Building Your Portfolio by Giving Back

As a creative just starting out in the business, you're faced with the same challenge and paradoxical contradiction that pretty much everyone has faced in their life. Here's how that conversation typically goes:

1st job

You: "Hello, I would like to apply for X job please."

Employer: "Great. You seem smart and you knew the difference betwen "Your" and "You're" on the application. But we need someone with at least 5 years of experience."

You: "Well, I don't have 5 years. But I killed my college classes, I'm probably smarter than half your current employees, and I never eat other people's food in the refrigerator."

Employer: "Sorry, we're looking for someone that's worked a meaningless job for 5 years. But thanks for stopping by, and by the way, we don't validate."

2nd job

You: "Hello, I would like X job please."

Employer: "Great, we need someone that does everything you can do, but with 3 years of experience."

You: "That's what the last guy said. Look, I need a job to get experience. If you give me this job, I will have 3 years of experience working here. That's a pretty good proposition don't you think?"

Employer: "Well you don't have the experience needed for this job. But I like your style. We'll give you a job licking envelopes, and maybe grab us coffee once in a while. And then after 3 years maybe we'll see if you can handle sending needless emails and attending random meetings."

You: "Sounds great." (Because you literally have no other options)

And round and round we go. It's the same thing in the creative world, except the only difference is that you just replace "Years of experience" with "Portfolio" and there you have it. You need a great portfolio to land an awesome job. But to have a great portfolio, you need work! Oh what to do?

Well I have a solution (not THE solution. Just A solution.). You can do what I did and start working pro-bono for non profit organizations. Now some creatives ho-hum at this. They don't believe in working for free. And that's a legit opinion. But for me, i like doing it, and am continuing to do it. 

It's really a win-win. Here are just some of the benefits of working pro-bono for an NPO:

• You look really cool in front of your friends (Okay, I guess giving back to the community helps too)
• You get a chance to work with other creatives on a project. As a copywriter, you need to meet and work with as many designers, directors or other copywriters as much as possible. This provides a great way to do that. 
• You might be able to write it off come tax return season? I honestly don't know. I'm allergic to numbers.
• You can add work to your portfolio. Which is what we've been talking about this whole time. 

Okay now that I've sold you on working pro-bono (just go with it), you might be wondering how to do it exactly. 

My personal favorite is a site called Catchafire.org. What I like about Catchafire is not only the way they list their projects, but the organizations they are affiliated with do really great stuff. I have worked for 2 non-profits recently, and in both cases, they were very easy to work with and we came up with some great ideas. 

Catchafire offers opportunities for almost all specialties, from IT, to Branding, to Copywriting, Design, Marketing, Photography and more (just go to their site). Their timelines are pretty reasonable too, so you can definitely work on your own projects and add one of theirs to your schedule as well. 

So get out there, give back, and volunteer your skills. The planet will thank you. 

Giant rats and telling the truth

I'm not really a fan of talking about work with people I just met. I feel like it's so contrived. I like to talk about things like why do we need a Full House reunion show, or how bad I want a pet Capybara (if you don't know what that is, google it. I promise you won't be disappointed). But when the job question ultimately comes up, and I tell people that I'm in advertising, their first reaction is "Ohhhh". And then "Okay". And then "That's coool." 

But not in the "cool" as in impressed, but cool as in, "Oh you're one of those slimy douchebags that convince people to buy shit they don't want or need like cigarettes and high deductible insurance policies." 

I think that used to be true about advertising back in the day but I don't believe it's true anymore. Advertising isn't about lying or making false claims about a product. In fact, ever since I've studied advertising, there is one constant theme that I've seen repeated throughout all of my mentors and advisors: Tell the truth. 

You see, despite the fact that reality TV and social media have slowly eroded our brain cells, we as a people still have an unbelievably effective bullshit meter. We can spot BS from a mile away. So in reality, the truth is more powerful than any other resource that you have at your disposal as a copywriter/designer. The truth is what sets you apart from your competitors. Perhaps your truth isn't as "sexy" as your competition, and that is where advertising can really make a difference. 

Take this classic ad from Avis (which has been seen by every copywriter in the universe):

Ahhhh! We're number 2?! The truth hurts so good. Avis' ad campaign positioned themselves as the number 2 in car rental companies. It doesn't get any "truer" than that. And customers love it. It means that Avis tries harder....a campaign that they still adopt to this day. 

I'm a big fan of stand up comedy. Some of my favorites include Louis CK, Dave Chapelle, Hannibal Burress, Demetri Martin, and Larry David. One thing that they all have in common is that they're really good at finding things that are true in life. Social interactions, the state of race in America, dating. Just as in advertising, comedy is based on quintessential truths that we can all identify with as a person living within this society. 

So if there's one thing to take away from this blog post it's this: You should look into owning a capybara. If there's a second thing though, it's that if you can find the truth about your business, you've found your best advertising strategy. 

The Internet and Creativity: A Correlation

I'll be honest for a moment here (don't you hate when people say that? What does that mean, that I haven't been honest up until now?), I was in a little bit of a creative funk to start the new year. I've been bogged down with distractions, working projects that don't elevate my career, and worst of all, procrastination. Dun dun dun. 

I was having trouble pinpointing exactly why I felt so hopelessly unproductive. And I finally found the answer:

I've been letting negativity, doubt and fear weigh me down like an anchor. This is probably not a shock to any creative out there. I've never met someone that aspires to do great work, that hasn't had these thoughts at some point. 

But if we're going to be talking specifics here, in my case I am referring almost exclusively to the internet and social media. 

A little over a year ago, I got off social media entirely for a period of about 4-5 months. I deleted my Facebook, stopped checking Instagram every hour, wasn't scrolling aimlessly through twitter, and even stopped checking email every day. Guess what happened? It was one of the best 4-5 months of my life. I wrote a book. Yes, I WROTE a book.

I never released it because it was a terrible book, and wouldn't sell a single copy outside of my mother. But the point is, is that I wrote it. I was writing something crazy like 5,000-10,000 words a day. All because I wasn't checking my phone or internet every 30 minutes. 

You know that scene in X-men where Professor Xavier can hear the thoughts of everyone in the whole world through that mindfuckery of a computer he has on his head? Yeah, turning off social media was like taking off that helmet. 

You know how bad it is? I even have Snapchat. Yes, I am 35 fucking years old (give or take a few) and I have Snapchat. But now, I started shutting out the online world, and amazingly, I'm back to producing great work (or at least, work that I'm proud of). I'm supposed to be working, not getting trapped arguing with people I don't know about whether Kanye West is an egomaniac or Taylor is a spoiled brat. Not going down rabbit holes of kids in the suburbs doing their best whip and nae nae. Not finding out what Manny Pacquiao means by "gays are worse than animals". It's all entertaining, but if it's not doing anything for my life, I just let it pass. 

So my message here is to truly unlock your creative potential, you may need to literally disconnect yourself. I will not hesitate to put my phone in airplane mode, or disconnect the wifi from my computer to get things done.

That, and if you're older than 35 years old, you (we) should probably not have a Snapchat account. 

Podcasts and Creativity in 2016

If you're anything like me (if you are, I'm so sorry), you spent your vacation hanging out with family, friends, vacationing, and generally not giving a shit about anything at all. Sure, I checked email, kept tabs on my clients, and wrote the occasional side note for my novel, but for the most part I did very little, actual work. 

And you know what? That's okay. 

After working like a dog for 8 years in the tech industry, where I was under the misguided and profoundly stupid belief that hard work meant never taking breaks, I decided a while ago that I'm the boss of me. And my boss says to reward myself, and refresh my brain by taking a vacation every once in a while. Which is exactly what I did. 

And while I don't feel the effects just yet, taking some time off can do wonders for your creativity. I have two books in the works that I've shaped while my brain was taking a break from the copywriting world. My goal is to have one of them ready to go by 2016 (to be fair, I said the same thing last year and that didn't turn out so well. Don't judge me). 

For my first blog post of 2016, I want to talk about Podcasts: why I feel they are a necessary part of my life, and my top 7 Podcasts I think you should listen to, whether you are a creative or not. If you're making a huge list of New Year's resolutions that you may or may keep, let me throw in "Listen to more podcasts" into that mix, and here's why. 

Why you should give a shit about Podcasts

You know that whole time period in the morning, where you wake up, take a shower, brush your teeth, put silicone lens into your eyeballs, walk your dog, eat sausage, or whatever the hell it is you do in the AM? Well you could be doing all that and more if you were a regular podcaster. 

I used to ho hum at podcasts but now I get it. It's like listening to an audio book, but without all of the intellectual, have to pay attention bullshit. It's mostly entertainment, but if its a good podcast you'll learn about something too. 

Ways they can help

I do listen to podcasts to help my career, but I would say the majority of the podcasts I listen to are things that just interest me in general. The biggest benefit though is what I alluded to earlier, assuming you were paying attention, that is saves you time. It's the ultimate multi-tasking tool. You can literally work and learn at the same time. You can prepare dinner for the family and listen to ways to improve your grammar simultaneously. It's really a no lose situation. 

7 Podcasts you should subscribe to right now

1. Anna Faris is Unqualified. You might know her as the awkward girl in the "Scary Movie" spoof movies, or perhaps Chris Pratt's wife, but Anna Faris' podcast is a national treasure. Listen as her and her celebrity guests give well meaning, but questionable at times advice to listeners across the country. Hands down the funniest podcast I've heard. 
2. Serial. This is the motherload of all Podcasts. Seasons 2 is kinda meh, but season 1 is on some Game of Thrones-Making a Murderer-Walking Dead hype level type shit. Get it. 
3. TED Radio Hour. Pretty self explanatory. If you like TED, you'll like this podcast. And if you don't know what TED is, then I'll be seeing you at the next Trump rally. 
4. Freakonomics Radio. Based on the book I haven't read, Freakonomics radio is probably the most interesting podcast out there, covering everything from advertising, to human migration. 
5. Magic Lessons with Elizabeth Gilbert. Elizabeth Gilbert is the lady who wrote Eat, Pray, Love, which should give you some idea of the podcast's content. Great for creatives and people who do yoga. 
6. The Bill Simmons Podcast. For the intellectual sports fan, Bill Simmons mostly talks football and basketball in this hour long discussion that feels less like ESPN and more like a talk with you and a buddy over some beers. It's too bad he's a Patriots fan.
7. The Self Publishing Podcast. Since I'm a writer, I enjoy listening to podcasts that discuss the art and business of writing. These guys sound like down to earth guys, so they're decent to listen to. 

3 more Podcasts for creatives

1. 99% Invisible. Seems like they mostly cover architectural design, but do it in a cool and interesting way that makes it seem applicable to any creative field. 
2. CreativeMornings. They don't seem to put out new episodes very often, but when they do, they're awesome. Think TED talks but focused on entrepreneurship and creativity. 
3. The Freelancer. A podcast on how to thrive in the freelance business. The host is a graphic designer, and always has really good practical advice. 

I was going to do more, but honestly, there's a bunch of podcasts on my list that I simply wouldn't endorse. Some of them can be long, tedious, or annoying, so sometimes you have to sift through the sludge to get to the good stuff. 

I hope my list helps get you started, and on your way to be a regular podcast listener. You too can be an anti-social outcast with their headphones all the time while you're out in public, so get listening, and have some fun!

My Biggest Fails (in Copywriting).

Unless you're Jesus, I'm assuming at some point you've failed at something in life. 

And if you are Jesus, I'm so sorry for the last 36 years of my life. I promise the next 36 will be much better (assuming I get there). 

That's why I'm not ashamed to admit the number of times I've failed early in my writing career. Because as any good motivational poster on your office wall will tell you, it's not how you fall, but how you get back up. 

So here's an arbitrary list I made that looks at some early mistakes that I learned from. This is writing, but I'm sure the same rules can be applied to any creative position.  

1. Not setting boundaries. 

I'm not talking about inappropriate boundaries, although those should be set too. The point is when we're starting out, we often feel the need to show people that we can do anything. And that maybe, if we go above and beyond what is asked, people will be more impressed with us. 

What ends up happening is that you do more for less money, and then people just think you're gullible. 

And people are still not impressed. 

One of my earliest clients asked me to do some copywriting work for them. As the project progressed, they asked me to do research on their topic (Scientific advances) and basically asked me to do their work for them. Sorry, but I wasn't trained on how to go through peer reviewed journals, and more importantly, it's not what the assignment originally called for.  

Like a boss, I still did the work because I made the mistake of not being clearer about the project up front. A mistake that I'll never....okay try not to make again. 

2. Saying yes instead of HUH?

Here's a great tip: Talk to your clients like a 3rd grader. 

Wait rewind, let me clarify that. That's not to say you should ask questions like "Do you like ice cream?" It means being completely literal (in the literal sense, not the way millenials use it), and sometimes asking the dumb questions. Dumb questions like "What are you trying to do by sending this email?" You'd be shocked by how many times the easy questions don't have an easy answer. 

Here's another good one: "Who is your target audience?". A lot of clients try to cater to everyone. It's not possible. Unless you're selling water. Or money.

I was scared to ask these stupid questions early on, but now I don't mind being the idiot in the room. It helps me do my job better. 

3. Don't jump when you can fly, mofo. 

If you're like me, you grew up in class always thinking "Please, don't call on me!". But in the creative world, you need to speak up. You are the big idea person. That's why they hired you. 

This doesn't mean gluing feathers to yourself and doing the nae-nae on the meeting table (although, that might be crazy enough to work), it just means thinking abstractly. Ask the "What if" questions. Be different. 

4. Working for pennies, because that's what I'm worth. 

I used to be way too soft on my pay rate. I thought since I was new, I just needed work to show what I could do, then I would increase my rate as time goes on. It sounds great in theory, but it's not realistic. 

Copywriting is a tough job. And I don't know about you, but if I'm going to work my ass off, I need to get paid appropriately. 

Also, you don't want to start off too low because:

1. Your clients will treat you like a starting copywriter and not a serious one. And
2. It's much harder to increase your rate once you've set the precedent. 

Be firm about what you charge. Your clients, and your bank account, will respect you more.

Tip: Follow @TedLeonhardt on Twitter for great negotiation techniques. 

5. Don't let anyone else control your work. 

Always present your own work, and always do it in person when possible. People these days do too much work through email. But it's so much harder to present your work via email, because you're not able to emphasize the one thing that your copy is designed to do: Capture emotion. 

And never, ever, ever let anyone else show your work without you. That's like having someone else raise your kid for you. Passable, but really frowned upon. 

I hope my early failures is a learning lesson to all. And if not, then well, you'll probably be making your own list of screw ups.