Know-How Exchange : Advertising/PR

The trick is that ideas are a dime a dozen. It is the implementation of them that makes the difference. Ideas in and of themselves are not very easy to sell.

I think you will have a hard time selling just ideas. You will have to offer more than that. Some sort of implementation needs to be tied into it. The hard work and time is in the implementation, and thus has more value.

Mike

It sounds to me as though you want to do the fun, easy, creative, enjoyable work yourself - and leave the tough work to others. And you want others to pay you for the privilege of letting them do the hard work.

You are trying to start in a very competitive industry at the top. Sometimes you need to start at the bottom and work your way up.

Ideas are in fact a dime a dozen. If you don't believe this, visit the US patent office, at which you'll find rooms in rooms in rooms filled with great ideas, most of which never went anywhere.

The important skill is to get people to commit to spending money. Maybe you should direct your creative skills in that area.

Hi Andrea,

I am sorry but I have to agree with all the posters so far :)

You are looking at the business from the wrong end.

Companies have products and services that they want to market, they often have in-house creative people or executives who generate ideas for campaigns. Then they go to the marketing companies or advertising agencies to help them to take the initial idea and evolve it into a campaign.

This process can take many months of work and involve many many different creative, commercial and political decisions before the final campaign and corresponding budget is agreed upon.

There are very rare instances when a particularly brilliant marketer can go to a company and say 'I have a fantastic, no fail, marketing idea that you need for your product or service and I can implement t for you'. And convince the company to take the idea on board.

If you can do it, Kudos to you!!! :))

The problem, as has been clearly stated already by several posters is that ideas by themselves are a dime a dozen. Many ideas end up in the trashcan because they are too radical, too expensive or just too complex to implement.

Unfortunately, it is never about what 'Should be done' but always about, what can realistically be achieved within the structure of the organisation. If the leadership is open and creative like 'Richard Branson' then almost anything can be suggested and achieved.

Unfortunately, he is one in 100 million :))

Maybe you will be the next Richard Branson - My advise is: If you have a really great idea, just go out and do it yourself. If you don't have the confidence to attempt that, then takes Phil's advise and go and get hired by a company in the marketing dept. and learn the business from the ground up.

Good luck

Matthew

PS: Regarding the idea of ghost marketing :) The very nature of marketing is about 'VISIBILITY" The concept of a ghost writer is one who hides. He is paid for his talent but agrees never to reveal his identity or enjoy the financial fruits of his work beyond the agreed payment. You will never find a marketing company that will agree to do that :) By nature they love the limelight :)))

I'm both a marketing consultant and a ghost-writer, and I agree with the posts above that the concept of a "ghost-marketer" is probably not going to fly. To the extent that it can, it exists already.

None of my clients -- for whom I have come up with numerous marketing ideas -- broadcasts that they have gone outside their companies for marketing advice and assistance. They just retain me, pay my fees, take my ideas and implement them. When they work, they get the credit for being smart enough to find someone who can "come up with this stuff." If they ever would have failed, I'd probably not get a renewal and internally they'd blame the outside consultant who obviously didn't understand the problem very well. (Thank goodness, this has never happened!)

Net, your best bet might be to become a marketing consultant and effectively be a ghost-marketer without calling it that. If you opt to go that route, I'd suggest you get a copy of Rasputin For Hire. The subtitle is An inside look at management consulting between jobs or as a second career. There's a neat self-assessment decision tree on the site (linked above) that will help you understand what it takes to be successful ... at least in terms of prerequisites.