Secrets to Getting Paid for Your Creative Ideas and Proposals

Many creative professionals such as event planners, interior designers, and decorative painters are frustrated when potential clients steal their ideas and take them to cheaper companies. They present their ideas in a proposal or presentation and later find that they didn't get the client and their designs are being used by someone else.

PROTECT YOUR IDEAS

In order to protect your ideas and still get the client, you have to change how you deliver your concepts and specifically what you present. Keep in mind, your creative ideas are the most valuable part of what you do, so stop giving them away for free.

The first thing you need to do to protect yourself is to focus the initial meeting with the prospect on her ideas and her needs, rather than on your ideas and your suggestions. Spend at least 95% of the meeting asking questions rather than presenting solutions and ideas.

Find out what the client wants and what she envisions. Discover why she wants what she wants and uncover what her experiences have been in the past with this type of project. Focus on her, not on you and your services.

Build a relationship with the client and let go of the idea that you have to put on a big show of creative ideas to impress her. Contrary to what most people think, the client would rather talk about what she want then listen to your ideas. Really.

PRESENT THE WHAT BUT NOT THE HOW

Next, present the potential client with a proposal that becomes a contract once the prospect signs it. The proposal should include goals that the client told you she wanted in your first meeting. It should include payment terms. The proposal should include what you will do, just not HOW you will do it.

Let's look at examples of how and what:

Event Planner:
WHAT: "Incorporate an island theme in event decorations, music, catering, and location."
HOW: "Use pineapple centerpieces, bamboo tables, island shaped invitations, coconut flavored cake, and an entry way filled with palm tree leaves and bananas."

Interior Designer:
WHAT: Design a functional and easy-to-tidy space for use as a family room where there is ample storage for children's games, a television, and other entertainment.
HOW: Rubbermaid storage containers will be used in a specially designed 17-piece wood cabinet that can be converted into a television stand, a workspace, and table.

Wedding Consultant:
WHAT: "Create an intimate, upscale, evening reception for approximately 40 guests."
HOW: "Decorate facility with purple flowers and linens, a four-tier chocolate and raspberry wedding cake, and a 6-piece band.

Decorative Painter:
WHAT: Create a jungle-themed mural for child's bedroom.
HOW: Paint walls with "garden room" green, add 25 rainforest trees throughout walls and incorporating ceiling space, paint 5 Colobus monkeys, 7 chimpanzees, a gray parrot, 9 green tree frogs, and a stream running across the door.


WHEN AND HOW TO PRESENT YOUR IDEAS

You can present your ideas in several ways and still protect them.

First, you can present your ideas in detail after the client has signed a simple proposal with you. You should work together with the client to create what he wants through your creative talents.

Another way to present your ideas is through sample boards or renderings, but only after the client has either signed a proposal for the project or paid you for your ideas. If you chose to charge the client for the samples, agree to put the payment towards the amount of the final contract amount should the client agree to hire you to do the project. If the client chooses to use someone else for the project, then at least you were paid for your ideas and your suggestions.

Never present specific ideas, sample boards, or drawings to a client unless you've been paid for that part of the project or the client has signed a contract. By continuing to submit ideas and formal suggestions to potential clients, you are short changing yourself and your creative talents by lowering the value of your concepts in the mind of the buyer.

By learning how to effectively manage the first meeting with a potential customer, how to protect your ideas, and when and how to present your ideas will help you gain better clients, better projects, and have a better income!

The Art of Selling

Before becoming a salesman a person has to go through a number of trainings and courses, for this profession may only seem easy but those involved in sales for years will say how hard it is to satisfy an average individual of the 21st century. A good salesman should be a first-class psychologist, experienced researcher and an idea generator. This type of profession requires 24 hours a day activity both physical and mental. Salesmen face a serious task, to make a product saleable.

What makes a product saleable? The effort you put in to develop the strategy of advertising. There is a definite aim but a big number of possible approaches that can be used. There are three factors that can influence a person in a more or less effective way. These are: imagination, language, and perception systems. The processing of information received is done with the help of bridges of associations created according to the previous experience. When a person thinks about orange juice, he or she imagines himself drinking it with delight and pleasure. You have to work out a way to create this association in his mind to make him buy you product (orange juice, for instance). There are five senses a human has: touch, sound, smell, sight, taste. If you can come up with an advertising slogan that can activate all of the perception systems mentioned above, your campaign will be more likely to succeed. If you work on a direct client, gather information and find out his likes and dislikes. Every person has a dominating perception channel that transmits the biggest amount of information into the brain. If you will be lucky enough to figure out what it is, use it and concentrate on its activation. You'll agree that it will be useless to sell a painting to a blind man that cannot understand the benefits of it. Here is one more point you should concentrate at. Without benefits your product is worth half the price you offer. Client buys not products but benefits he gets from using, owning this product. If you manage to find out what is the desire of a client and how can such a product satisfy his need, you will most likely sell the product successfully. <

I have already mentioned slogans. Slogans are verbal methods of imagination activation. Verbal means that develop into complex constructions are powerful sales tools that activate the senses. Try to learn the behaviour and habits of people, determine the mimics and gestures that are typical for them in different emotional states. Observe how a person behaves when he is delighted and when he is dissatisfied with something. Remember what you saw and it will be a hint for you for the next time this client knocks on your door. Sales are an ever developing industry that requires constant modernization of the ways to advertise. But they should be chosen wisely and developed carefully. Advertisement areas should occupy a territory fit for competition. Agree, would there be a necessity to advertise anything if there is no competition?

Negotiating - The Myths and Realities

We have all been there at some stage in our business lives – the dreaded negotiation with your most awkward client. He regularly screws you to the floor each year on price and everything else you have to offer! Pretty quickly you see every negotiation as a battle and all your self confidence goes.

There are a lot of myths surrounding negotiating which don't help if you are faced with handling such a situation for the first time. But as with many myths, there is usually a very different reality.

Myth: It can be a daunting ordeal

You mention to your trusted partner or member of staff that you are off to negotiate next year's big contract. What do they say? "Good luck!" The majority of people think that negotiating is a dirty and tough task, a necessary evil.

Reality: Not if you plan

As with all things in life, we fear the unknown, especially if we are unprepared. The reality of negotiating is that with adequate preparation comes confidence. Before your meeting sit down and ask yourself the following questions:

1. What do you want out of this negotiation?

2. What is your lowest, acceptable and best price?

3. What are you prepared to 'give away' if necessary?

4. What do you know about the other company's position in the deal?

5. If you don't know much, what questions can you ask to improve your understanding?
6. Thorough preparation is a great confidence booster. See the negotiation as a presentation and plan your approach and questions before hand.

Myth: Negotiators are born

There is such a mystic surrounding negotiation and the skills needed to be good at it, that most people think you either have it at birth or you don't!

Reality: Negotiators can be made

Like any skill in business, negotiation skills can be learnt and put into practice. There are lots of books, tapes and seminars you can attend on this subject. Negotiation is a structured process and once you understand how it all works the task becomes easier. But as with any new skill you have to practice, practice, practice and this is where most people fall down. Having acquired a new skill you have put in the training but it can be done!

Myth: To strike a deal you have to concede on price

The perception is that many negotiations end up with one of the parties always having to concede on price just to secure the deal.

Reality: There are other items you can concede on

The reality in any negotiation is that price is not always the deciding factor. There is usually something else that the other party wants in addition to, or instead of, a lower price. It could be that they need the product or service quickly and may be prepared to pay a premium for a fast delivery. They may want the product changed slightly to meet their specifications. They may like some on-site support for implementation.

In your research and questioning it's up to you to find out what they really want. Dig deep and find it because every part of the deal is negotiable, not just the price. Once you have hit upon it, before conceding on price, throw it into the pot. Remember, this could be something which means very little to you but a lot to them.

Myth: If their first offer is what you want, say yes

After your sales pitch your client comes back and immediately offers exactly what you wanted. Wow, what a great outcome! He's got what he wants and so do you. Deal done!

Reality: Always counter the first offer

If you accept immediately there are two problems:

1. Your customer will think he has had a bad deal, "He accepted straight away! I could have had a much better deal. I'm sure I went in too high." With these thoughts going through his mind he won't feel totally happy with the deal and the chance of cancellation or no future business is higher

2. It's likely that this your customer's opening bid. Opening bids are usually on the low side and used as a starting point. Accepting now, even if it's what you were looking for, could mean you throwing away a higher price

There are instances where the customer will say "I don't negotiate. This is the price I'm prepared to pay." He has set the rules, so as long as you are happy with the price, go for it!

Myth: Negotiating is a competition with only one winner

If you have a competitive streak this is how you will see a negotiation – something to win or lose. Non-competitive people who believe this myth automatically lower their defences and quickly cave in to the 'stronger' player.

Reality: There should be two winners

Negotiation is not a competition. The ideal outcome should be win-win, where both sides feel they achieved something out of the whole process – one got a sale at a price he wanted and the other got a purchase at a price he wanted.

Win-win outcomes leave the door open for building strong relationships which will lead to more business in the future. Win-lose outcomes mean that one side will be reluctant to deal again. If, by your very nature, you are a competitive person, temper this and accept the reality that the negotiation process has to have two winners, not just you!

Myth: If you walk away, that's it

You have found the perfect product but you don't get the price or deal you are looking for. However, you are afraid about loosing the opportunity so you decide to go for it anyway, at any price.

Reality: Opportunities often come around again

Accepting a deal through fear is not a position you want to be in. You will always have a nagging doubt that you paid too much or gave away something which you should not have. Be strong enough to walk away from a deal if it's not what you are after.

You have to learn to detach yourself from the underlying deal and avoid getting emotionally involved with the product or service. Just concentrate on getting the best result. Being emotionally detached means you can walk away with no doubts. You may find that a few days later the seller will be back banging on your door with another offer. Remember that opportunities always pop up and walking away is not a failure!

So take a fresh look at negotiating. Are you clinging onto old myths about how negotiating should be done? Accept that the reality can be very different!

Sales Strategies for Entrepreneurs: The #1 Way To Skyrocket Your Sales This Year

Completely grasp the power of the Best Buyer Concept and you will double your sales within the next twelve months. The concept is easy to understand, yet powerful: There's always a smaller number of ideal buyers, compared to all the possible buyers, so ideal buyers are cheaper to market to and yet bring greater rewards.

A magazine used this strategy to double sales in 15 months flat. Here's what they did:

They took a database of 2200 advertisers and sent promo-pieces to them each month. After learning this
strategy, they did an analysis and found that 167 of those 2200 advertisers bought 95% of the advertising in their competitor's magazine.

This concept is called "The Dream 100 Sell," a concept where you go after your "Dream" prospects with a vengeance. This magazine sent the 167 (best buyers) a letter every two weeks and called them four times per month.

Since these were the biggest buyers, the first four months of intensive marketing and selling brought no actual reward. In the fifth month, only ONE of these Dream clients bought advertising in the magazine.

In the sixth month, 28 of the 167 largest advertisers in the country came into the magazine all at once.
And since these are the biggest advertisers, they don't take quarter pages and fractional ads, they take full pages and full color spreads. These 28 advertisers alone, were enough to double the sales over the previous year. The magazine went from number 15 in the industry to number one in just over a year.

Lesson learned: Market to your best buyers

Now you're probably thinking to yourself, who are my best buyers? If you sell to the business-to-consumer market, chances are, your best buyers live in the best neighborhoods.If you are a dentist, accountant, chiropractor, R.E. Broker, financial advisor, restaurant, or even a MLM professional you should consistently go after the folks who live in the best neighborhoods.

They are the wealthiest buyers who have the money and the greatest sphere of influence. If you send them an offer every single month without fail, within a year, you'll have a great reputation among the very wealthy.


If you sell to the business-to-business market, it's usually fairly clear that your best buyers are the biggest companies. So what are you doing, every other week, no matter what, to let these companies know who you are?

There's no one you can't get to as long as you constantly market to them, especially after they say they're not interested. People will not only begin to respect your perseverance, they will actually begin to feel obligated.

This doesn't happen right away, but even the most hard-bitten and cynical executive or prospect begins to respect you when you refuse to give up. The publication I mentioned earlier went on to double sales two more years in a row. They consistently marketed to the best buyers and much more aggressively than they did to the rest of the buyers.

A company selling to manufacturer's used this strategy to target the 100 biggest manufacturers in the country. For the first three months no one responded to any of the calling or phoning.

But after three months executives started saying: "I just have to meet you. I've never had anyone continue to call me so many times after I said no." Within 6 months they had gotten in to
see 54% of those they targeted.

The secret is to NEVER give up.

Just keep going after those companies again and again. Or if you sell to consumers, commit to sending a promotional piece every single month to those wealthy neighborhoods. Eventually, all the wealthy people in your area will know exactly who you are.

Now the question is: Who are your DREAM prospects and how committed are you to getting them as clients?

A Testimonial is Worth 100 Cold Calls

If you hate cold calling, and even if you don't, you should start capitalizing on the work you've already done.

So often we don't utilize one of the most persuasive selling components in our marketing materials – the words of our own clients. Many creative people have wonderful testimonials from clients, but never use them for fear that they are "bragging" or that it is "too self promotional."

Well of course it's self promotional! That's what good marketing is!

When you are finished a project for a client, why not capture that moment in the client's own words to use for showing potential clients the value of your services? Testimonials are even more crucial for creative businesses because it is more difficult for the average person to set a value on most arts related items and services. Seeing others talk about the value of working with you will help them more readily understand the value of your work.

If your client doesn't come running to you with a testimonial, then ask her for one. There is nothing wrong with that and most clients are honored you asked them.

The best testimonials are ones that show a measurable goal has been reached and uses language that your potential clients can identify with.

For example, here is a testimonial I received from a client who is an artist:
"I just recently got back from a job I did up in Cape Cod worth over $11,000 and it is because I used the techniques I learned from you to turn a consultation into my biggest job ever."
-Amy Ketteran, Ketteran Studios

Here's another example of a testimonial I received from a corporate client:
"My improved confidence/speaking skills has helped my career as well as Verizon Connected Solutions since we are now working on developing partnerships/joint ventures with some large manufacturers and I am involved with seminars to promote these potential partnerships. Since I began working with Kirstin I've had several speaking opportunities and I can tell you her methods work. In fact, because of my work with Kirstin, I gave testimony in court that caused VCS to win a nearly $1 million lawsuit with customer who refused to pay. I can't thank Kirstin enough!"
-Ed Ruby, Director of Business Operations
Verizon Connected Solutions

If you have testimonials, but they are not measurable, then they aren't as persuasive as they need to be in order to sell a future client. To get measurable testimonials, all you have to do is ask for them. If you receive a testimonial from a client that isn't measurable and doesn't show a specific example of how that client has improved since working with you, then thank the client for the kind comments and ask him to narrow down the success to one or two specific items that are improved due to your work together.

You can respond with something like:
"Thanks for your feedback. It's wonderful to hear about your success. What specifically has improved during our work together? Were you able to measure the difference?"

The more measurable the testimonial, and the more the client speaks in his own words, the more persuasive it is to the potential client, and the easier it is to generate new business.

Review your client list and look back over recent projects. Ask your best clients for measurable testimonials. It's a whole lot easier than making a cold call!