And the winner is

What’s the point of submitting work for awards?

I'm probably only asking this as we at GPJ have been lucky enough to win a few over the last few weeks.

As I sit here admiring the booty

(That's the other meaning of the word booty)

Its worth pondering the question.

So there is ego stroking of course.

But that's not it.
They teach us to blow our trumpet.
To sing the praises of our clients and colleagues.
Celebrate the things we do well, and acknowledge those magic moments when it all comes together.
But that's not it.

More importantly for me, is the submissions process.

It is a great chance to brush up on our storytelling skills.
What we say and how we say it.
It brings out the anecdotes and the inside scoop.
It forces us to be compelling because we want to win.
That way, even if we don’t win, it can help us win more business.
And remember, of course it’s an honour just to be nominated.

See you all at Eventia on Friday

Straight from the dragon's mouth

I don't know if you caught Dragon Peter Jones' programme How We Made Our Millions last night on BBC

Here it is on iplayer

He was trying to discover if there was a defining trait in successful people.

I had the same thought around agencies.

There are two types of agencies.

Those that win and those that don’t.

Now, presuming that they have a fairly equitable distribution of talent, what separates them?

I think it’s the willingness to do what needs to be done.

Education expert Frank Banks once said “If you really want to do something, you'll find a way.
If you don't, you'll find an excuse."

If your heart’s not in it, you’ll never win.

It’s always easy to spot the people who derail your chances.

They’ve got a million and one reasons not to try.

They use up far more energy protesting than they would just getting the job done.

Funny enough Peter's conclusion was much the same.

Don't take no for an answer.

Don't Be What They Want You To Be

One of my friends has a great way of calming down the control freaks in his business.
When he feels the pressure building, he sends people an email.
He explains the situation and tells them to be a little less "pendantic".
Guess what - they all write back and correct his spelling.
His reply?
"Thanks for making my point."
Wry smiles all round, and tension diffused.
When he told me about this, I wondered what it meant.
We all like to think of ourselves and independent creatures.
Capable of surprises at every turn.
And then someone sets a trap that we walk right into.
Because they've had the chance to observe how we behave.
The kind of traits that are hard to leave behind.
They know that we'll be difficult.
They know we'll be a pushover.
They know we'll spend most of our time complaining.
They know we'll sit on the fence.
They know we'll make a weak joke (OK, that one's me).
So it's up to us to get out of the river that we've made for ourselves.
The theory of consequential action posits that if we change one thing, everything else will follow.
Change the news feeds you read.
Change your breakfast cereal.
Break from the old routine.
Change it up.
Mix it up.
You won't believe the difference it makes.
Funny
I knew you'd say that.

The Other Side Of The Table

It's not often that I find myself with time on my hands.
But the last few days have been interesting for precisely that reason.
The other day, I found myself at the mercy (in a nice way) of four old friends.
They originally got together and set up their own company.
They're currently in the process of refreshing their agency credentials.
And I guess they see me as some kind of expert on the subject.
But, you know what they say about experts...
Anyway, the thing that struck me, as they talked through their creds, was how strange it felt to be seeing things from the clients' point-of-view.
I was reminded of something that Colin Lloyd at KLP told me a good fifteen years ago.
Make sure you have a beginning, a middle and an end.
More importantly, keep those three factors as close together as possible.
If you really must talk about yourself, then make sure you tell a story.
Explain you uniqueness, and your viewpoint, through the work you do.
And please, keep it under ten slides.
Otherwise, you might as well say, "Well, enough about me, let's talk about me some more."
Sure, they'll sit through your credentials.
But if they've taken the meeting, chances are, there's a bunch of other things they'd rather be talking about.

Once More Unto The Breach, Dear Friends, Once More;

What's the most important department in your agency?
Obviously account development's vital.
Sales and marketing has a particular relevance to me.
And I keep going on about the importance of creative - so those guys must be essential.
And yet, when faced with that question, no-one ever says HR.
Which is strange, since HR is the defining part of your business.
Of any business.
Ultimately, it's the people who work with, for and around you, who make the difference.
They're what drives you.
It doesn't matter what else you do, the people are your key to success.
Great looking PowerPoint won't win you the account.
A spreadsheet won't make you more innovative.
Success comes from inspiring the people around you.
No-one works for a company.
They work for a person.
So forget about those old 'carrot and stick' policies.
The world has moved on.
Today, people want inspiration.
And that can only come from knowing.
Knowing your people.
Knowing your clients.
Knowing your subject.

A Lifetime's Work

Greetings from my garden.
As I sit here surrounded by herbaceous borders, I'm realising how much I've let things slide over the last few years.
As a consequence, I'm finding that my time is being spent doing all the things I normally don't get the chance to focus on.
Getting the kids off to school.
Making everyone's packed lunches.
Helping out with homework.
And it's all been surprisingly rewarding.
I'm reminded of an old Japanese saying, that the man who spends his life contemplating the perfect cherry blossom will not have lived his life in vain.
My take-out from this, is that if you dedicate yourself to every task, no matter how mundane it may seem, you will be rewarded.
It's that age-old mantra - the more you put in, the more you'll get out.
And it really does work.
Try it for the rest of the week and see what happens.
And if you need any cuttings, just let me know.

Inspire Me

As you know, I often find inspiration in my children.
Fox was at an audition yesterday for a new stage role that could take him all over the world.
Although he's still only 15, he already knows what his future holds.
He's a performer, through and through.
How many people are fortunate enough to know what they want to do at 15?
Anyway, the audition was arranged about ten days ago.
They gave him a page of dialogue to learn and interpret.
Plus, a two minute performance to show off his skills.
Then there was talk of a series of workshop.
It's a lot to take in.
When his agent gave him all the details, he simply took the brief and got on with his preparation.
He didn't complain about needing more time.
He didn't focus on all the reasons why he might not get the part.
He didn't worry about anyone else having an advantage over him.
He just focused on doing the best he could.
And he nailed it.
We all work in a competitive environment.
The key to winning lies in focusing on our own strengths.
Not worrying about everyone else's.
Next time that pitch comes in, make sure you focus on the right things.
It's yours for the winning.

What Is Sales?

The short answer – it’s everything.
The long answer – it really is everything.
It’s the way you answer the phone.
The way you speak to your colleagues.
Seeing every opportunity to build your client sales story into everything you do.
It’s in everything you say within the business.
And everything you say outside of it.
A regular job might be 9-5.
Sales is 24-7.
It never stops.
Nor should you.

Field Marketing and Brand Experience

Something a little different today
Here is a blog I wrote for the new site FMBE
Why I'm the concrete poet, I have no idea
Click the link to enjoy .
www.fieldmarketing.com/blogs/destinations-in-fmbe

Broken Records

Stop me if you've heard this before.
Actually, don't, because I know I've been saying the same thing for four
years.
Ever since I first joined Jack Morton, I've been talking about the power of
doing, rather then telling.
For a former ad agency guy like me, it was initially a bit of stretch.
But as I parent, I guess I've always understood the power of kept promises.
I realised that you can make all kinds of promises.
But until anyone sees the quality of your work, it's just a lot of hot air.
It's true of brands.
And it's true of people.
The gift of the gab might be useful for a little while.
(Come on, I work in sales - what did you expect?)
But ultimately, it's a red herring.
It's the gift of delivery that they'll remember you for.
Time to roll up those sleeves and change your tune.
You've got some promises to keep.

When It Really Counts

Oh dear.
Someone’s feeling the squeeze.
Those budget pressures.
Resourcing issues.
Not enough time.
Hey, I feel your pain.
I get it.
I’ve been there.
But who do you think you’re helping when you stalk round the office like a bear with a sore head?
Did you really save yourself some precious time by not including a greeting in that email?
Come on now.
Time to check yourself before you wreck yourself (and everything around you).
Give a little more.
Try a little harder.
That 10-15% you keep in reserve.
Your back-up power supply.
Now’s the time to use it.
Last minute pitch?
Go for it.
Late night email?
Hit send straight away.
Want to be scowly, do it on your own time.
Feel like a rude girl?
Don’t bother.
Charm.
Personality.
Grace under fire.
That’s the key.
We’re all being asked to do more with less.
The winners will be the ones who manage to do it with a smile.

A Change Is Gonna Come

Yesterday it was all about attitude.
Today it's platitudes.
I'm like the blog version of Dr. Seuss.
(and I still don't like green eggs and ham!)
There's a great old saying: "When the pupil is ready, the teacher will
appear."
No-one can teach you anything until you're ready to learn.
So it doesn't matter what your mantra is:
"Creativity is king."
"Innovate or die."
"Yes we can."
Until you're ready to make the change, everything will stay just as it is.
It takes willing, commitment and determination.
If you're not willing to come at the problem from a new angle, you're just
sinking in a sea of platitudes.
You have to take personal responsibility for making change happen.
Otherwise, you're just another grumpy old luddite.
Ask yourself, "what am I going to do differently today?"
Then get out there and do it.
And remember - there's no 'I' in team.

Do You Have These In My Size?

We've all had the 'shoe shop experience'.
Unhelpful staff who can't be bothered to serve you.
"We've only got what's on display."
"No, I don't need to check the stock room, we haven't got any size eights."
So we buy a pair and make a mental note never to come back.
Think about that in the context of a business pitch.
If you were in charge of the budget, would you want to spend it on a team
that seems miserable?
Argumentative?
Insincere?
Of course not.
The pitching doesn't stop, even after you've won the work.
You have to put even more effort it, to show you're proud to working on the
account.
All those promises you made at pitch time - you need to keep them.
Size 12, extra wide fitting, if you're interested

Sitting In The Outside Seat.

The sad fact is, some people seem to find a perverse pleasure in making life difficult.
They always have to have their say.
No matter what the topic is, or how many people they upset by saying it.
They're like the guy on the train.
You know who he is.
He sits on the outside seat.
And makes everyone struggle past him to get to an empty seat.
You find these guys in agencies too.
For whatever reason, they choose to display their animosity towards everyone and everything.
They don't like clients.
They don't like their briefs.
They poke fun at the work.
They undermine the team.
And they need to be stopped.
At every opportunity.
It's time to remind them that any agency is only as good as its clients.
We depend on them, and we should be a little more grateful that we're able to play in their world.
You wouldn't allow someone to walk into your home a empty a rubbish bin all over your kitchen floor.
You'd be angry.
You'd shout.
You'd remonstrate.
Yes, remonstrate.
That's what you need to do about the verbal rubbish that gets dumped in your ear.
Deal with it.
And fast.

What's Up With Pitching?

I'll tell you.
In the interests of fairness, clients keep trying to level the playing field.
So they close their doors.
That means no meetings.
Sure, you can send through your questions.
But we'll need to share them with the other agencies.
Along with our answers.
All that fairness ends up making it desperately unfair.
The fact is, some agencies are just, well, better.
Just imagine...
"Hello Arlen, please come in, sit down.
Now, what's all this about a special recipe for chicken coating?
If you could just share your ideas with us, we can let the other chicken shops know what you're thinking.
You know, so they can all have the opportunity to match your pitch."
Ridiculous isn't it?
Sometimes, the clear winner is evident long before the pitch takes place.
We're all keen to run the race.
But it's not a real race if the early leader is hobbled to give everyone else a chance.

An Experience To Remember

This week I had another speaking engagement.
This time it was at the Event Production Show at the Olympia.
And, just like always, I learned a lot just by showing up.
The thing that struck me, was how much has changed in the four years
I've been at Jack Morton.
Back in the early days, my presentations about brand experiences were
received very differently.
Sure, people were engaged.
What can I say - I'm a funny guy (or so I'm told).
But the topic of my presentation was only of passing interest.
When you're up there on stage, you can tell when your audience isn't really
buying.
It's a sales thing - you learn to read people.
But something changed in the last 18 months.
Now, people sit up and take notice.
Maybe I'm a better speaker than I was.
Perhaps the refined content makes my position clearer.
To be honest though, I think those things are incidental.
We know the trading climate has changed.
Budgets are being squeezed.
And the pressure's on.
Suddenly, the brand experience is at the top of everyone's to-do list.
I could feel that everyone in the room was heading in the same direction.
The right direction.
As an industry, it's up to us to make it happen.
It was a powerful moment.
So thanks to everyone who played a part.
Time to get to work.

What's My Line?

One of the big agency owners (agency chief as Campaign often called him) that I used to work for, once asked me to define my role.
It wasn't one of those 'defend your job' conversations.
He genuinely wanted to know how I saw my responsibility.
My simple answer was "to help our clients sell more of their products".
He saw things differently.
"Your role is to sell more of our products" he told me.
Call me naive.
Or idealistic.
But I disagreed with him then, and still do today.
Don't get me wrong - I live to sell the work of whichever agency I'm part
of.
But that's my end goal.
Not my responsibility.
If we focus on meeting our clients' needs, we'll achieve our own objectives
along the way.
And in this new hyper-connected world of ours, my viewpoint has never been
more resonant.
We're there to add value.
Our clients know what we're trying to sell.
They understand what we do.
Otherwise, we wouldn't be invited in.
But what they're looking for is a hunger to help them do more.
Achieve more.
Sell more.
How do you do that, glad you asked, I'll tell you: "It's to add value to our clients'
brand, their company and their role, that doesn't depend solely on my brand,
my company, or my role."
Now, your turn - what's your role?

The Secret Of Success

OK, I’m gonna let you in on a little secret.
But feel free to spread it around.
I’m going to tell you how to win every pitch.
Without fail!
Bring your unique viewpoint and set of skills to every opportunity
Show integrity around your idea .
Fight for what you believe in.
Celebrate the success of your team.
Bring your knowledge and insight to every meeting.
Give it everything you've got
Believe 100% in your solution.
Be prepared to learn from every opportunity.
Keep building those relationships.
Of course, I can’t guarantee that you’ll land every account or project.
But I promise you’ll emerge victorious from the process every time.
How easy is that?

The Dichotomy

We've all heard them a million times before.
"They didn't really get us"
"It was just a beauty parade"
"I'm not sure how it went - they were hard to read"
Standard post-pitch analysis.
And they're all the direct result of the dichotomy that lies at the heart of how we work.
We spend our lives pitching.
Putting ourselves out there in the hope that the clients will like our effort.
Like a serial-dater doomed to a life of singledom.
The problem is, we're so focused on what we want to achieve, that we get lost in the mix.
What does the client want?
How can we win them over?
Will they like our ideas.
Our true selves tend to get left behind, as we try to represent the version of us we think they want to see.
Here's the thing...
Client know what they want.
When they issue a brief, they've already got an idea of what they're expecting.
They've done a bit of research too - you can usually find it in the brief if you look hard enough.
What they're asking for is your point of view.
What do YOU think?
How do you feel?
You need to focus on the work you believe in.
Bring your view and your expertise to the table.
And don't compromise.
They're not looking for a mirror image, they'd rather have a window on your world.
So be yourself.
It's allowed.
Otherwise, it's just another first date where you try to be someone else.
Say all the right things, flatter them, butter them up.
You'll both leave feeling like it went really well.
And then wonder why the phone isn't ringing for the second date.

I Know This Much Is .....True!.....Da Da Da De Dum

I was talking a couple of days ago about relationships and connections.
The fact is, there’s just no getting away from them.
Especially in our hyper-connected, multi-stranded, trans-media age.
We’re all connected to each other and everything.
So we act accordingly.
And that’s a good thing.
Especially for brands.
But as we embrace the shifting dimensions of our new world, it’s important to keep in mind that there’s a real world out there too.
That means coming out from behind your facebook profile and going on an actual date
(George).
Brands have the same obligation.
They need to emerge from the cosy warmth of the virtual world.
And meet some of their consumers in a real-life scenario.
Face-to-face.
Maybe even hand-in-hand, if it’s that kind of a relationship.
The easiest way is to turn the brand into a playground and invite people to your party.
That one activity can teach you more than an entire year of research.
As long as it’s true to your brand and the vision you hold, it’ll work wonders.
You’ll establish new bonds.
Build a real buzz.
And drive new customers to connect.
It’s not the magic bullet (nothing is).
But it’ll certainly hit a few of your targets.
I guess my invitation’s in the post...