GUIDELINES FOR CREATIVES

BEFORE YOU BEGIN

1. Understand the mission and activities of the client organization.

Before you commit to doing any work, have a legitimate understanding of what the client organization does. Make sure you wholeheartedly agree with their philosophy and practices. If they don't voluntarily offer to give you a background presentation on their organization, be sure to ask for one.

2. Contact references of other creatives who have worked for this client.

Ask the client to provide names of other design and advertising people who have worked for them. Call to find out their impression of the client's input and approval process, and if they gave sufficient creative freedom.

3. Show the client your portfolio.

Even if this is your first pro-bono project, show the client representative samples from your paying clients or student work. They should be able to get a very clear picture of your creative style and experience, so questions aren't raised later.

4. Present a creative brief that outlines the assignment.

If you don't customarily use a "start work" or creative input form, develop one for pro-bono projects. It should cover the following points, ideally in a single page:

> What precisely is the client asking to have done?

> Who the audience is for the project; include demographic and lifestyle information?

> What specific action should the communications materials ask of the audience (Buy a ticket? Change an opinion? Call for more information? Make a contribution?)

> What is the best strategy to get them to take that action? Focus on the one, primary reason why people should take action--don't ask the creative to try to cover too much.

> What are the budget and timing issue?

> What are the mandatories (logos, credits, legalisms) that must be included?

> What should the tonality of the work be?

After you've prepared your creative brief, have it signed off by every person in the client organization that will later have an opportunity to accept or reject the creative work.

DURING THE CREATIVE PHASE

5. Insist on creative latitude.

While you should never ignore a client's needs and objectives, it is perfectly appropriate to insist on creative latitude as a prerequisite to taking on the project. This can actually benefit your client, because more experimental, unusual solutions tend to be more memorable and effective. Moreover, if your work generates talk, publicity, or recognition in professional competitions, you are actually further extending the client's message.

6. Establish a schedule and stick to it.

Everyone understands that pro-bono work will take a back seat to paying jobs, but that doesn't give you license to flagrantly ignore a client's schedule. Like any business or organization, your pro-bono client will have deadlines they need to meet.

7. Record your time and expenses.

You should keep track of your work on a pro-bono project the same way you would for any other assignment. You'll not only be able to track your productivity and the actual cost of your contribution, you can also use this information to "bill" your pro-bono client when work is complete so they can know the value of your in-kind contributions.

DURING THE APPROVAL PROCESS

8. Insist that everyone who can say "no" is in the room when the work is presented.

You should present to everyone in the organization who can ultimately kill your work, so they have a chance to hear your best persuasive arguments. Also, if there are objections, you'll hear them directly, without filtering and reinterpretation.

9. Explain your approach completely and carefully.

Remember that your pro bono client probably doesn't get involved in advertising and design projects on a routine basis. So don't take things for granted. Explain all the steps involved in your thinking process. Clearly demonstrate the difference between comp layouts and final production. Avoid use of industry jargon. Use examples of completed projects where appropriate to help clients grasp the final look you're aiming for.

10. If you have an unresolvable dispute over the creative proposal, bring in an arbitrator.

If you find yourself defending work that the client is completely unwilling to accept--and you feel it still has merit--bring in a third party to help resolve the issue. Advertising and design educators, freelancers, or creative directors from other firms could be called in.

AFTER THE PROJECT IS COMPLETED

11. Send an invoice to show the level of your contribution.

At the conclusion of a project, send an "invoice" to your client showing the value of your services. This way they'll gain a better understanding of the worth of professional design and advertising services, and they may also need to know the value of your contribution for their tally of in-kind donations.

12. Ask to hear about the results of your efforts.

There is a misconception (possibly deserved) that all design and advertising people care about is the work itself and the possibility of winning creative awards. You can help dispel that notion by making sure you're informed of the effectiveness of your efforts. By understanding what worked and what didn't, you'll also be in a much better position to assist this pro bono client (as well as all your clients) on future projects.