Blog Archives

How To Improve Deliberate Creative Thinking

10/14/2014

To create rather than imitate, to be imaginative, clever, ingenious, innovational, innovative, original, or even Promethean (as in boldly or defiantly creative) requires moving away from your area of familiarity. In its broadest definition, being creative relates to or involves the use of your imagination or original ideas to create something. Sounds simple enough, right? Not so, I appreciate that, still, I venture the opinion that you can perfect your approach to creative thinking in ways you had perhaps not considered.

We all accept that you can’t teach genius. Creativity, however, is more about encouraging everyday creative thinking that can make you or your employees more productive. Most of us suffer from conformity bias but if all we ever did was to conform, we would never grow, says Gerard Puccio, Professor at Buffalo State College in New York who is also of the opinion that creativity is a talent we all posses because we’re human and we have been endowed with imagination at birth and are therefore wired to be creative. Puccio argues that it’s never been more important to arm people with the skills for creative thinking. It’s no longer a luxury. It’s about survival, he says. Industries rise when creativity thrives, and fall when it doesn’t. Puccio chairs the International Center for Studies in Creativity, which was the world’s first university department of its kind, founded on the principles of Alex Osborn, the advertising exec who worked on New York’s Madison Avenue in the mid-20th Century and co-founded BBDO - the inspiration for advertising agency Sterling Cooper in the TV series Mad Men. Osborn popularized the idea of brainstorming when experimenting to provoke creative thinking in his staff. According to Puccio creativity comes in four stages – clarifying, ideating, developing and implementing. Clarifying to ensure you’re asking the right question(s); ideating to explore as many solutions as possible; developing and implementing to make sure an idea is practical and convincing to others. Of the four, ideating most clearly involves creative thinking. The idea, says Puccio, is to force the brain out of a purely analytical state in which it tends to focus on one solution, ignoring all others. A de-focused mind is more likely to make unusual connections that just might suggest new solutions to a problem or challenge.

The idea that certain activities can prime the mind to come up with less obvious solutions than would surface otherwise is supported by scientific research. Psychologists call it divergent thinking. For example, it has been shown that people in a relaxed state are more likely to arrive at creative solutions, which was also the case with an experiment conducted by Amy Harmon, a journalist with The New York Times, who tested whether performing her daily tasks while on/at a treadmill desk improved her cognitive performance. Although, the test proved inconclusive, other studies have shown that people are more likely to solve problems when lying on their backs than when standing upright. Perhaps it’s because our minds wander when we’re relaxed, and that inspires us to consider a range of ideas, rather than getting stumped by limiting thoughts. And this is possibly also why I seem to have my best ideas in the shower, or when doing laundry.

Six suggestions to improve creative thinking:

1. Adjust your mindset
Be willing to adapt your thinking strategies and use available technologies to increase your creativity. Deliberate training and learning will develop creative thinking skills.

2. Go offline
Most weekends I don’t check my email, and I usually don’t open my inbox before 10:00 am on weekdays. I may be offline bar texting and making calls because this is how I organize my professional life but I tend to read more, do chores and other things to steer my brain in a different direction. If you have a boss you may not have this luxury but I assure you offline activities will kindle your creative thinking. Existing and emerging technologies make it easy and tempting to be online 24/7, and I don’t always heed my own advice, but it does improve cognitive performance to remove oneself from the constant bombardment of emails, chats, and information that makes one too dependent on trends, hampering one’s own creativity in the process.

3. Defer judgment
Don’t immediately discard an idea or test it to destruction, suspend judgment. By doing so you may increase your ability to recognize the true merit of an idea. This may sound counter-intuitive because we live in world where we tend to shy away from offering an opinion or putting forth an idea because it may be rejected and/or belittled by our peers - if you present an idea or solution to a problem in a meeting, often times it will be promptly rejected because it ‘won’t work’, or has been ‘tried and proved ineffective’, etc. The degree to which you’re able to engage in flexible thought and deliberately look at a series of ideas without automatically rejecting them, you will train your mind and develop your talent for creative thinking. Keep in mind that independent thinkers and great inventors have gazillion ideas of which only a few will revolutionize the world.

4. Don’t be a perfectionist
Perfectionism will likely stifle your creativity. You may produce superior work, but you'll also keep yourself from experimenting and trying out some not-so-perfect options that could potentially lead to something quite extraordinary. The paths to achieving creative success are infinite. Imperfection is human; don't aim for perfection to the extent that you end up quenching what makes your work unique, or worse still, don’t try at all.

5. Avoid isolation
The best ideas occur in the real world because a lot of ideas emerge when we’re arguing, bickering and collaborating. If you’re running your own business, avail yourself of opportunities to share ideas with other entrepreneurs in your community, partners and/or people in your network. Sparring will ignite your imagination and get your creative juices flowing.

6. Find your passion
Passion drives memory making you far more likely to remember information about something you’re passionate about. You may not experience a net increase in creativity but if you want to make powerful creative leaps you have to give it the old college try. The many technological distractions may have made it more difficult to focus and not be overly influenced by trends, meanwhile actually creating stuff has become much easier, let that be your guide to go forth and create.

Sources:
Lessons in Creativity by Clive Thompson
Finding the Right Place on a Treadmill Desk by Amy Harmon
Gerard Puccio: Creativity as a Life Skill, TED Talk http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltPAsp71rmI

***

0 Comments

How to Be Yourself Without Hurting Your Professional Image

10/10/2014

0 Comments

Back in 2002, when I was first starting out as an independent linguist, I was clueless as to how much my personality would impact not only my client relationships but also my business decisions. In the beginning, I got most of my work through agencies or email but that changed once it became clear that meeting with prospective clients resulted in much more interesting work. I have always placed great value on competence and professionalism but I soon discovered that the more me I was, the more interesting clients I attracted, and the more inspiring projects became available to me. Over the years, I’ve worked with actors, authors, politicians, Ph.D. candidates, small business owners, CEOs, senior and middle management on a great many projects, and one thing that stands out is the satisfaction of repeat business. I have come to understand that clients return because they like working with you, so long as quality is not an issue. When your work is topnotch and you’re dependable, your personality seems to be the deciding factor on whether or not clients want to work with you.

I was reminded of that on a recent trip to Dubai with a client. After having spent two days in the confines of the hotel conference room, trying not to be too much of this or that, I was taken aback when the client ruefully remarked that I am usually the life of ‘the party’ and not the complete stick-in-the-mud, I had apparently been the past couple of days. In my efforts to appear professional and effective, not wanting the client to regret having spent chunks of cash on travel and accommodation, I had neglected to contribute to the all-round good cheer. I took note of his comment, and for the rest of the day – sightseeing in 104-degree weather – I was more myself, as much as one can be on a camel hunt* drenched in sweat.

What I took away from that experience was the aide-mémoire that you don’t have to don a cloak of professionalism if you are professional, i.e. skilled, competent and reliable, so be it if you’re also a bit quirky or an absolute peach, that won’t hurt you or your business, so long as everything else is in order.

The relationships you build and cultivate with your clients are central to your success as an independent contractor and your people skills and ability to toot your own horn in a professional capacity has great bearing on how well these relationships will serve you and your business. As an entrepreneur you depend on testimonials, and you want your clients to have you in the forefront of their minds for future projects, and to feel comfortable recommending your services to their colleagues or network.

Navigating these waters can be tricky, below five tips to ensure you won’t forget (being) yourself when interacting with clients:

1. Be sharp. You want your manner to reflect your qualifications and commitment. In first meetings, always listen more than you talk and be prepared to share samples of your work or documented results. By all means dress and act as you please but don’t allow your personal appearance or behavior to take away from what you’re trying to accomplish.

2. Honor your commitments. Always deliver as promised. If you are unable to meet a deadline, be sure to let your client know at the earliest possible moment that they may take appropriate steps to allow for the delay.

3. Come prepared. Even if you think you know just about everything about something, it’s critical that you do your research before offering your professional counsel to a client. Being well informed about their company, issues and challenges is the best way to deliver superior service. If there’s something you don’t know, cop to it and offer to look into it and get back to them.

4. Be on time. Just don’t show up late, it’s arrogant and shows either a lack of respect or indifference. Plus, it’s super annoying.

5. Be yourself. Be who you are and don’t be a pushover but if you take a stance on an issue, for example regarding terms or payment make sure it’s in line with your values and a reflection of your skills.

Even if you have a strong personality, you can still be yourself without hurting your professional image. The key is to be authentic and honest, without overwhelming (prospective) clients with your person in the process. You will be thought a professional and serious contender for exciting projects.

* We didn’t actually hunt camels, we were just on the lookout for one, unsuccessfully, as it happens …

***

0 Comments

How to Avoid Staying Stuck!

10/9/2014

1 Comment

It happens to the best of us. Truth be told, it happens to all of us. The dreaded rut - at some point in your career - entrepreneur or not, you will get stuck. How quickly you bounce back will determine how well you do out here on your own.

Musings on the virtues of adversity and reminders such as that which does not kill you makes you stronger have always driven me to distraction. True, you may learn from your mistakes and hopefully never repeat them, however, I have always fared much better when things were going well than in times of adversity. In situations where I have excelled, I have been fueled by successful results, whereas only relief has followed the elimination of a threat, perceived or real.

There are many advantages to being an entrepreneur but those lovelies are not the object of this entry and let’s face it, troubles are a dime a dozen when you’re an entrepreneur, all of which are compounded by market uncertainties, the vulnerability of your business and the knowledge that failure, imminent or not, may affect not only your life but possibly the life and financial and emotional wellbeing of a spouse or dependents. It’s a well-known fact that you need stamina to be an entrepreneur, you need to be self-motivating and insanely disciplined.

And sometimes that can be overwhelming, you’ll get stuck and it won’t be the I’m-having-a-bad-day kind of stuck, it will be the kind of stuck that clings to you like white on rice for weeks and the kind of paralyzing stuck that makes you reek of desperation. In my considerable experience, the only thing that works, is fighting it, wallowing will only worsen a bad situation.

In times of woe-is-me like circumstances, I have found the following tips helpful:

1. Perform an audit. Examine what is ailing your business, stunting its growth or causing it to fail and take appropriate action to remedy the situation based on what’s important to you and your business.

2. Reach out. Get in touch with someone you trust in your network, it can also be a friend or family member but for the professional approach, I recommend that it be someone you believe will be objective about the challenges your business is facing. Having a sounding board is useful and just having a conversation can be helpful and may present new solutions to old problems.

3. Keep busy. There is a time for contemplation and a time for action, idleness can be a breeding ground for inertia. If there is an acute risk of peering in to walls and despairing for days, do something, do anything and keep busy, take care of dead-boring administrative tasks that you have been putting off, read up on relevant research, revise and improve your business plan. Menial or repetitive tasks can be soothing and rouse the old cortex to action.

4. Look to your peers. There are so many great entrepreneurs across the globe. And even though you may be experiencing a slump, others are still forging on and making a go of it, don’t be discouraged by their success or allow feelings of inferiority to triumph, instead study what has worked and is working for them and copy any steps, you imagine will help you put your current difficulties behind you.

5. Get moving! You want to get those endorphins flowing – it is a well-established fact that movement has positive impact on both body and soul. And as the song goes, I suggest you sing like nobody’s listening, dance like nobody’s watching, and love like you’ve never been hurt – your business may be your baby but it shouldn’t be your only one.

***

1 Comment

Brand Extensions - Useful Strategy Considerations

10/9/2014

0 Comments

An introduction to the advantages and perils of brand extension, based on the published findings of Aaker and Keller.

BRAND EXTENSIONS have been central to strategic growth for many companies for decades. We’re talking actual brand extensions but also ventures into apparel and accessories and the sale of products using licensed trademarks or brand names. Leveraging a brand name is powerful and can be irresistible when considering that the cost of introducing a new name brand can be massive without any guarantee of success, whereas using an established brand name can significantly reduce the initial investment and increase the probability of success. A company’s brand (or brands) is its most viable asset and an opportunity for growth. This asset can be used to penetrate new product categories or can be licensed to others for use in new product categories. Another option is to acquire a company with a brand name that can provide the platform for future growth through brand extensions. This is a potentially flawed strategy as a brand name can fail to help an extension or, worse, create associations that hurt the extension brand. Worse still, the extension can succeed and damage the main brand by weakening existing associations or adding new, unwanted ones.

Brand associations
Consumers’ decisions to buy or not to buy are often limited to very few product attributes. It can be difficult to create a credible and sustainable point of differentiation with respect to a key attribute; especially if one’s competitors have established themselves as exponents of the very attributes you hope to capitalize on.

Quality associations
The positioning of product attributes may prove futile and can force a brand into battle with competitors — which brand is the best, which offers the best support or has the lowest number of complaints, etc. Customers become confused, disregard competing claims and make their buying decisions based on a perception of quality that is not necessarily attributed to specific associations. To compete on the basis of perceived high quality is an attractive alternative, however, achieving a perception of high quality can be more difficult than actually delivering high quality. Using established brand names is a good way to do this. Their value exists in providing a feeling of quality. Perception of quality associated with a brand name is the key to successful brand extension. The perceived quality of a main brand is also the best predictor of how consumers will value an extension brand.

Brand awareness
The first step to creating brand awareness of a new product is to develop a brand name and to associate it with the relevant product class. Brand name awareness can affect decisions to buy or not to buy and will determine whether a brand will be able to transcend product categories. A reputable and recognizable name can result in a market advantage just as a reputation for quality, great customer service or product support and high recognition within a specific product category are all major competitive advantages. As an added bonus, successful brand extensions will spend less on advertising than similar new-name brands because the brand is already known.

Boosting the main brand
Extensions can and should enhance the main brand. Instead of weakening the brand name, the extension should strengthen the brand’s image, increase its visibility and thus support the main association, however, an extension brand may develop name recognition and associations to a different consumer group in its own right.

No added value
If a new brand name is only introduced to provide recognition, credibility, and quality association, there is a substantial risk that it will be vulnerable to pricing and competition. A brand extension may initially benefit from the brand name but may suffer if the name doesn’t add significant value in its product category and a more established competitor introduces an equal or superior product. Having a designer name associated with an extension brand doesn’t guarantee success, unless it adds value to the product. A brand attribute and an associated brand name may only appear beneficial. Asking potential customers - prompted only by the brand name - if they would be inclined to purchase the product and why can be helpful. If they can put into words why the new product would be attractive, then the brand does add value to the brand extension. If they can’t, it is unlikely that the brand name will add noteworthy value.

Negative associations
There is the risk that a brand extension will provoke negative associations when a brand name doesn’t match the concept of quality of the target segment. This will lead to associations with the main brand product, which will undermine the credibility of the brand extension.

Name confusion
A name can imply a very different product than is being offered. When a company names a new product, which is supposed to suggest one thing but really suggests another, potential customers are confused. If that is the case and the brand extension is markedly different from the product class of the main brand, consider changing the name to one that more aptly describes the product’s attributes, and you may successfully lessen the association with the main brand.

Congruence – finding a match is critical
The extension brand must match the main brand. A meaningful association common to both the brand and the extension brand can provide the basis for a match. If a match is to work, the two must not clash, incongruities will distract and cause confusion or ridicule. Customers will react adversely if they feel that a brand name is exploited and differentiation is only reflected in the pricing of the extension brand. On the other hand, if it is the perception that a brand has the skills to make the extension brand and provided the gap between the main brand and the new brand is not too big, customer response will be favorable.

Perceived poor quality
Even if a brand is mostly well regarded, some consumers may perceive it as low in quality. In this case, introducing an extension brand under the same brand name may limit market penetration.

Loosen the apron strings
It can be tempting to introduce a new brand at a low cost by relying on the dominance of the main brand name because you may achieve great sales with little advertising due to the strength of the brand name but if the extension brand relies too heavily on a brand name and you skimp on advertising because of it, it may not do so well – in that case, it may be time to loosen the proverbial apron strings and allow for the extension brand to differentiate itself in application as well as in name.

Damage to brand name
A brand name is often a company’s central asset and it can be all but irresistible to decide on an extension brand because of this fact alone. One should, however consider the possible damage to the brand itself. If the extension brand fails it is typically not nearly so bad as having it succeed and damage the main brand by creating unwanted associations – or changing existing brand associations - that wreak havoc on the perceived quality of the main brand.

Unwanted associations
An extension brand will often create new brand associations, some of which can damage the brand and hurt a company’s image but this transfer of negative associations doesn’t always occur and is less likely if the original brand associations are strong. Thus, if there is a marked difference between the main brand and the extension brand, and so long as the difference is not so extreme as to be inharmonious, it is possible to sidestep the transfer of unwanted associations.

Weakened existing associations
The brand associations created by an extension brand can muddle a brand’s image. This danger is particularly serious when a brand’s principal association is a product class and synonymous with a specific product category. If a company revises its strategy by switching to cheaper products, it is important to differentiate between adding new associations and diluting existing ones. The question is whether new associations will dilute the original brand association or simply add to it. The answer depends on the strength of the original associations; some brand names are more resistant to damage or change to existing associations than others.

Quality image is disturbed
For many businesses having a reputation for quality is the basis of sustainable competitive advantage. It poses a very real threat if a widely exposed extension brand of inferior quality diminishes the goodwill associated with the main brand. Attempting to capitalize on an established brand by lending the brand name to a wide variety of products and reaching into new markets can weaken the brand itself, and may erode the main brand’s perceived status. This is especially true when a brand name is attached to a lower-priced product: you run the risk that the quality image of the main brand is affected.

Brand cannibalization
An important part of brand’s equity is its customer base. If sales of a brand extension are achieved at the expense of the original customer base, the extension sales may not compensate for the damage to the brand’s equity, resulting in a cannibalization of the main brand.

Introducing a new brand name
Failing to rename an extension brand can result in missing out on the opportunity to establish new brand equity. A new brand name offers the promising prospect of creating new associations without being burdened with existing ones, and will also be a platform for future growth.

Strategy considerations
Consider a brand extension when the following conditions are present:

Strong brand associations provide a point of differentiation and advantage for the extension brand.
The extension brand helps the main brand by reinforcing key associations, avoiding negative associations, and enhancing name recognition.

Useful considerations in addressing the extension decision:

Potential for future extension brands: To avoid losing out on significant opportunities for growth, first order of business is to think beyond the first extension brand and consider other growth areas.

Detachment: Second, be aware that the risk of developing a brand extension can be reduced if the brand name is not too closely coupled with the new product. Distancing the brand name from the extension brand is particularly helpful with vertical brand extensions if the brand is a lower-quality product.

Protect and nurture
Growing one’s business by introducing extension brands is founded on the equity of the established brand name. Accordingly, it is critical that the brand name is nurtured and protected. To accomplish this, the market must be managed when it comes to decisions that affect promotions, product composition, distribution, and pricing policies, which are all factors that can affect the brand. Consequently, the concept of brand equity should be central to discussions and decisions to launch extension brands. A decision to introduce an extension brand has strategic consequences and it can have a huge impact on a company’s direction and growth and should therefore be preceded by an exhaustive examination of all implications.

***

0 Comments

The Language Imperative – should all companies speak English?

10/8/2014

1 Comment

Language has the power to shape lives, and thus the life of any business. With the aim to confront some of the issues international companies face today, with respect to their choice of corporate language, I ask: Must companies in otherwise non-English speaking countries make the switch to English in order to succeed? And are local languages becoming more and more obsolete in the corporate world in the process? The answer escapes me but English is becoming more the norm than the exception, with the rise in European, Asian and Middle-Eastern corporations transitioning into making English their language of choice, to accommodate an ever increasing need to communicate transnationally. It’s just easier when customers and employees alike are scattered across the globe. This, however, is producing the undesired effect that English, in its purest form, suffers continued erosion, as writers and non-native English speakers – myself included - introduce homegrown terms, faulty syntax and other linguistic oddities. The native or local language of a company also suffers as terminology and terms are frequently used in English, and therefore may cease to exist in the native language altogether.

Lost in Translation?
Many industries already require documentation to be available in English, to comply with local or international standards and regulations, and companies that opt for switching to English often begin by having critical source language material translated but meanings are often lost in translation, and this can’t necessarily be attributed to the translator(s), sometimes intent becomes unclear because the original wording is vague. You may solve part of this problem by producing all material in English to begin with. If the people within your company have the needed skills to do so, you save the cost of translation but you may need external editing services for quality assurance purposes.

The Theory of Variation
In linguistics variation theory is based on studies of language variation and its correlation to sociological categories. It is an important if overlooked issue when companies are trying to capture the coveted attention of their international customers and employees. Linguistic variations are psychological fingerprints that reveal and reflect a company’s identity and values. Something said in a humorous vein doesn’t necessarily translate (well) and may neuter a joke completely. This is why I always encourage my non-native English-speaking clients – despite typically displaying a very high level of linguistic command - to determine whether they have the skills to produce written material in-house, or should outsource the production of English language texts for public consumption (or international divisions) to an external provider.

Shipshape and Bristol fashion
You may ask, why this is even an issue when the English proficiency level has increased exponentially, with the growing demand for high quality content in English in otherwise non-English speaking nations. One reason is the fact that frame of reference will vary from country to country. Despite the commonality of the language itself, we understand things differently, demographically speaking; the non-native speaker may apply an overly literal translation to a particular word, which may have an entirely different meaning when spoken in Mumbai as opposed to New York and that usually results in misunderstandings. Idioms like the title of this section may be gibberish if you’re not English or are unfamiliar with maritime expressions – and you may not realize that it refers to something being neat and clean or spick and span. That’s also the reason why corporations hire linguists in various countries in connection with product launches, to uncover whether a particular brand or product name, slogan or turn of phrase has an offensive meaning or connotation in another language and, of course, to avoid libel.

Communication glitches
George Bernard Shaw wrote, “The single biggest problem with communication is the illusion that it has taken place.”

Many companies fail because they fail to communicate. What works in one’s native tongue doesn’t necessarily work in English and its inappropriate use may influence the perception of the services and/or products you offer. If your company decides to transition into English, introduce measures to avoid glitches in communication, such as review and approval procedures.

Accentuate the positive
More and more transnational companies produce videos to showcase their products and services, many of which are scripted in English, and while an accent may be charming, I would advise companies to consider using professional narrators if there is a risk of losing your audience because of it –in some cases, however, having employees featured in your promotional videos speaks to authenticity and will accentuate (pun intended) a positive impression – so, ignore the accent if it doesn’t hinder your message. Passion and personality can negate any disruptive influence a thick accent may have.

Five points to guide you, when choosing your corporate language:

1. Determine the demographics of your target audience of all communications, strategies, message and brand identity documents before you decide to switch to English. Is it a good idea or just the thing to do?

2. Decide whether you should communicate in English internally as well as externally. Answering the question whether all employees read and write English with sufficient proficiency cross departmentally will help you decide.

3. Make sure that the author(s) of all written material have in depth knowledge of the language and the country/region/customer you’re hoping to reach. If you enlist outside help, take the time to introduce them to your company and values, that they may find the right tone (of voice) to aptly represent you.

4. Preserve your style – you don’t want to lose what makes your company a reflection of you in the pursuit of perfection - show your true colors, it will separate your company from the herd.

5. Speak as one – (stylistically speaking) for consistency, and, equally important, to achieve the highest level of integrity – where possible, designate a head-writer, someone to oversee all outgoing corporate communications. This will align your message and increase the value of your content as the author becomes more accustomed to communicating about your company in English. Many will argue that you should always opt for a native English speaker, not only for localization purposes but because you want someone with the ability to convey your message and values eloquently and correctly, but in my book an understanding and appreciation of your native language and country is just as important, pick someone bilingual with a firm grasp of both languages who resides locally and can easily come to you for instructions.

***

1 Comment

Everything You Need to Know Before Outsourcing Communications to an Independent Communicator

10/8/2014

0 Comments

The experienced Independent Communicator (IC) is adept at conveying information, ideas, or policy to the public and has an established linguistic command and credibility in their field. They should be masters of the triple play: the ability to marry content and storytelling with strategy. A skilled IC may become a conduit for a change in how you communicate in your organization, help secure endorsements, attract investors and garner renewed or continued support for your company and what it offers. ICs can be consultants, ghost- and copywriters, journalists, or industry experts. Here are a few ways in which they can help you:

Conceptualize actionable communications strategies
Assist with the implementation (roll-out) of communications strategies
Align your internal and external communication
Create content for proposals, pitches, presentations, websites
Compose blog posts or articles about your company its products and services
Write copy for add campaigns, press releases, mission statements, brand and product descriptions, and white papers

Six tips to help you find and build a beneficial relationship with an IC, resulting in an effective communications strategy:

1. Nobody knows your company better than you
Once you're clear about your company's identity, objectives and target audience, it’s a good idea to identify areas of communication that you want help with. Make sure that you have a clear and comprehensive understanding of what you’re looking for. Depending on your industry, you may require a more academic, cerebral, or scientific approach to your communications with your customers. Do your research before choosing an IC. The ideal candidate will have a mix of both experience and expertise; ideally (s)he will have reach, credibility, or both. Enlisting the services of an IC is not inexpensive, also for this reason you should devote time to finding the best match. You will need someone who will quickly get to know your company, its people and your values and someone who will be able to translate data into eloquent and actionable content. Online platforms, often regionalized, make it easy for companies to find contractors that offer IC services on a freelance basis, however, in my experience, you will find the most competent and influential profiles through your network, who will only endorse the services of tested and reliable suppliers, which will ease the screening process. Once you have a shortlist, prioritize it on the basis of experience, fields of expertise, clients and the impact you expect they will be able to have - then decide whom you want to meet with.

2. Get to know your IC
Before meeting with prospective candidates, I suggest that you review their published content. Typically, the senior IC will have an online presence; go through their posts, articles, discussion threads, and other information that you come across. This will give you an insight into how they communicate, and how they get their message across to their audience, which will be an indicator of how effective they will be. Reach out to a couple of candidates and meet with them in person. The idea is to develop a mutually beneficial relationship, based on trust and confidence in the IC’s ability to communicate your corporate identity effectively. The best ICs check their egos at the door, they don’t interrupt you, they listen to what you want and focus on what you say before they advise an approach and they know how to incorporate and communicate your vision – they ask questions, not to appear clever but to uncover how to best serve your company’s needs. And finally, don’t ignore the elusive dynamic of chemistry – likeability plays a huge part – pick someone you like and will enjoy working with.

3. Articulate expectations
When you have chosen the IC you wish to work with, you should make things clear from the very beginning to ensure that you are on the same page. Both parties should be upfront about their terms and these should be written down, it doesn’t have to be a long(-winded) contract with caveats and disclaimers a mile long. An email containing terms, non-disclosure and confidentiality issues, deadlines and the commitment to pursue a collaboration will suffice, it should, however, include your expectations from the IC and how you will compensate them for their work.

4. Give your IC full access
The greater access your IC has to your company information and the more forthcoming you are, the easier it will be to establish your corporate identity and formulate an effective communications strategy. Providing your IC with pertinent information will motivate and inspire and produce the best result. Be prepared for lots of questions, and for the IC to make several visits to your place of business to get to know your company, which will aid them in their work for you.

5. Tell your IC everything (s)he needs to know
Make sure to arm the IC with the necessary ammunition to become well versed in terminology specific to your trade or industry. If they are to write intelligently about your brand or something more specific, such as an event or offering; make it easier by providing all available articles, whitepapers, e-books, press releases, interviews, samples, etc. The IC may unknowingly fail to adhere to compliance-related industry standards or government regulations, so make sure that your IC is made aware of any compliance issues, also to avoid the inadvertent disclosure of any corporate secrets or proprietary information.

6. Know where you’re headed
Lewis Carroll’s oft-paraphrased Cheshire Cat maxim that if you don’t know where you’re going, you’ll end up going nowhere or be forever stuck in Wonderland, offers poignant advice. You need to know and be able to dictate the direction you want your communications strategy to take, but the effective IC should be able to provide critical counsel and contribute strategic communications input on issues that could impact your company's reputation. Depending on the size of your operation, your IC should be instrumental in leading the implementation of the company's image and communications agenda, ensuring cultural relevance while engaging management and employees to advance your chosen strategy. An understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity, human and organizational behavior is even more important if your company has transnational presence. The IC’s primary task is essentially helping your company introduce a communications strategy that will achieve lasting impact and effectively reach and influence your key audiences through relevant channels.

The number of small business owners, mid-sized companies and, in some cases, bigger corporations that employ ICs in lieu of agencies has increased in recent years, perhaps because it has become in vogue to think small when you go big. Companies that personify a sense of community or family excel, they appeal to the increasingly discerning and cynical consumer. Companies that understand how to use this valuable insight in their communications strategy stand to gain if it’s planned and executed well.

IC Limitations
The IC seldom comes with an entourage and doesn’t have access to a wellspring of resources, it is a more intimate setup and more appropriate for small business owners and mid-sized companies.

***

0 Comments

How To Improve Deliberate Creative Thinking

How to Be Yourself Without Hurting Your Professional Image

How to Avoid Staying Stuck!

Brand Extensions - Useful Strategy Considerations

The Language Imperative – should all companies speak English?

Everything You Need to Know Before Outsourcing Communications to an Independent Communicator

Anett Kris﻿tensen

Archives

Anett Kristensen