Presenting is not easy. It takes thought, planning and practice.
I find that the most successful presentations don’t drone on for years. Getting to the point quickly through a detailed path is key. Keep it simple with a concise beginning, middle and end, like a case study.

1. Objective

2. Solution

3. Next steps

Your voice is also a crucial presentation tool. Monotone presenters put everyone to sleep and don’t come across as excited about their product. A sense of energy and excitement about the product or idea goes a long way to engage your audience.
Most conference centers have the ability to record meetings these days, so if you really want to see where you need to improve, watch yourself present. It’s an eye-opening and traumatizing experience but worth it, if you’re ready to take your skills to the next level.
Think about if the shoe was on the other foot and you were the person being presented to. What would you want and not want to hear and see?
Robin Colangelo
VP, Board of Directors, InSource

The post Get to the Point appeared first on UpSource.

Can’t find the right image?
After searching and searching for weeks for a global image to depict a particular industry to align with our new brand, we were still coming up with nothing that would stick.
Several designers had given it a shot, multiple client meetings to discuss direction had taken place and still, nothing was sticking.
I then recalled a speed brainstorming session I participated in at the in-HOWse HOW conference in Boston a couple of years ago. We tried everything else, so why not give the speed-dating concept a whirl.
We gave the entire creative services team—all roles, around the globe—10 minutes to come up with image choices based on several key words, searching any stock photo site of their choice.
The result? We nailed it. Three strong images came out of this search and the client picked one. Gotta love when a plan comes to together!
Robin Colangelo
I AM IN-HOUSE : White & Case
VP, Board of Directors, InSource
@RobinColangelo4

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If you have clients, then you need exceptional customer service chops.
All clients, internal and external, need a certain amount of care and handling to promote a healthy and successful relationship.
I find the best way to come across as flexible and position your team for success is to avoid saying the word “no.” Instead, consider offering alternative options, otherwise known as compromises.
By Robin Colangelo,
Global Director of Creative Services at White & Case and VP on the Board of InSource
 

The post A customer service attitude appeared first on UpSource.

Way back when we were in design school the group critique created the uncomfortable shifty feeling of being poked at for your design thinking and implementation.
A hundred years later you’re still sitting in that same seat, just in a slightly different way.
Each day we listen to the feedback our clients give us on the projects we present to them. Some relevant and savvy feedback that helps propel the project forward and some not so helpful feedback.
Don’t be afraid to push back when the critique is weak. When I say weak I mean: “I just don’t like it, can’t tell you why, but I just don’t like it.” This as we all know, is not constructive criticism, it’s simply a waste of everyone’s time.
Leadership requires insight to see the problems that need to be solved. Progress comes from understanding our clients’ needs and style. Communicate with your clients. It’s ok to ask for more detailed feedback. It’s more than ok to say, “Can you elaborate on what you do not like and explain your vision to me?” It is rare that once you ask the literal question that you will continue to get the blow-off answer of “I just don’t like it.”
Let’s face it, our clients are busy and most likely your project is not key for their existence. So do your best to steer them in the right direction, so you get the feedback you need and deserve.
Robin Colangelo
VP Board of Directors: InSource
Global Director of Creative Services: White & Case

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I never heard this statement when I lived on the agency side of the fence: “Well that’s the way it’s always been”. But I heard it every day when I jumped to the client side to join an in-house creative team.
The negativity and roadblocks weren’t coming out of the creative team, however. They were coming from our internal clients. Sticking to the usual processes in which everyone keeps busy doing the same thing was the preference. I suppose it’s safe and no one needs eight levels of approvals to keep on truckin’.
When I joined, not only was a new marketing team with a creative services arm being formed, but also a new brand was being rolled out. The internal clients hadn’t seen change in so many years and now there was nothing but change.
The in-house environment was much trickier than I had anticipated. I had to hone and sharpen my negotiating skills, so I could defend the brand and stand up for the work our team was providing. This challenge does not exist on the agency side. No one will tell you to stop coming up with great ideas and taking the initiative to innovate on the agency side, but they certainly will on the in-house side.
My best advice having lived through several rebranding efforts: Be prepared to answer a lot of questions; Understand and articulate why you rebranded and what it means for your organization moving forward; Link your marketing strategy to your business strategy and let your internal clients know how your projects are relating back.
It was a difficult environment to navigate for a while, as people settled into new routines, new styles, and processes to support the brand and all of its touch points.
My guess is there are many other organizations that are finding it difficult to innovate, differentiate, and drive new ways of thinking.
So tell us, how have you worked through the challenges that come with implementing change in-house?
Robin Colangelo
VP Board of Directors: InSource
Global Director of Creative Services: White & Case

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Hello, anyone out there? Yet another in-house challenge: Finding great talent.
In my much younger agency years I never understood why small groups of seasoned pros jumped jobs together as a team.
I get it now!
It’s so difficult to find great people you can connect with and who care. The kind of people you can just look at and they instantly know what you need. When you find that rare and special business relationship you’d be silly to let it go.
So why is it so hard to hire the right talent and find the folks that fit the mold?
Is it 1, 2 or 3?:

1. Too much competition
2. People don’t want to work in-house
3. Everyone is a slacker

I’d like to hope it’s not C and it no longer makes sense that it’s B, since in-house design teams have been on the rise for many years and are now the cool thing to do since Apple and Google put us all on the map. So that leaves us with A–too much competition.
If too much competition is the challenge, we are back to putting our strategy caps on and figuring out how we differentiate ourselves from other organizations when we are interviewing good people for freelance or full-time roles.
Think about what benefits on your team you can discuss with a candidate when you’re getting the feeling that you’re speaking to someone good.
What types of projects are you working on? Some in-house teams get involved in everything from marketing collateral to interior design of their office space–that’s cool, mention it. Has your team won design awards that are worth pointing out? Are you working on any global initiatives that are great learning experiences like launching a new website or rebranding? Any of these opportunities could sway the right talent in your direction.
So, what have you been doing to attract the right talent for your organization?
Robin Colangelo
VP Board of Directors: InSource
Global Director of Creative Services: White & Case

The post Anyone Out There? appeared first on UpSource.

I did not have the luxury of mom or dad being in the business nor did anyone I knew know a single sole in this business. It took me a depressing and frustrating two years after graduation to find a full-time job in graphic design.
It was difficult to begin a career with little to no help from anyone that had previously walked the walk. Because of this, I have always stopped to look back at the up and coming talent to see how I can give them a lift.
As creative leaders we need to remind ourselves that we were there once. Lost, green and scared. It takes strong a mentor to inspire and motivate others to move forward. Be one of those people for someone on your team or in your organization.

The post Rising Talent appeared first on UpSource.

As your responsibilities as a leader continue to expand, it’s best to rethink the oversight of smaller tasks and less crucial projects in your department.
It’s wise to thoroughly review documents being sent to our clients, but not all work is mission-critical for the leader to be reviewing. Put some thought into which projects don’t need your eyes on a daily basis. Think about who on your team has the right skillset to keep moving those projects forward. Someone with attention to detail who can review quality control and understanding how to apply your brand effectively.
Empowering a senior member of your team to review projects that no longer need your oversight should be motivating for them as this is as step further in their career path.

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