Great Resource: Words that Sell

Clients often ask me how I figure out what to say. The answer is, I brainstorm. And to brainstorm, I go to my resource library. My favorite for brainstorming copy is Words That Sell : The Thesaurus to Help You Promote Your Products, Services, and Ideas by Richard Bayan. It is simple to use and always helps me get in the copywriting groove.

Need Paper?

Do you find yourself looking for just a few sheets of great paper? It seems you have to buy single sheets or thousands...and that's not quite what you need.

Jam Paper is a great resource for those quantities somewhere in between.

Happy Birthday To Us!

We just turned 7! It's hard to believe that Jargon and Design Girl have been working side-by-side for 7 years. It's been great though. And we've learned a lot. Over the next few days, we'll be sharing the 7 biggest lessons we've learned over the last 7 years. Today, though, we're going to celebrate our success by working madly to meet a few big client deadlines.

If you happen to pass a chocolate cake today, take a bite for us.

Tip #5 to Help You Hire the Right Design Agency: Make a Schedule

I’m now going to share with you one of the most important things you need to know about working with graphic designers. They must have deadlines. Over the years, I have worked with many designers and every single one them can only produce on deadline.

If you have specific goals for your piece, then there is probably something specific you need it for, and that thing probably has a date on the calendar. Use that to determine a project schedule and stick to it. If something changes, let your designer know so they can adjust their schedules accordingly.

Remember that if you’re hiring an outside agency, you are probably not the only client they’re working with. Most designers we know have three to ten active projects at any given time. They will always work on the piece with the most immediate deadline.

A detailed project schedule will help ensure you get your piece done when you need it. It will also help you keep your internal colleagues in the loop and accountable for their reviews and sign offs. Overall, a project schedule is a valuable tool for all.

Tip #4 to Help You Hire the Right Design Agency: Get a proposal

The project proposal is where you’re going to see the designer’s process—how many meetings will you have, how many design comps are they going to show you, how many revisions do you get? The project proposal (or the creative brief) is a great tool for making sure you and the designer are on the same page.

In our proposals, we outline the above as well as discuss the project schedule—both our deliverables and the clients’. We include the cost as well as any situation that would incur additional charges for the client. Finally, we list all of our terms regarding payment, ownership and rights, and so on. It’s a lot of information, but it ensures we start off with the same understanding of the project as our clients have. And, if something happens, we have a reference.

Often clients who haven’t worked with an outside agency before will have questions about the process and terms. This is great—it means they’ve read the proposal! Your agency will be happy to explain everything to you, so ask if you’re curious. You can also ask me by posting a comment on this blog.

Clear Communications Tip: Write in English

Here’s a fact: Technical experts tend to think that what they do is too complicated to explain in sixth-grade level English.

Here’s another fact: If you can’t explain what your product or service does in plain English, then you don’t actually know what it does.

I probably made some people mad with that statement, but I stand behind it. I’ve been a writer and editor for more than twenty years, with of much of that time spent working on technical information. Without exception, when the technical people I work with really understand how their product will meet their audience’s needs, they are able to explain it in non-technical terms.

So pull out that 6th grade grammar book and see if you can explain your product or service. It’s a great exercise.

IAEE DC Chapter Show Buzz Newsletter

If you've ever spent time with anyone in the expositions and events industry, then you know that they are seriously fun people. They take their work seriously, but the take their fun seriously too.

So, when the DC chapter of International Association of Expositions and Events (IAEE DC) asked us to redesign their bi-monthly chapter newsletter and take over production, we jumped at the chance to work with this crowd.

We started with the newsletter template. The chapter had two goals: they wanted it to look professional, and they wanted a structure that was flexible enough to allow for their varied content. Some issues are full of deep content, while other issues are mostly photos of events.

We created a 4-color template that reflects the sense of fun, but that is also polished and clean. We also provide editorial support, which includes managing the editorial calendar, writing articles, and interviewing members. This new newsletter has been well received, and the National organization has used it as an example of great member outreach.