Working With GeorgeCo.

As I round out my fifth year running GeorgeCo., LLC, a Delaware Company, I'm pleased to report that not only have I surpassed in revenue what the New York office of Ogilvy brings in, I have happier clients than ever.

Last night I got a note from one of my clients. 

He sent me the cover of a book he's written. With one of my lines as the title. And a note that reads, "you get a shoutout in the book! I’ll send you a copy in September."

At a time when all that seems to matter to the ad industry is trumped up awards for work that may or may not have run, or may or may not have had a materiel effect in the market, these sorts of things from paying clients are of immeasurable importance. In fact, I'd take that book title and note over about 75% of all Cannes Felines. And I didn't even have to pay for it.

I've been in the ad business my whole life. Writing the title of a book for a client, and getting a mention in that book is a first. It's up there with a tech client who thanked me for a children's book I had written during a pitch that explained what the client did--robotic process automation.

She said, "My 12 year old now understands what I'm doing." 

When the ad industry made sense--when we acted as "agents" for clients (that is, our job was to make them, not us, look good) these were the barometers of success and personal fulfillment. They will always be more important to me than a plasticine statuette. It's a shame that extrinsic and spurious recognition has become more important than real thanks. Especially in an industry that uses the word "authentic" about every eleven seconds.

In any event, my client dance card is fuller than it's ever been. So here are some tips for work with me and being a mensch in general.

1. Say please and thank you. That's simple. And it should be obvious.

2. Make it easy to have a meeting. It shouldn't be harder to schedule a meeting than it is to do the work. If all 17 people you want in the meeting can't make it, schedule it anyway. And hire GeorgeCo again, so they have another chance to see me in action.

3. Make it easy to get paid. Don't sit on invoices for 45 days then tell me I have to input information I've already given you into a database I've already populated. You might be a poorly organized multi-billion-dollar company, but I know you're stalling and getting the float on the $79K you owe me.

4. Watch these two videos from Dave Trott. They make it clear why I do what I do and why I refuse to do anything that's expected, anything that's been done before.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6v0L9AoRE0

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88z2ZHJxTL0

5. Recognize that there's a vast difference between doing the assignment and doing the job. Good creative thinks bigger, more expansively (and often expensively) than the assigned task. Because we serve the steak along with appetizers, sides and often dessert. If you're open to thinking, not just doing what's been ordered, you'll get much more for your money.

6. Be on time. With briefs. With meetings. With feedback. With payments.

7. See number one.

8. Thank you.