 Your success as a creative professional does not depend on how creative you are. That may sound counterintuitive, but noted author and creativity guru Sam Harrison makes a compelling argument: "Lots of highly creative people are stuck in dead-end jobs or have ideas sitting in dusty boxes because they don't know how to sell," Harrison says. "And lots of moderately creative people become megastars because they master the art of self-promotion and idea pitching."  In his new book, IdeaSelling: Successfully Pitch Your Creative Ideas to Bosses, Clients and Other Decision Makers, Harrison offers ideas to help you push your fresh design solutions over the finish line. We recently talked with Harrison about his new book and favorite idea-selling tactics: The Creative Group (TCG): "In your two previous books, Zing! and IdeaSpotting, you offered strategies for generating ideas. With IdeaSelling, you give tips for successfully pitching ideas to key decision makers. Generally speaking, which aspect tends to be most challenging for creative professionals: coming up with great ideas or selling their design solutions?" Sam Harrison (SH): "For creative professionals, selling the idea is almost always more challenging. Creative people have a natural knack for generating ideas – that's how they become creative professionals. And over time, they nourish and expand ideation skills and processes through training and experience. "Conversely, most creative professionals have little if any training on selling techniques and processes. We typically just wing it, assuming that since we came up with the idea, we should be able to sell it or that it will sell itself. Those are dangerous assumptions." TCG: "You write that the best ideas are often difficult to sell? Why is this?" SH: "Because we're asking our bosses and clients to let go of an existing idea – maybe one they're strongly attached to – in order to embrace our bold new idea. We're asking them to have an open mind and shift their thinking. That's a daunting proposition for most humans." TCG: "When it comes to presentations, you believe less is more. 'I wish you had talked longer' are words you say you'll never hear from clients. While preparing a pitch, how much time should be devoted to editing? Do you think this is a step that's often overlooked?" SH: "When discussing writing, Ernest Hemingway used what he called the 'Iceberg Principle.' He said that, like an iceberg, only 10 percent of writing is above the surface –the vast amount of time is spent rewriting and editing. "The same is true with design and any other creative endeavor if you want to achieve excellence. As someone said, perfection is achieved not when there's nothing left to add, but when there's nothing left to take away. "The Iceberg Principle also applies to successful pitches. Once you have the first draft of your content and visuals, you're probably only about 10 percent done. The other 90 percent of your time should be spent editing everything down to digestible doses, then refining and rehearsing until you have a compelling, meaty and polished pitch." TCG: "You note the importance of a strong opening. But sometimes when trying to sell a concept to a stakeholder – particularly a powerful or intimidating one – our nerves get the best of us. Our voices rattle, we stammer slightly or our introductory joke falls flat. Do you have any suggestions for dealing with 'stage fright' and quickly recovering from a botched beginning?" SH: "You mean like visualizing your audience in their underwear? Boy, I don't know who first came up with that little gem, but I wouldn't advise it. "But there are things you can do about nervousness. Knowing your content and rehearsing are essential. You'll be infinitely more comfortable and confident. And anxiety melts away if you know exactly what you're going to say and how you're going to say it. "Also, take a cue from actors and athletes, and visualize success. See yourself being poised, engaging and confident in front of the stakeholders. Know exactly where you're going to stand, how you're going to position yourself and what the first words out of your mouth will be. "Just before standing up to begin your presentation, take a few deep breaths. As you exhale, instruct your mind and body to release anxiety. Remind yourself that you have an important idea that can help the stakeholders. Consider yourself an advisor – someone to communicate and assist. See yourself as a booster, not a beggar. "If, in spite of all the preparation, you still botch your beginning, laugh and say something like, 'Let me try that again.' Audience members will understand. They've probably been there themselves, and people like people who can laugh at themselves." TCG: "You write that many creative professionals pout and point fingers in the wrong direction when their ideas are rejected. You detail the perils of 'playing the victim.' Can you elaborate?" SH: "At times, all of us creative professionals have a tendency to blame the boss or client when our ideas are rejected. We say things like, 'They just don't get it,' or 'They don't know a good idea when they see one.' "I can understand those sentiments; I've said them myself. But finger-pointing doesn't solve the problem. Indeed, it puts us in the position of being victims – and victims, by definition, are powerless. "If we want our ideas to get approved, we have to move from victimhood to valuehood. We must help our clients 'get it' by presenting our ideas in ways that demonstrate their value to decision makers." TCG: "You teach at Portfolio Center in Atlanta. Do you grade students on their selling skills?" SH: "Yes. In classes and in end-of-quarter critiques, students are evaluated on how well they present and communicate their ideas. But I think all schools could do a better job with building these skills. That's why I've started teaching a presentation and selling-skills class at Portfolio Center. After all, selling is something students will be doing throughout their careers – selling themselves for freelance and full-time jobs, selling their merits for advancement and salary increases, and, of course, selling their concepts and ideas." TCG: "Let's close with a hypothetical situation that's likely familiar to many of our readers: You're a freelancer working at a design firm and you have a brilliant solution for a piece of marketing collateral the team is already working on. You want to pitch your idea and prove that you'd be a valuable long-term asset, but you also don't want to step on toes. Any suggestions?" SH: "In my talks and seminars, I often say idea selling isn't rocket science – it's rapport science. It's building rapport, chemistry and relationships with decision makers. "In this situation, I suggest building rapport with team members; after all, they'll be the first to decide whether to embrace or reject your idea. Perhaps find one or two people on the team who might help champion your concept. "Don't be overly concerned about ownership. Be willing to share credit for the idea. In IdeaSelling, I quote a friend, David Schimmel, creative director at And Partners, who says, 'If they think they birthed it, they can't kill it,' meaning that if people participate in the development of an idea, they rarely turn their backs on it. "Share the seed of your idea with team members and solicit their help in developing it. Maybe you won't get full credit for that particular idea, but you'll lay the groundwork for becoming a valuable, long-term member of the team." Sam Harrison is a national speaker, creative consultant, teacher and author. He is the author of Zing!, IdeaSpotting and IdeaSelling. To learn more about Harrison or to contact him, visit www.zingzone.com . |
