Oh yeah, it's all true and it wasn't a prank call. I Actually told a potential customer to "F off". :-)
It's really amusing how it all happened. On a busy Thursday afternoon, as I was checking my email at the Bank Negara Malaysia (BNM) cafeteria (We're working on a copywriting project for BNM, but I can't say much for now), I got this call.
It's more interesting if I do this dialogue style...so here goes.
Me: Hello...
Crazy guy: Can I speak to Joshua?
Me: Speaking, Joshua here. Afternoon to you.
Crazy guy: Joshua? Hi, I got your number from XX (a client of mine. Have to protect their ID) and my company is ZZ (I'm not trying to protect his company, I just forgot the schmuck's company!). And we have RMYY to do a corporate website. We saw what you did for XX.
Me: Yes, that was our work. How can we help you, sir?
Crazy guy: Well, I want someone to do our website. We actually have an ad agency, but those guys are crap and they're very arrogant. They do our press ads and so on, but they dropped us (i now know why). They have an attitude problem.
(At this point, I was already slightly suspicious).
Me: Well, Words Wizards, my company does ad campaigns as well.
(At this point, you may assume that crazy guy sounds completely normal. Now comes the crazy part)
Crazy guy: Really? Oh, OK. So what's your full name?
Me: Joshua Rayan.
Crazy guy: Are you Indian? Chinese?
Me: (jokingly with a laughing tone): well, I don't see how it matters, but I'm Indian. I prefer just Malaysian.
Crazy guy: Sorry, what did you say?
Me: I said I'm Indian.
Crazy: No, before that you said something. (At this point, I sensed trouble. But I just played it cool).
Me: Well, I don't really think it matters, you know the race and all, but I'm Indian. I prefer just Malaysian.
Crazy Guy: Hey, I'm trying to be friendly, but if you wanna be cocky and all...what's your problem? This is not the way to do business. You got a bad attitude. What's your problem?
Me: No problem, but I'm not comfortable talking about race, especially to someone whom I hardly know. I think it doesn't matter.
Crazy Guy: You listen here, man. You better watch it with your attitude. (and he had this very angry ...lancee, kurang ajar tone. I was still keeping cool).
Me: I don't have an attitude and I'm not being unfriendly. I mean you're asking for my full name, race and all but you haven't even told me your name.
Crazy Guy: That's because you didn't ask, Josh. You didn't ask.
Me: Well, normally when people talk on the phone, they introduce or identify themselves. You don't even tell who you are and you start asking for details. Is this how you talk on the phone?
Crazy guy: You're the one with a problem, OK. I can ask anything I want. (at this point I knew any hope for rapport was lost. But I couldn't care less. I didn't want any).
Me: You call me up and you ask for details that only the police and immigration can ask me...
Crazy Guy: Fuck you, man!
Me: Fuck Your mother too!
I hung up. He called back. I told him I don't wanna waste anymore time with him.
I sat there smiling in a puzzled fashion. So I called my customer and told her what happenned. She was shocked.
We later discovered that crazy guy was actually a very bad customer to my customer -- twice he FFKed them and made the client rep wait for almost four hours in total, Not a single phone call or sms to say he won't be able to attend.
I think for me, I was just defending my privacy. I don't like to reveal things that are no concern to others, especially to someone who doesn't have the basic sense to give me his name. He could be a stalker for all I know!
The lesson in all this?
I probably turned down a biz killer -- one of those really dumb clients that will suck your life energy, treat you like trash and then pay you dirt (if he/she even pays you at all).
Worse, this kind of client can kill your biz. And I just avoided one.
Lesson two:
Never, ever kao tao to anyone. Respect people to the fullest, but never kao tao. I learnt this a long, long time ago from the great Zane (one of Malaysia's best Creative Directors) in 2004 at a seminar and it always rings true and probably will forever.
Sometimes, you just have to say no or turn them down. Not everyone who shows up at your doorstep is a friend.
Lesson Three:
Maintain good relations with your existing clients. They will back you up when nonsense like this happens.
Lesson Four:
Learn to laugh it off. Have a thick skin and when you are bestowed one of those rare chances to screw somebody because he really, really deserves it (right time, right place, right person, take it and enjoy it! :-) It's a great stress reliever!
Cheers, peeps. Have a great week ahead.
PS: The big contracts that I was mentioning earlier it seems, will not materialise. I haven't heard a definite No, but it's been too quiet for too long. Well, at least I was close. And you know what, you can't always get close all the time. Eventually, you'll hit jackpot. My 777 is coming in...real soon. :-)
Monday, June 30, 2008
Sunday, June 15, 2008
If Your Clients Want to Cut Costs...Tell Them This
With all the talk about the petrol price hike and the impending doom and gloom of rising prices and inflation, you're probably aware that many clients are going to be cutting costs. It's the standard thing that corporates do and one of the first areas that they'll be looking at is the Advertising/PR /Marketing/Events budget.
Oh yes, after they've analysed all their non-key business areas, they'll start looking at creative communications. The smart companies know that this would be wrong. But, unfortunately, many businesses will look to slash to get cash and this is not good news for us in the business.
If you're not prepared for this, then get ready for it. If your business is insulated from these, well and good. But you can expect that you'll have to bargain harder or throw in some valued added freebies to retain prices and margins. And watch out for that old clanger about, "eh, petrol prices are uplerr, economy not so good, give a discountlerr."
So what do you tell your clients during these times? What do you do to educate them and save their business while looking after your bottomlines as well?
The answer is, tell them directly and honestly that cutting the comms budget is a big, big mistake, especially when times are not going well.
Reason being that all of our clients now have to work harder to win the customers' ringgit. You have to be more creative, aggressive and find ways to increase your presence in the market. When the going gets tough, creative comms is what keeps things going.
Strangling this lifeline is like depriving the business of a very vital form of sustenance. Simple as that.
I mean, if you want to get someone's attention in a noisy place with lots of people, you're going to shout more or make more noise, wave your hands and do hell of a lot to get their attention. Sure, I hear some wise guys saying, they'll just walk over and whisper in their ear. That'd be great if you're trying to chat up that bombshell babe (or hunk to be politically correct for my female readers), but when you need to get the message across to a whole room, whispering isn't going to do much good.
The answer is to get your message out there. You have to be active, get their attention and be creative in your communications.
This is why cutting the budget doesn't help at all. Not at all. You cut, you do less and you get less. Simple as that.
The really successful companies know this. This is why the fast food chains, clothing retailers, hotels and so on actually increase their comms budgets. They know it's a lifeline and they need to spend more and get their messages across when times are not exactly great.
This is the message that we should be telling more corporates. It's in their best interest to not just cut cost. But to work with us strategically with a more aggressive budget.
To back this up, you can also dabble in some other areas to make the package more attractive to them:
1. Offer value added ideas in addition to maintaining the comms budget.
2. Do more research -- show them how each ringgit they spend makes a difference. Show them where the cash is going.
3. Show them results.
4. Adopt new advertising methods such as online media, sms and viral marketing instead of standard ATL and BTLs.
5. Niche the whole thing. Focus on specific markets and target the comms to them. The sniper's motto is one shot, one kill. The shotgun shooter's motto is...I don't know if they have one.
Anyway, that's about it. So when customers and clients want to slash their comms budgets, tell them what they should really do. You'll be doing them a favour.
Cheers, I'm craving for fried rice. Off I go. :-)
Oh yes, after they've analysed all their non-key business areas, they'll start looking at creative communications. The smart companies know that this would be wrong. But, unfortunately, many businesses will look to slash to get cash and this is not good news for us in the business.
If you're not prepared for this, then get ready for it. If your business is insulated from these, well and good. But you can expect that you'll have to bargain harder or throw in some valued added freebies to retain prices and margins. And watch out for that old clanger about, "eh, petrol prices are uplerr, economy not so good, give a discountlerr."
So what do you tell your clients during these times? What do you do to educate them and save their business while looking after your bottomlines as well?
The answer is, tell them directly and honestly that cutting the comms budget is a big, big mistake, especially when times are not going well.
Reason being that all of our clients now have to work harder to win the customers' ringgit. You have to be more creative, aggressive and find ways to increase your presence in the market. When the going gets tough, creative comms is what keeps things going.
Strangling this lifeline is like depriving the business of a very vital form of sustenance. Simple as that.
I mean, if you want to get someone's attention in a noisy place with lots of people, you're going to shout more or make more noise, wave your hands and do hell of a lot to get their attention. Sure, I hear some wise guys saying, they'll just walk over and whisper in their ear. That'd be great if you're trying to chat up that bombshell babe (or hunk to be politically correct for my female readers), but when you need to get the message across to a whole room, whispering isn't going to do much good.
The answer is to get your message out there. You have to be active, get their attention and be creative in your communications.
This is why cutting the budget doesn't help at all. Not at all. You cut, you do less and you get less. Simple as that.
The really successful companies know this. This is why the fast food chains, clothing retailers, hotels and so on actually increase their comms budgets. They know it's a lifeline and they need to spend more and get their messages across when times are not exactly great.
This is the message that we should be telling more corporates. It's in their best interest to not just cut cost. But to work with us strategically with a more aggressive budget.
To back this up, you can also dabble in some other areas to make the package more attractive to them:
1. Offer value added ideas in addition to maintaining the comms budget.
2. Do more research -- show them how each ringgit they spend makes a difference. Show them where the cash is going.
3. Show them results.
4. Adopt new advertising methods such as online media, sms and viral marketing instead of standard ATL and BTLs.
5. Niche the whole thing. Focus on specific markets and target the comms to them. The sniper's motto is one shot, one kill. The shotgun shooter's motto is...I don't know if they have one.
Anyway, that's about it. So when customers and clients want to slash their comms budgets, tell them what they should really do. You'll be doing them a favour.
Cheers, I'm craving for fried rice. Off I go. :-)
Thursday, June 12, 2008
The Hardest Part is Waiting
I don't have any fancy quotes or sayings to start this week's post. I'll just come out and say it.
I thought the past two weeks would yield some major decisions from clients. However, it's been quite a drag with some of them dittering over things.
Winning accounts and new biz is like climbing a mountain peak. You overcome one obstacle after another. You work hard at it and then either you give up, fall off (get declined) or you go all the way.
As for us, we're been scaling many peaks these past few weeks and we're close to the summit. Very, very close. But that doesn't mean you can't fall off. The possibility is still there.
You know you're so close to the peak, so so, close. But there are some obstacles that are hindering your progress like the weather, for instance. And there is nothing that you can do about the weather. sigh...you can only hope that it clears and works in your favour. and as fortune favours the bold, you just have to scrounge up all your guts and don't ever, ever give up.
It can be very, very hard at times. All I know is that we have done our best with these accounts. We saw the opportunities, we went in, did a great job and now it's all up to well... I don't want to use the word, but I guess it's luck, fate...whatever you wish to call it. But right now the decision rests somewhere between the moon and stars.
You may be wondering why I'm so charged up about this. Well, let's just say for a small agency, this means a lot to us. It means hell of a lot. And you just wish that your hard work will pay off. It's true, the rewards do come. But it would be nice, if they came right now.
So this week, has been another 7 days in yo-yo land. We just keep on keeping on. Let's see what next week brings.
I thought the past two weeks would yield some major decisions from clients. However, it's been quite a drag with some of them dittering over things.
Winning accounts and new biz is like climbing a mountain peak. You overcome one obstacle after another. You work hard at it and then either you give up, fall off (get declined) or you go all the way.
As for us, we're been scaling many peaks these past few weeks and we're close to the summit. Very, very close. But that doesn't mean you can't fall off. The possibility is still there.
You know you're so close to the peak, so so, close. But there are some obstacles that are hindering your progress like the weather, for instance. And there is nothing that you can do about the weather. sigh...you can only hope that it clears and works in your favour. and as fortune favours the bold, you just have to scrounge up all your guts and don't ever, ever give up.
It can be very, very hard at times. All I know is that we have done our best with these accounts. We saw the opportunities, we went in, did a great job and now it's all up to well... I don't want to use the word, but I guess it's luck, fate...whatever you wish to call it. But right now the decision rests somewhere between the moon and stars.
You may be wondering why I'm so charged up about this. Well, let's just say for a small agency, this means a lot to us. It means hell of a lot. And you just wish that your hard work will pay off. It's true, the rewards do come. But it would be nice, if they came right now.
So this week, has been another 7 days in yo-yo land. We just keep on keeping on. Let's see what next week brings.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
The Beatles Weren't Genuises...
Tuning to some classic Led Zeppelin now and catching some respite from a very, very busy week.
An impatient client decided against our advice of waiting and is jumping headfirst into a new project, we turned a client down for being a poor paymaster (well, they didn't even pay at all) and we made some strides in various areas as we look to turn prospects into paying clients.
In addition to all that, we've been putting the shoulder into some serious copywriting for a government portal. Considering that the entire world will be looking at this portal as a leading reference source for Islamic Finance, makes it very gratifying and quite an honour.
We feel good that such a big client (I can't say who...not yet) trusts us for this mammoth job. And it says something about our competence and capability too.
Today, I want to talk to you about creative genius. It's excerpts I found very interesting and I bet you will too.
The fact is either everyone is a genius or no one is. And the Beatles with their impish, rock and roll style of the 60's is the best example of that.
Check this out...The Beatles too had their mental blocks; were lost for ideas and went through the same hum drum situations that we face daily.
During one of their brainstorm sessions, they actually recorded their thoughts and ideas. It was amazing. Here was the fab four, scratching their heads and scraping rock bottom for ideas not just on music, but what should the band do next! They were lost!
This is an excerpt taken from Ken McCarthy's System Seminar newsletter...
"Their manager Brian Epstein had passed away just a year and a half earlier and they were feeling direction-less. They had given their last performance before a paying audience, a year before that.
"Should we go back on tour?" "Yes, let's do our first performance in Arabia."
"What's so amazing about this is that this is the BEATLES! hey were world famous and beloved and all they had to do was announce they were going to show up somewhere to play - no other advertising - and the place would be mobbed.A marketer's dream.
But even with all those advantages, they weren't sure what to do.
Remember that the next time you feel stuck."
The creative lesson here is...there is no genius or all of us are geniuses. The difference is hard work. You'll be surprised that a lot of the stuff the Beatles played in private was err...well not that great. What them great was hard work in refining those songs.
So as another "genius" said, it's 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. The man was spot on. Now nuggets like that is what makes genius. Thanks Albert (Einstein).
Btw...the beatles first so called big gig was in Hamburg, Germany (no, it wasn't England, as the UK didn't know them yet). They had to play 'live' sets for about 7-8 hours straight for 7 days a week. If that's not work, I don't know what is.
Trust me, I used to play in a band and after a two hour jamming session, you're already knackered. Imagine four times that. Pengsanlah!
In creativity, there is a lot of work that goes into things. But most people tend to forget that, remembering only the moments of brilliance.
If you want to succeed in the creative business or possibly any business for that matter, be prepared to work. If you do that, the brilliant moments and the just rewards will come.
Carpe Diem!
An impatient client decided against our advice of waiting and is jumping headfirst into a new project, we turned a client down for being a poor paymaster (well, they didn't even pay at all) and we made some strides in various areas as we look to turn prospects into paying clients.
In addition to all that, we've been putting the shoulder into some serious copywriting for a government portal. Considering that the entire world will be looking at this portal as a leading reference source for Islamic Finance, makes it very gratifying and quite an honour.
We feel good that such a big client (I can't say who...not yet) trusts us for this mammoth job. And it says something about our competence and capability too.
Today, I want to talk to you about creative genius. It's excerpts I found very interesting and I bet you will too.
The fact is either everyone is a genius or no one is. And the Beatles with their impish, rock and roll style of the 60's is the best example of that.
Check this out...The Beatles too had their mental blocks; were lost for ideas and went through the same hum drum situations that we face daily.
During one of their brainstorm sessions, they actually recorded their thoughts and ideas. It was amazing. Here was the fab four, scratching their heads and scraping rock bottom for ideas not just on music, but what should the band do next! They were lost!
This is an excerpt taken from Ken McCarthy's System Seminar newsletter...
"Their manager Brian Epstein had passed away just a year and a half earlier and they were feeling direction-less. They had given their last performance before a paying audience, a year before that.
"Should we go back on tour?" "Yes, let's do our first performance in Arabia."
"What's so amazing about this is that this is the BEATLES! hey were world famous and beloved and all they had to do was announce they were going to show up somewhere to play - no other advertising - and the place would be mobbed.A marketer's dream.
But even with all those advantages, they weren't sure what to do.
Remember that the next time you feel stuck."
The creative lesson here is...there is no genius or all of us are geniuses. The difference is hard work. You'll be surprised that a lot of the stuff the Beatles played in private was err...well not that great. What them great was hard work in refining those songs.
So as another "genius" said, it's 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. The man was spot on. Now nuggets like that is what makes genius. Thanks Albert (Einstein).
Btw...the beatles first so called big gig was in Hamburg, Germany (no, it wasn't England, as the UK didn't know them yet). They had to play 'live' sets for about 7-8 hours straight for 7 days a week. If that's not work, I don't know what is.
Trust me, I used to play in a band and after a two hour jamming session, you're already knackered. Imagine four times that. Pengsanlah!
In creativity, there is a lot of work that goes into things. But most people tend to forget that, remembering only the moments of brilliance.
If you want to succeed in the creative business or possibly any business for that matter, be prepared to work. If you do that, the brilliant moments and the just rewards will come.
Carpe Diem!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
