Rate This Copy, Please.

We’re working on a new capabilities brochure for our company and I’ve been thinking about the tone so many agencies use in their own literature. I can’t stomach it, mostly. At this point in our company history, I don’t think we want to be the latest, greatest, hippest thing that all the beautiful people are talking about. So instead of trying to pitch ourselves as the agency every client wants, I thought maybe our brochure should be a filter to help potential clients decide if we’re a good fit for them. Now I’m wondering if the brochure’s a little too pretentious. If anyone has a thought, I’d welcome it. What follows is the proposed copy.

STEPHEN HALES

(Headline)
At Stephen Hales Creative, we’re not for everybody.
But for some, we’re ideal.

(Body copy)
Do you remember the “first day of school talk” your teacher used to give? It always had that stern “this won’t be easy” flavor.

It wiped the smirk from the faces of the goof-offs and caused the good students to brace themselves for the terrain ahead. Then, after things got started, you found that the teacher was actually pretty nice and things weren’t nearly as bad as they sounded in that talk. Well, inside this brochure is an arrogant sort of “first day of school talk” designed to get most of the people who read it to flee.

Stephen Hales Creative is a small company by choice. That doesn’t mean we don’t work for some very large organizations. (At least three of our clients are $100 million plus in annual revenues.) It just means that we have to be selective about the clients we serve. We’re definitely not for everybody, but we are ideally suited for some. This brochure has been created to help you decide if you’re one of them.

So, please answer a few questions:

1. Would you recognize a good promotional effort for your company if you saw it?

If you know a sound strategy when one is presented and you can tell if the creative execution matches the strategy, we can work well together. We appreciate clients with a record of successful marketing projects, because they generally know from experience if what we propose will work or not.

There are some great companies out there who don’t know what they need. That’s part of why you call an agency, after all—“Help us! We’re confused!” We’ve found that some of these companies wonder in their secret hearts if anybody else really knows what they need, either. What these companies often require is the assurance of a large, trusted agency telling them what to do. Their comfort level comes not necessarily from the quality of the work, but by the size and respectability of the agency producing it. We wish these clients well as we withdraw our name from consideration. We’re definitely not a large agency, and the jury’s still out regarding our respectability.

2. You want your promotional efforts to increase sales, but how important is it that they also add something valuable to the world?

At some companies, a sales increase is the only goal of advertising. There’s a good argument to be made that in business, as long as your profits are strong, nothing else matters much. If you believe this, there are many agencies that share your view and would welcome your account. We’re not one of them.

We think that there are already too many loud, garish, soul-snuffing promotional efforts out there. We’re seeking clients who believe that successful advertising not only increases sales, but also raises the level of discourse in the marketplace. These companies create communications that add something thoughtful, inspiring, or clever that the world didn’t have before. These are the companies we’re out to serve.


3. Are you looking to save money?

The fact is—we are substantially less expensive than big advertising agencies or design studios. We’ve consciously located our company in an area that has a lower-than-average cost of living, and we believe we can give you nationally-competitive work for prices that are much lower than what you might pay elsewhere.

That said, if one of your major objectives is saving money, you may still want to look at other agencies. We’ve found that clients who are narrowly focused on costs are miserable to work with. We pride ourselves on being fair in our pricing and transparent in the way we bill. We believe our costs are easily justified by the return on investment. No one wins, however, if the agency is constantly under pressure to reduce prices, to justify invoices, to nit-pick over expenses. We are well worth the fees we charge. If you’re looking for top quality work and you’re willing to pay for it, choose us, and be pleasantly surprised by the prices. If you’re under funded and you need to scrimp, please choose a cheaper agency.


4. What’s your expectation of service?

One former client used us on some projects and a New York agency on others. Whenever she flew into New York, she was picked up in a limo and driven to a posh hotel, all covered by the agency. In contrast, when she visited our office, we offered her a can of Diet Coke.

In our own fashion, we think we gave her good service. We were constantly on top of her projects. Her account manager was always available, and she could talk to any of us whenever she wanted. Her projects were all completed on time, and the billing was prompt. We’re friendly folks, and very responsible when it comes to giving clients what they need. It’s just that in addition to getting great work, there aren’t that many perks when you choose us. (However, if you prefer something other than Diet Coke, just let us know, and we’ll find you whatever.)


5. Will you be OK without the “brand-building-equity-commitment-benchmark-depth-and-breadth-of-awareness” talk that other agencies give you in the pitch?

A common approach among larger agencies is to introduce new clients to the company’s collective expertise with intense discussions about “brand equity commitment benchmark impulse analysis strategic focus differentiation . . . (you get the idea).” It’s true that building a brand is serious business, and there’s a great deal of savvy that goes into it. We think we understand those principles better than most, and a big part of our business is developing solid brand models for our clients. However, we make almost no effort to impress people with how much we know. So, if you judge the qualifications of your agency by the lingo that’s hurled about, we’d best take our qualitative emotional epicenters and leave.


Page 14, and you’re still reading? Impressive. Here are some of the services Stephen Hales Creative provides.

Design

Our design specialties include corporate identity programs (logos), packaging, print collateral, publication and catalog design, signage, tradeshow and exhibit design, invitations and other promotional materials. Our graphic design work has been recognized in some of America’s leading competitions. We approach our design projects the same way we approach all our projects—with a clear understanding of the communication problems involved. After we get that down, we just let ourselves go nuts.


Branding

We help clients develop a brand model that articulates for everyone in the organization who they are, what they do and who they serve. With this understanding, all of the marketing efforts and materials are built to consistently reflect the brand experience. Ads, brochures, signage, environments, mailers and Web sites are all ways that customers interact with companies and experience the brand. When that interaction is rewarding—when it helps customers meet their needs—the brand is strengthened. We keep that interaction in mind with all we do.

Advertising

The advertising campaigns we build are based on a solid strategic foundation, and executed with creative aplomb. Every campaign is different, but we combine our skills in media planning, marketing strategy, account coordination, art direction, copywriting, interactive development, and print/ broadcast production to help our clients build profitable, lasting relationships with their customers.

Publishing

We create magazines, catalogs, books, and other publications for our clients. We have a unique expertise in custom publishing, where we create magazines with content designed specifically for a client organization. Our publishing services include writing, art direction, illustration, photography, production, printing, design of companion Web sites and distribution.

Stephen Hales Creative, Inc. is not the right marketing partner for every company, but for some, we’re ideal. If you think we might be a good fit, let’s talk in person. Call Stephen Hales at 801.373.8888, or send an email to stephen(at)halescreative.com.

View our online portfolio at halescreative.com

©2009 Stephen Hales Creative, Inc. All rights reserved.