Perhaps the most common reason that great ideas fail to get approval is the failure to translate the exciting, brilliant, effective thought from the mind of the originator to those who have the power to sanction it. Far too often, creative people can get carried away with the vividness and coherence of the creative image in their own minds. They assume everyone else will see it in the same concrete detail and similarly recognize its potential. What is over-looked is the need to translate the image in the originator’s mind into something understandable by a third party. The idea will not sell itself.
There are two fundamental approaches in the selling of an idea that most practitioners fail to address: the preferred thinking mode and the personality profile of the targeted decision maker.
Preferred thinking mode
Research into Neuro Linguistic Programming has shown that people have at least three preferred modes in the way they think, communicate and receive communications. By identifying a deci sion maker’s preferred thinking mode, you can present your ideas in a format that is most likely to be understood, accepted and approved.
It is possible to identify someone’s preferred thinking type by the language they use, and by their body language. The three categories of thinking mode are as follows:
1. Visual thinking is used by people whose thought process makes pictures in their minds. About 35 per cent of the population are in this category. They tend to use words such as ‘Can you show it to me?’, ‘That’s a bright idea’, ‘I can picture that’, ‘It’s pretty clear to me’ or ‘Looks good to me’. When selling a creative idea to a visual-thinking person, paint pictures with your words – in particular, use appropriate metaphors, but also consider using visual props such as charts, diagrams, and copies of newspapers. When Manchester-based agency Communique presented its ideas when pitching for the Boddingtons brewery account, it used a video showing its staff in a pub – drinking Boddingtons, of course – with different staff members putting forward different ideas. This unusual approach gave greater status to their ideas and provided a distinct visual contrast to the other consultancies pitching for the account.
The creative process
2. Auditory thinking is used by those who like to listen to the way you say things – the pitch, pace, timbre and intonation of your voice are important in the communication. These are an esti-mated 25 per cent of the population. Their language can be identified by phrases such as: ‘That sounds good to me’, ‘Tell me what it can do’, ‘I don’t like the sound of that’, ‘It has got a good ring to it’ or ‘I hear what you are saying’. When presenting your ideas to these people, emphasize the sound of what you are saying. Where possible, use more than one person to present the creative ideas to give variety to the sound of what is being said.
3. Kinaesthetic thinking accounts for the remaining 40 per cent of the population, and they get their information from touch, gut instincts, hunches, and may often get goose-pimples. Key words and phrases are: ‘This feels good’, ‘I need to grasp the details’, ‘This touches me’ and ‘I can get a handle on this’. The introductory handshake is an important element of the meeting, along with opportunities to hold samples, or props, relating to your creative proposals.
Although computer-based presentation systems have led to greater use of visual props by public relations consultancies, most pitch proposals still tend to have an emphasis on talking heads. Consequently, there is an inherent emphasis on auditory communications, which is used primarily by only 25 per cent of the population.
In meetings, most practitioners use a proposal document that is given out at the end of the presentation – to avoid the decision maker reading ahead of the presenter. Yet this works against kinaesthetic thinkers, where feel and touch are important. You should accommodate them by providing handouts, perhaps featuring extracts from the proposal report, to give them some-thing relevant to touch and hold.
In presenting ideas, the more you can use the preferred thinking mode of the decision maker, the more readily you can present your creative idea to maximum effect. Public relations staff often bemoan decision makers who could not see the potential of an idea. On reflection, it may have been the case that the decision makers’ lack of vision was because they were non-visual thinkers, and therefore would have difficulty visualizing any ideas. Had the ideas been presented to appear to their auditory or kinaesthetic
Creativity in public relations
modes of thinking, perhaps the creative ideas would have been approved.
Personality profile – an extension of your ‘creative thinking spectacles’
Essentially, the human race is made up of billions of individuals, each a person and each unique. Yet it is possible to put the entire human race into a few small groups or profiles. This can be achieved by identifying a number of key types or profiles of people, with each having a preferred way of dealing with informa-tion and making decisions.
It is important to stress that there is no right or wrong profile group. Nor is it better to be in one group than any other. By under-standing the personality profile of the key decision maker, you can present your creative idea to him or her in the style, flavour and format this is most likely to gain acceptance.
Although there are numerous personality profiling systems detailed in various texts, a useful system for public relations prac-titioners breaks down the human race into just four types (see Figure 4.1). A number of different descriptions have been used for each of these, including one that uses the key elements of an adver-tisement (headline, illustration, body copy and logo) to describe each group, and another that uses just symbols. The four profiles are as follows:
● ‘Headline’ types, or ‘Directors’, characterized by the symbol , are strong on leadership and control their emotions. They are likely to be independent, energetic, assertive and lively. When presenting these people with ideas, you need to emphasize the
The creative process
Figure 4.1 Which symbol best represents you? Choose just one of these symbols to sum you up
tangible benefits and results that will be achieved by your proposal. They do not want to be excited by the idea itself but by what it will achieve for them. As these people like to be in control and like making decisions, you should present them with a range of options so that they can choose, and feel they are making the selection of what they believe will be best. How to spot: Because they are very much action people, meetings and phone conversations tend to be brief and to the point.
Their desks are very action-orientated and their offices may have evidence of achievements, such as award certificates, on the walls.
● ‘Illustration’ types or ‘Enthusiasts’, characterized by the symbol , are people who are also strong on leadership but who are willing to show their emotions. Such people can be thought of as competitive, dynamic, excitable and optimistic. They are likely to appreciate an idea for its own value rather than for its end result. When presenting to this type, because enthusiasts want recognition, you should emphasize personal thanks and fame that will result from using the idea, such as ‘This is a potential award-winner.’ Your creative idea needs to appear radical, different, innovative, dramatic and fun. How to spot:
Often the life and soul of the party, they are very sociable but poor at remembering names. Desks may appear untidy and meetings often start late and may stray off the agenda.
Hairstyle tends to be carefree and clothing may not be precisely coordinated.
● ‘Logo’ types or ‘Team Players’, characterized by the symbol , are low in leadership skills but are high in showing emotions.
They are likely to be polite, sensitive, accurate and realistic.
They value consensus and tend not to enjoy making decisions.
When presenting ideas to these people, you should emphasize support and be personally helpful. They need to feel included and be liked; ‘Team Players’ want acceptance. The seller needs to encourage democracy, to express equality, and to reduce the anxiety in having to make a decision. Options such as: ‘See how this goes in the first instance’ or ‘Appoint us for a trial period only’ will help lessen the anxiety that ‘Team Players’
feel in making a decision. How to spot: They will often spend the first part of a meeting talking about social things, their family or friends. They are good at remembering names. Desks may have photos of their children or pets. Hairstyles tend to be
Creativity in public relations
slightly carefree and they tend to dress for their individual comfort.
● ‘Body Copy’ types, or ‘Analysts,’ characterized by the symbol , are low in leadership skills and also control their emotions.
Such people are thoughtful, calm, reliable and steady. In pre sent ing ideas to them, you need to provide details and explain the processes that went into how the idea was gener-ated, along with an analysis of its implementation. This category wants details, and tends to be cautious and conserva-tive. How to spot: They are very punctual, and they will prefer to have a set agenda. Desks and offices are very orderly and tidy. Usually crisper in clothes style and tend not to have a hair out of place.
By identifying the personality type of the decision maker, you can select the best way of presenting your ideas. When I worked in an advertising agency, there always used to be quandary about ‘Do we show the client one ad or a selection?’ Invariably, we would take pot luck and not always get it right. However, by having an understanding of personality profiling, we know what to do: if we are presenting to a ‘Headline’ style of client, we provide a range of options, as they like making decisions; ‘Illustration’ types similarly want a range of options as they enjoy dealing with different ideas and making their own input; however, a ‘Body Copy’ style of client will want to see a logical process culminating in one ad as the solution to their problem; and for ‘Logo’ types the challenge is to select one ad and state that ‘we can run with this one if you like, but if it is not totally to your suiting we can be part of your team to readily come up with an alternative’, thereby lessening any anxiety about making a decision and emphasizing a key value of being a team player.
What if you are presenting your creative ideas to a group of people of different personality profiles? The trick here is to identify the key decision maker, and suit the presentation of your creative ideas to that person’s requirements. Use opportunities such as an open invitation to visit your premises or to take part in a social event to any ‘Team Player’ members of the client team, and leave a detailed proposal document with the ‘Body Copy’ member of the team.
The creative process
Closely analyse the way you describe things and discover what is your preferred thinking mode. Try to identify the preferred thinking mode of a key decision maker who can sanction your creative ideas. Or what personality profile best describes you?
Consider how you can apply these techniques in getting greater acceptance of your ideas.