PAUL ARDEN - ITS NOT HOW GOOD YOU ARE, ITS HOW GOOD YOU WANT TO BE

A book by Paul Arden, creative director at the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi.
One page, one chapter, one thought.
Paul explains why criticism is more important than recognition, why it is right to be “wrong,” how to effectively build a presentation to a client, and why it is easier to sell an idea “on a slate” than on a computer rendering.
After reading the book, it becomes clear how much the advertising business (and design as well) is tied precisely to the right way to sell your work to the client.
The main thing is not to be afraid of your client and your imagination. That’s what real creativity is built on, and it can’t always be measured by metrics.

Your vision of where or who you want to be is the greatest asset you have. Without having a goal its difficult to score.

WHY DO WE STRIVE FOR EXCELLENCE WHEN MEDIOCRITY IS REQUIRED?
All creative people need something to reel against. Its what gives their lives excitement, and its creative people who make the clients lives exciting

DO NOT SEEK PRAISE. SEEK CRITICISM.
Instead, ask «what’s wrong with my work? How can I make it better?»

DO NOT COVET YOUR IDEAS.
The more you give away, the more comes back to you.
Ideas are open knowledge.

DONT LOOK FOR THE NEXT OPPORTUNITY. THE ONE YOU HAVE IN HAND IS THE OPPORTUNITY.
Whatever brief is on your desk right now, that’s the one. Make it the best you possibly can.

ACCENTUATE THE POSITIVE – ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE
FIND out that’s right about your product or service and then dramatize it, like a cartoonist exaggerates an action.
AVOID knocking the competition.

DONT PROMISE WHAT YOU CAN’T DELIVER If you undersell, pointing out the possible weaknesses and how to resolve them, should they occur, you are not only building a trusting relationship with your client but you are able to solve any problems.

KNOW YOUR CLIENTS AIMS
MOST clients are corporate people protecting their own mortgages. They mistakenly see ideas as a risk rather than an advancement to their careers.
Therefore their motivation may be quite different from their brief to you.
Find out what’s the clients real objective is.
ALL clients aspire to status.

WHAT DO YOU DO WHEN YOUR CLIENT WONT BUY?
Do it his way, then do it your way.
If you show to client what you want and not what he wants, he’ll say that’s not what he asked for.
If, however, you show him what he wants first, he is then relaxed and is prepared to look at what you want to sell him.

WHEN IT CANT BE DONE, DO IT. IF YOU DONT DO IT, IT DOESNT EXIST
A new idea can’t be judged by description. It needs to be done. You may have to beg, steal and borrow to get it done. At whatever cost.

ITS WRONG TO BE RIGHT
Knowledge comes from the past, so its safe. Experience is build from solutions to old problems.
Its the opposite of being creative.

ITS RIGHT TO BE WRONG
Risks are measure of people. Being wrong isn’t anywhere but being here, now.

DONT BE AFRAID OF SILLY IDEAS
The way to get unblocked is to lose our inhibitions and stop worrying about being right.
High creativity is responding to situations without critical thought.
Do the opposite of what the solution requires.
Look out of the window and whatever catches your eye, make that the solution to your problem.

PLAY YOUR CARDS RIGHT
Between saying «pump attendant» and «petroleum executive» lies a big difference. Be more ambitious about yourself and your presentation.
How you percieve yourself is how others will see you.

ITS NOT WHO YOU ARE. ITS WHO YOU KNOW
Don’t burden yourself in your work. Get social. Talk yourself up and present your credentials.

DONT GIVE A SPEACH. PUT ON A SHOW
Instead of giving people the benefit of your wit and wisdom (words) try painting them a picture.
The more strikingly visual your presentation is, the more people will remember it.

COMPOSE YOUR AD FROM THE WEAKEST POINT
The villain is not always the client. It is the fashion of the day.
Be unfashionable. Take risks.

ROUGH LAYOUTS SELL THE IDEA BETTER THAN POLISHED ONES
If you show your client a highly polished layout, he will probably reject it.
There is nothing for him to do. Its not his work. He doesn’t feel involved.
It is very difficult for him to imagine anything else if what you show him has such detail.
Show the client a scribble.
Explain it to him, talk him through it, let him use his imagination.
Get him involved.

IF YOU HET STUCK, DRAW WITH A DIFFERENT PEN
Change your tools, it may free your thinking.

HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR STRIKE RATE
Lines (slogans) wins business. If you can sum up what the clients want to feel about his company but cannot express himself, you’ve got him.
Present creative work first.
Finally, present on Tuesday.

The most popular conception of creativity is that it’s something to do with arts.
Nonsense.
Creativity is imagination, and imagination is for everyone.