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So, you just had a moment of clarity at 3:37 a.m. and came up with the perfect design idea for that special package you’re working on. It’s fresh, it’s classy, it’s got pizzazz and, oh heck, let’s just say it just kicks ass all around.
Congratulations. Now you just have one minor task to accomplish before you turn that idea into a reality: convincing your bosses (and, in some cases, their bosses and the bosses of those bosses) that this idea is as brilliant as it seems to you.
Of course, this step is not so minor. Newspaper is a product that appeals to the masses, which, unfortunately, often means appealing to the lowest common denominator. That is partly why, when given the choice, newspapers often go for the “safe” option rather than the more daring, even if the potential payoff might be bigger. Throw in the fact that many of the people in management don’t have design backgrounds, it’s easy to see how this is a stage in the process where many a great visual concepts could be snuffed out. It’s an unfortunate fact of the business, but it doesn’t mean your amazing idea has to end up on the chopping block. Here’re some pointers for successfully selling your grand vision:
1. THINK IT THROUGH: Before you go into a meeting and present your idea, give it a lot of thought. Cover all your bases. If you’re working on a special section, just coming up with a cover idea isn’t enough. How will you carry the cover theme throughout the rest of the section? What kind of “furniture” will you have inside? Is this idea in line with the newspaper’s design standard? Look for shortcomings in your idea, because that’s what other people will do. If you can foresee any concerns about your concept, you can come up with a solution/response to address that concern and stage a preemptive strike of sorts and cut off the critics. Also, it gives others the impression that you thought the idea through thoroughly, which increases the chance that they will think you know what you’re doing.
2. DIVIDE AND CONQUER: Before you try to sell your idea to the head honcho, sell it to some of the people in between. This way, when that idea gets to whoever has the ultimate say, it will have the support of people who interact more often with that person on a daily basis than you do, which could lend it more credibility.
3. THERE’S SAFETY IN NUMBERS: This point kind of goes with No. 2. Get some folks to back you up. Talk to other designers about your idea, get their input and their support. For one thing, you might get great suggestions to improve your concept. For another, you get more endorsement for your vision.
4. SEEING IS BELIEVING: I think there was a Kinko’s commercial years ago in which a man proposes to his girlfriend, and when she hesitates, he dives into a detailed presentation on all the reasons why she should marry him, complete with pie graphs, charts and projections. If you have an idea for the section cover, take some time and do a mockup. Make it something much more detailed than a sketch, something that actually resembles the final product in your head. Even when you get two great designers together, if one of them tries to simply verbalize a concept to the other, they probably would end up with different visions of what that concept looks like. Having some visual aid would go a long way toward communicating your vision. Yes, if your idea gets shot down, you would’ve done the work for nothing. But doing work for nothing is nothing new in this business, and if you put some effort into your preparation, there’s a greater chance it’ll pay off.
5. BE CONFIDENT, NOT ARROGANT: When you’re presenting your idea, you should act like you have confidence in it (and back it up with evidence that you’ve given it a lot of thought). After all, if the person who came up with the concept says stuff like, “Or maybe it’s just a bad idea, I don’t know,” how are others supposed to have faith in it? However, when others raise concerns/criticism of your idea, defend it without being too defensive. Don’t just reject others’ input out of hand. Let them say their piece, then address it with a calm, substantive answer (and again, this goes back to thinking your idea through and being well-prepared for others’ concerns).
6. IF IT DOESN’T FLY, DON’T GET DOWN: Don’t take it too hard if your idea gets rejected. Remember, even geniuses disagree. Don’t take it as a personal insult that somebody doesn’t like your idea, and don’t get discouraged. You’re in a business that puts out a product every day, which means you have 364 other chances to get your ideas through (or rejected). Shake it off and keep at it.
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