The Tipping Point

According to the book The Tipping Point (How little things can make a big difference) by Malcolm Gladwell, relatively simple changes in the presentation and structuring of information can make a big difference in how much impact it makes. Or, make a contagious message memorable. Or increase the Stickiness Factor!

e-Networking Etiquette

1. Don't network merely for what others can do for you; see what you can do for your contacts as well.
2. Have an updated and completed profile.
3. Have a recent photograph accompanying the profile.
4. Update your page. We network to keep in touch.
5. Personalize your messages when requesting contacts to add you to their network or vice versa.
6. When getting back in touch with a long-lost contact, don't start with "Do you remember me?" or "Hope you remember me!". If you dropped out of touch, there might have been a good reason to forget. It's best to start anew.
   
7. If a contact recommends you or sends a personal message, do respond.
   

Ideas at a Dime a Dozen?

I've been often at the receiving end of "An idea struck me. Can you do 4-5 options of the creatives and send them to me by tomorrow?" A creative brief over the phone, a rough idea of the objective and where the output will be used, and a tough deadline to meet.

My take: ideas or flashes of inspiration may strike at the oddest of times, even when one is oneself of the previous day's indigestibles. But it is the result of many days and hours of preparation and serious thought. For creativity to work one needs -defined and articulated objectives. The creative team then works on gathering and researching for information, relevant visuals and ideas. The various combinations are analyzed during brain-storming sessions. The designer / layout artist tries out designs, leaving it to the copy writer to see if the intended message is clear.

All the above goes into the converting one idea into a creative! So if there is a request for multiple options, one only needs to multiply the time and effort by the number of options required. And if you expect the creative team to squeeze in effort within a short time, it's bound to show in the quality of the output, the concepts remaining undeveloped.

And unless the client himself is a creative thinker, he is bound to be confused and left lamenting the unprofessional approach to the creative work.