoken with him a few times in the past, and I guess he thought I might be able to help him with his situation. Unfortunately, I don’t think anyone really could.

See, he was talking with a potential client, a large company with whom he really wanted to work, when they started talking about how much it would cost to shoot the project. Now, rather than telling the potential client “Let me go over the information and write up a detaled estimate–I’ll have it for you within 48 hours” he did what some creatives have been known to do. He told the client that he’d have to talk with his business manager “Betty” (not the name used). The client said that would be fine and that, in fact, they’d very much like to talk with Betty themselves, “Have Betty call us back.”

Here’s where the trouble lies–there is no business manager, no Betty. He lied because he wanted the company to think his company was bigger, with staff and the like.

“What should I do now?” this photographer asked. I told him he had two choices: come clean now or continue the lying and make a bigger hole for his business, because the truth would eventually come out. He didn’t sound thrilled with either choice. I recommended calling the client back and being completely honest: say that he was so excited about the project and so wanted to work with this company that he was afraid that if he didn’t have a staff that they would reject him out of hand; he should also apologize for not trusting that they would not be that shallow and for lying to them.

I don’t know what he’ll do, but let his mistake be a lesson to all of us. When you lie in business (just like in life), it won’t make things better in the long run. Sure, you might get away with it now and again, briefly, but I’ve never not seen lying end up bad.

One thing he mentioned, as part of his thought process, was reading where someone had written that a photographer should say “My business manager says I have to price it this way” when defending one’s prices. I say that’s a lousy idea. It immediately tells the other party that you yourself do not even believe your numbers are what they should be–you are just “following orders.” Talk about losing your negotiating position! Instead show your strength and faith in your value and, thus, your prices. I like what Tim Olive (and others) said when a client tells him his is the most expensive estimate on a project: Yes! Woo hoo!

You must learn to be your own best advocate. If you don’t clearly have faith that what you are bringing to the table is special and valuable, how is anyone else supposed to figure that out? Can you imagine going to a fine restaurant and having the waiter apologize for the prices? No! Stand up and say “My work is worth the big bucks–I’m not cheap, I don’t work for cheap, and my clients get what they pay for.”

Yes, I’m using that term deliberately. It fits and it’s part of the title of a new book by a very well respected Stanford professor, Bob Sutton: The No Asshole Rule. While this book deals more with bosses and employees, as I understand it (it’s not out yet so I haven’t read it), the information Sutton provides on his blog often applies to our industries. I bet the book will too.

I’m particularly sensitive to this topic because I’ve seen some creatives be really quite lousy to other creatives, and it pisses me off. It’s hard enough making it in a creative industry–why should we make it harder on each other? For example, I personally had a boss (owner) who told his workers (about 6 of us) that there needed to be “belt-tightening” in the company. We all needed to “pull together” to get through the financial bad times, and vague promises of profit sharing in the future were offered. A few days later he showed up with (and showed off!) his new Audi. Interesting that he lost two key players (including me) not long after that.

Another place I see abuse is in the treatment of interns in agencies and assistants by photographers. These people are often treated like scum. I don’t mean that they are asked to clean the bathrooms (which they often are, but that can be okay if others do it too, like in a small studio or firm), I mean they are verbally belittled (a pro assistant being told he’s “just an assistant” even though he has lit and set up the shot for the photographer–or even called names!), paid grudgingly, late, or looked at like they’re nuts for expecting to get paid at all, and even not fed when everyone else gets lunch provided…things like that.

When, for example, a photographer talks on-set about his last trip to France and the AD shows off his new car and laptop, and the AE drives a high-end sports car and wears Armani, it is insulting to tell a highly-skilled digital (tech) assistant that s/he can’t be paid more than $250 a day because there isn’t any money in the budget. Then to say that you won’t pay the assistant until you get paid (same goes for agencies not paying photographers until they get paid) is beyond unacceptable.

When I ask creatives why they think it’s okay to do things like this, the answer I get most often is “This is how I was treated–they have to pay their dues!” That is the biggest bullshit answer, ever. You got kicked in the teeth, therefore it’s okay for you to kick the next person? No. That’s the same rationalization abusers give and it is does not speak to the fundamental fact that such behavior is, quite simply, wrong.

Bob Sutton points out that this behavior is directly connected to power. Getting power seems to turn people (if they are not careful) into assholes. When you become the boss, you are instantly transformed into a person with power. You then have a choice–to become a good boss or an asshole. For those of us in the creative industries, we may have a more difficult time overcoming the “asshole poisoning” Sutton refers to, as this article points out, but that doesn’t mean we can’t do it.

Were you forced to do scut-work or treated like trash early in your career? I am sorry you had to go through that. It sucks. Your boss was wrong to treat you that way. Tell yourself that–“My boss was wrong to (fill in the humiliation).” Imagine what you would tell that boss if s/he tried that on you today.

Now, don’t pass on that venom.

Each of us has the choice of how we act and react and can decide to stop being an asshole today. If you’ve been known to, say, stall payments to your vendors, write those checks today. Thank an intern. Tell your assistant that you appreciate her/his efforts. Take your crew out for cocktails, just to say “I know you work hard.” My prediction is that you will get better productivity out of these people (productivity increases with respect) and that you, as well as they, will be happier at work.

Okay, so we’ve had the Super Bowl and the reactions to the ads are in. They are overwhelmingly “eh…not bad, but nothing wowed me.” Two of the highest ranking ads, in popularity and, according to the Today show, brain function results (at least one of the ads), were the Doritos non-professional-created ads.

This is extremely important to those of us in the creative professions–the professions which work in marketing and advertising.

At first glance, this could be seen as a significant threat. After all, arguably some of the best ads on the Super Bowl were made for almost no money and by rank amateurs! What would clients need pros for, if they can get better work from everyday Joes and Janes?

I’ll tell why these ads can actually be considered a positive for our industries: they are proof that the client needs to let go of the reins. Yes, they got some really strong work from these people, but why was it so good? Because these creators were not hamstrung by the client. These people, these non-pros, got to be free with their creative processes. They didn’t have to go through round after round of approvals, with some suit telling them they needed more diversity or couldn’t do X because it might not appeal to Y segment of the market or any of the other crap that we pros have to put up with in every single project.

Can you imagine what the creative output would be like from agencies if the client hired them and let them do their jobs? Can you imagine what the other ads in this year’s Super Bowl would have been like? At the very least, the reaction wouldn’t have been this overwhelming yawn we’re seeing this year.

Clients see the huge number of viewers and try to force them into an arbitrary market (singular)–THE Super Bowl viewers. In the doing, they are trying to homogenize a group that is anything but singular in its tastes, desires, needs, cultural backgrounds, etc. This huge number of potential buyers (and the price tag) makes them scared they won’t reach EVERY SINGLE one of them they might be able to with their one ad, and so they start to control (read: dilute) the creative.

These non-pros didn’t have to go through that process. They never had to face hearing the client say things like “both the actors are white–we might lose the African-Americans who buy 24.23% of the Doritos annually and we can’t do that! Let’s make him African-American…or maybe ambiguously mixed race!” (percentage made up by me, btw), quickly followed by the next suit saying “and we may offend people who dive green cars! We should focus group that” which could easily be followed by “we might get sued for suggesting that drivers eat our product while driving–let’s make him sitting on a bench.”

And so it goes in our real working world.

So here’s my plea to clients everywhere: let your incredibly talented and creative creatives do their jobs! Let them create, innovate, make things that may challenge some groups. Stop forcing your agencies to create crap, and then complaining about how the ads are crap and how you can get better from non-pros. Until or unless you let your agencies do what they do best, you will get exactly the same ho-hum crap you have been getting. Get out of their way, and you may get stunning, effective brilliance.

With over 500 terms, the Ridiculous Buisiness Jargon Dictionary is a classic in the making. Use it today to understand what your AEs and/or clients in suits are saying!

…in this case, in France (the pun-ish title alone makes it worth my time).

Okay folks, here is the first of several posts (more details to come) about the upcoming speaking trip I will be taking to points east (of course, almost everything is east of here…). I hope to meet LOTS of you at these events!

What will I be talking about? So glad you asked…

Beyond PMS:
How to overcome fear, find your best market, and achieve your goals

Building on her very popular New Treatments for PMS (Panic Marketing Syndrome) presentation, internationally-known consultant Leslie will talk on several issues blocking photographers (and other creative professionals) from being more successful. Her presentation will have Keynote-based visuals and a downloadable pdf outline available ahead of time to facilitate comprehension and note-taking. These tools, combined with Leslie’s humorous-yet-thoughtful delivery and an openness to answer questions on all topics, result in an opportunity to improve your business and the acquisition of helpful ideas that can be implemented the very next day.

Some topics to be covered include:
time management for the “flakey” creative
rational goal setting
how to turn goals into action
fear and its painful results (like lowballing)
understanding and finding your best market
effective tools
using tools more effectively

Oh, and do you want to win a copy of my book? Then come to one of the events–you have to be there to win!

While in each city, I’ll be offering consultations at a discount to members of the sponsoring organizations. Also, and quite importantly for the groups, I will be donating back a percentage of the fees generated in the consultations–member or not–to each individual chapter. So, for example, if you meet with me in Atlanta, a portion of the fees will go to APA-Atlanta. In other words, you can help these groups while you help yourself. If you are interested in signing up for the individual consultations, you can do that by contacting me directly. The prices will be as follows:

Members 50 minutes: $250, 110 minutes: $470

Non-Members 50 minutes: $300, 110 minutes: $550

Sign up soon, and definitely in advance, to get the most out of our meeting. I will send a worksheet to those who sign up ahead of time, to help us be more efficient with our time together. That way you can get more of the help you want in the time we have.

The schedule is as follows:

Austin, TX
17 April (evening) Presenting Beyond PMS at ASMP-A/SA
18 April (all day) Individual Consultations

Philadelphia, PA (to meet with ASMP National–no presentation)
22 April (morning) Individual Consultations (member discounts still apply!)

Charlotte, NC
25 April (day) Individual Consultations
25 April (evening) Presenting Beyond PMS at APA-Charlotte
26 April (all day) Individual Consultations

Atlanta, GA
28 April 10:00AM, Presenting Beyond PMS at APA-Atlanta
30 April (all day) Individual Consultations

Richmond, VA
03 May (evening) Presenting Beyond PMS at ASMP-Central VA
04 May (all day) Individual Consultations

Washington, DC
07 May (all day) Individual Consultations
08 May (day) Individual Consultations
08 May (evening) Presenting Beyond PMS at ASMP-DC

Boston, MA
10 May (day) Individual Consultations
10 May (evening) Presenting Beyond PMS at ASMP-NE
11 May (all day) Individual Consultations

I’m sure each sponsoring group will have postings about the presentations on their websites soon, with location details. And keep you posted here on those as well, providing links as they are made available.

Hey folks, sorry for the delays in posting but all the BAP stuff is being/has been moved to new servers. In the doing, there have been a few technical hiccups which, combined with a new (and more than usually buggy) version of WordPress (which I use to blog), and, well, you get the perfect storm of non-postingness. Most things seem to be up-and-running now, however.

This switch *may* have caused an email here and there to astray as well. While doubtful (my tech guru is quite good at keeping track of such things), let me just say that if you sent me something in the past 24 hours or so and I have yet to reply, you might want to send it again, just to be sure.

Thanks for everyone’s patience, and please stay tuned–more information on the upcoming Speaking Tour will be posted very soon!