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<ul><li>Our confessions series is a platform where young professionals from the <keyword id="35666" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising">advertising</keyword>, marketing and media world will get to pour their hearts out on how the outbreak of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> has affected their daily routines, the good, bad and ugly sides of working while under house arrest and talk about if it's even possible to balance work and personal life in a situation like this. </li><li>In our latest edition, <keyword id="9048494" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="andrew-jacquet">Andrew Jacquet</keyword>, a Copywriter by profession and Graphic Designer for his love of ‘dark arts’, talks about the challenges of dealing with anxiety when the world is falling apart and trying to be creative every day. </li></ul>My alarm clock rings; it’s 8:30 in the morning. Craving a few more minutes of blissful unconsciousness, I try and swat it out of instinct, but years of experience have taught me to keep my alarm clock in my bedside side drawer - lest I break another one with a well-placed right hook. I force myself up, making sure to carve a line into my bedroom wall, it’s not the first, and it certainly won’t be the last. For 26 days I’ve been confined to the boundaries of my house, and my conception of time is slowly fading away. I wonder about the world I’ve left behind. Will things ever go back to normal? Or will I find myself walking through the deserted wastelands of Bandra wrestling packets of Parle-G from hordes of my feral neighbours just to survive? My thoughtful fantasies of being Will Smith in I Am Legend are rudely interrupted by a Zoom call. Zoom has, over the last few weeks become the world’s primary distributor of unsolicited pornography, in addition to being a video conferencing app. It’s my boss, and he doesn’t sound too happy. Our client changed the brief again, and we (by which he means me) have just one hour to revise everything. I sigh; my plans of playing a round of CS-GO all day are ruined. But with no alternative in sight, I begrudgingly agree to the deadline and my copy is equally as begrudgingly accepted. This cycle continues for the next 12 hours, interrupted only by a series of video conferences where everyone over 40 spends embarrassing amounts of time giving briefs while their system is on mute. To me, being a copywriter in the End Times is not all that different from how it’s always been. My hours are still outrageous, bordering on sweatshop territory; but lacking the prestige of working for Nike and my clothing is still highly unprofessional if I choose to wear anything at all. Perhaps most unsurprisingly to everyone associated with the advertising business, the sacred line between my work and personal time is as non-existent as Taiwan is to the World Health Organisation. Trust me, Google it. On the fortunate side, many of the inefficiencies that would take up a plurality of my time like dangling out of a local train for an hour and a half and the endless meetings which could have been summarised in the subject line of an email, have been wholly eliminated. I would even go so far as to say that the solace of a quiet home is a far more nurturing work environment than an office with colleagues trying to ambush you so they can show off their new kid. On a more personal front, there’s always the anxiety that my aging parents could get infected, but the fear of losing everyone I love in addition to my entire life’s savings is greatly mitigated by HR who never fail to send me emails about the best way to wash my hands, at least five times a week. Those really help. My strategic reserves of Kingfisher have gradually been exhausted, and I’ve had to resort to drinking breezers instead, not ideal circumstances, but I’ve heard of cases where people were forced to drink Bira – so I still count my blessings. In a weird sort of way, I’m far more connected to my family in these trying times, even if it is just small talk, than I ever have been before, thanks to apps like Houseparty and Discord; and all it took was COVID: 19. If there ever were a Biblical plague, maybe my parents and I could finally have a conversation about my poor career choices. When the dust settles and the economy claws its way out of the next recession, I see digital <keyword id="2039691" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Copywriting">copywriting</keyword> as a profession improving for the better. I’ve had no shortage of work, unlike most of my colleagues, and from my experience, every major brand is looking to force itself into this bad situation for whatever reason. I’m optimistic that the concept of working remotely will become more acceptable to the old guard and so long as that saves me time and money, it’s something I can look forward to. - By <a href="http://andrewjacquet.com/" data-type="tilCustomLink">Andrew Jacquet</a>, Copywriter

Confessions: Copywriting in the apocalypse

<ul><li>Ananya S Rao, Strategy Associate, <keyword id="2805202" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Dentsu-Webchutney">Dentsu Webchutney</keyword> pens down her experience of working in an agency amid a global pandemic. </li><li>"Looking back at the beta version of myself from just three months ago", Rao writes, "I can easily say I notice a progressive upgrade from my previous self."</li></ul>“Oh crap, I’m late”, I say as I realize this is yet another failed attempt at fixing my sleep schedule. A never-ending cycle on repeat, a copy of yesterday and of the day before that - all survivable, courtesy of the gleaming thought of my ‘first day’ in the real world. Little me visualized the day I could call myself a quote on quote “young, independent woman.” A young, independent woman in the Mad Men industry, walking my way through office chatter, the infamous watercooler™ to my very own desk, taking in that much talked about ‘creative agency chaos’. Maybe finding a friendly face or two. 2020 had other plans, though. Graduating amidst a global pandemic along with a slow incoming recession, this long due dream was put to halt...until it wasn’t! A few months into the pandemic, I often found myself doing what I love, and doing what I do most: scrolling through social media. With a massive amount of online content talking about the ongoing global crisis, and job offers being rescinded, the internet was nowhere close to being a positive escape. So, I decided to, as the kids call it (as I call it), attempt to go on a small social media detox. Ahem, needless to say, I couldn’t stand by my attempt for long. I curved back into my not-so-positive rabbit hole, only to know that I had missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime. A dream agency for many, let me rephrase, a dream agency for any, was hosting a month-long virtual internship, and I...was too late. Looking back now, everything seems to have panned out for the best. Fast forward three months, here I am, working at one of the world’s bravest agencies, Dentsu Webchutney. An agency full of buzzing energy, ideas, passion, and compassionate people. Working alongside some of the most brilliant minds in the industry, I knew I had to document my learnings. So, here are my observations over the span of three months: Ask and Thou Shalt Receive: Being fresh out of college, the outside world, the real world seemed to be nothing more than a big mean bully. But I was mistaken. When I looked around, I saw people eager to help, collaborate and brainstorm. Eager to create, achieve, and more importantly, grow in the process, together. A simple “how?”, or “I’m kinda lost, how do I make this work?”, or even a forthright “HELP”, and you’d see people bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, ready to let you pick their brain! Don’t be embarrassed of the “What?”, “WHAT?” “How?”, “HOW?”, “By When?”, “BY WHEN?!”. Just ASK! For all you know, your colleagues have gone through the exact same thing you’re going through. How Many Teeth Do You Have? As cliche as it sounds, a smile can do wonders. Now, I realize I made some of my closest friends without putting in any effort when I had a huge smile and ugly laugh floating around the room. Working with people day in and day out gets tough when you can’t see them. These past three months, I’ve barely had any social interaction other than routine emails from HR and of course, meetings. But it helps to know that there’s a friendly face on the other side, probably experiencing the exact same feeling. That being said, make it a point to turn on your camera, put on a bright smile, and let the other person know that you’re up to date on your routine dental checkups. It Takes Two (or more) to Tango: I often found myself questioning almost every work-related thought that crossed my mind. “Is it good enough?”, “What if this idea is super basic?”, “You can’t unmute yourself to say something this obvious!” It took me a while to realize that filtering my thoughts to an extent where it gets nullified helps no one. Agencies thrive on ideas. The good, the bad, the “what the hell?!” ideas are all part of the growth process-of mine and the agency. “Everyone is so smart, brilliant, and absolutely flawless. How am I going to survive?” Gradually, I realized that ‘we’ as one collective unit are smart, brilliant, and flawless. Each and every one of us brings our own perspectives, opinions, and backgrounds to work together on the problem at hand. An un-escaping sense of liberalization pervades the environment of the agency. A Powerhouse of Support: Working in an <keyword id="6674295" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising-agency">advertising agency</keyword> is truly one of the best gateways for personal growth. Looking back at the beta version of myself from just three months ago, I can easily say I notice a progressive upgrade from my previous self. The atmosphere and the people just help you become a better version of yourself! I’m fortunate enough to be learning from people who are passionate about what they do, people who share without inhibition. For example, I’m learning from my manager, (though I’ll take ages to reach half his caliber), to Read. Read. and Read. To research, be curious, to be my unfiltered self, to start writing again, to document, to organize, to empathize, to learn, grow, and expand the horizons of my mind. From my colleagues, I learned to be resourceful, to be kind, to accept people despite their flaws, to be sensitive to the business, and other things that seem blurred between the lines. The people around you help build you. It's Never Too Early: As grateful as I am, I was full of hesitations. Could a twenty-one-year-old really have an idea good enough to be presented to industry experts with years of experience? Could a newbie like me, be able to really compete in an Asia-wide competition with a mere two weeks’ experience in the real world? Two weeks-old at the agency, I was ready to challenge myself. Though initially doubtful, I was encouraged by the company to take part in one of the most reputed advertising competitions, Young Spikes Asia. Not thinking of the outcome, rather taking it as a learning process, I dived head-first. During the course of the competition, not only did I experience the <keyword id="34612" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="advertising-industry">advertising industry</keyword> in a new light, but also my agency, its building blocks, and most importantly, myself. The learnings of my two-week sprint to compete enabled me to open doors that I didn’t know existed. I barely slept those two weeks, I was pumped with energy. My partner and I worked between breaks, squeezed in time here and there while the hours blurred away. We’re unsure if we’ll make it, but it was an experience worth cherishing. Would I do it all over again, you ask? As my manager says “...as long as it has a fruitful learning outcome, just do it.”

Adulting in my PJs: Three months in advertising amidst a global pandemic

<ul><li>This is a part of a confessions series, where copywriters pour their hearts out on how the outbreak of coronavirus has affected their daily routines, the good, bad, ugly sides of working while you are house arrested and if it is at all possible for copywriters to balance work and personal life. </li><li>As an advertiser, it is a key part of your job to find out what consumers desire. In today’s column, Krishnakant Mishra, Branded Content Lead, <keyword id="2806649" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Ogilvy-Mumbai">Ogilvy Mumbai</keyword>, tries to look inside and answer what he desires instead. </li></ul>I wake up. I walk straight to the balcony. I look down. I want to go out for a run, but I don’t want to run out of life. I look up. I start to ‘stand &amp; walk’, a phenomenon that once significantly contributed to my laziness efficiency index, is now an effective utility and chore. They say everything distant is now visibly clear. Well, for concrete jungles, any distant’s distance ensures everything is always visibly clear. A friend still argues, "C’mon, the minutest in that distant is now clearly visible”. I justify his observation as a ‘F.O.M.O. reaction to a trend’. I’ve mastered the art of brisk cleaning the house. The first day was a grand display of commitment but lacked pace. Progressively, there is pace, but complacency leaves multiple corners offended. Just how humans perceive hobbies! Post all the biological needs-deeds and upper body groomed (full-length trousers and shoes are doomed), I’d drive from the bedroom to the living room. Laptop, check. Coffee, check. Router’s blinking lights, check. My background in the webcam, check. Every day I see my face, I realise I have a trimmer. But I don’t really trust my own reflexes. Appearances are often deceptive. Currently, mine is apprehensive. As I begin work interactions, I notice a journey from Day 1 to Day Now. When it began, virtual team meetings resonated with the inspiring ‘nothing can stop us’ rhythm. But, consistently looking at and listening to each other’s digitised self is resonating with the traits of a long-distance relationship. The pros and cons of crisp and limited interaction. Don’t worry! We’ve worked this out. After all, absence makes the heart grow fonder! We’ve moved from multiple individuals in one meeting room to multiple ecosystems in one virtual meeting room. The ecosystem that comprises our homes, our loved ones. And no matter what, this ecosystem also contributes to our efficiency. They’ve kept us safe and enabled our functional best. I like waving ‘Hi’ or ‘Namaste’ to our occasional surprise guests that catalyse lighter moments. Meetings are now more precise. There is never a side conversation or whisper (unless someone’s text-bitching). The ones who’d overpower discussions with their strong vocal cords now feel numb. There are quick breaks which are mundane: walk to the balcony - get upset looking at guys walk-chilling without a reason - rush back for the next commitment. Meanwhile, there’s a sudden sprain in my neck as it bows down to Lord internet, more than it ever did! Every notification on our mobile screen has become relevant. Honestly, if at all the internet felt like a god, it is today! Though, I sincerely hope it could auto-trash out a supposed fact based on human gut feelings that travels the world as a real fact. By dusk, my spinal cord was never so erect, butt never so flat. It’s a wrap, professionally. It’s dawn, personally. By evening, a couple of friends and family’s “Kaise ho?” would pop up! I like how “Kahan ho?” has lost all relevance. In normal circumstances, we socialise across meeting rooms, corridors, restaurants, bars, cafes, parks, our homes, et cetera. Now, we socialise on a video call. We’d be static or sitting upright on professional ones, moving or lying down on personal ones, switching off video mode on disinterested ones. I like how simple and easy this is! I sense that I never had so much free time. Like the ‘me’ time I always craved for. Though, I have a new filter now. I want this ‘me’ time to be in normal times. The world’s suffering and fighting like never before. Every single second, every single element in my vicinity reminds me to be alert. The deserted roads alert me to be home. The stocked-up kitchen alerts to be used efficiently. The notifications out of multiple gadgets alert to practice safety. Family, friends alert to be alert. This ain’t holiday. This ain’t calm. This ain’t unwind. This ain’t ‘me’ time. In fact, I was never more alert than I am today. To earn back our normal times, we all have to be! As advertisers, we constantly contemplate a consumer’s desire. In these times, I ask myself, what do I desire? Well, I want to see the world heal. I want to thank and pray for the safety of all the frontline warriors. I want us to be vigilant and not burden the system and its efforts. I want nobody to sleep hungry. I want the underprivileged to be addressed, first. I want to seek and share the hope of living normally again. I want to hear more of ‘this too shall pass’. I want more of ‘this won’t be forever’. I want this to end. And when this ends, I want to breathe the world. - Krishnakant Mishra, Branded Content Lead, Ogilvy Mumbai

Confessions: Living the new normal

<ul><li>Our confessions series is a platform where young professionals from the advertising, marketing and media world will get to pour their hearts out on how the outbreak of coronavirus has affected their daily routines, the good, bad and ugly sides of working while under house arrest and talk about if it's even possible to balance work and personal life in a situation like this. </li><li>In today’s column, Mohit Rao, Copywriter, <keyword id="3671421" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Tonic-Worldwide">Tonic Worldwide</keyword> confesses how challenging dealing with client feedback can be, how to avoid getting stuck in an existential loop while working remotely, and what keeps him going every day. </li></ul>There is no geographical solution to a vocational problem. Issues of the work place have a wonderful way of manifesting themselves wherever it is that you try to connect your questionably functioning laptop to a dodgy wifi connection. It begins with the usual physical problems- the O key isn’t working, the CAPS key is behaving erratically, and I’m working on Schrodinger’s Wi-Fi – all that jazz. Soon, however, the issues will transcend temporal boundaries and start becoming more existential in nature -- what am I doing, why am I doing it, is any of this even worth it, is anything worth it -- before mystifyingly looping back to the physical as the G and H keys, too, stupefyingly stop working. In many ways, I am grateful to these physical problems. They serve as a welcome distraction to the peskier existential ones. The stupid message or email taking forever to actually be sent to the client serves as a necessary irritant that will tire me out or work me up enough for the real issue that will prop up when the message or email does go to the client. Rejection in all its myriad forms is part and parcel of this job -- it’s the form this rejection takes that is the source of angst for a copywriter. See, every other cog in this machinery that is advertising and marketing receives feedback that is at least tangential if not coherent. If plans or budgets are rejected then there were certain specific facets of these plans and budgets that can be pointed to as the reason; if design gets rejected it’s because said design doesn’t match up to the picture the client has in mind, and so resulting feedback initiates the Herculean task of trying to imagine what someone else is imagining and trying to bring this image into existence. Things get nebulous when it comes to <keyword id="2039691" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Copywriting">copywriting</keyword> for one simple reason -- language. Language is an extremely interesting tool developed over millennia by this species. There are things that must be said, and there are things that must be heard, and between these two is the gulf where all of humanity’s interactions and communication takes place. Copywriters are using this magnificent tool that is language to perform highly complex tasks such as convincing another sentient, cognizant human being to essentially do their bidding. No, not even their bidding -- the bidding of a corporation that wants to sell to the people goods and services they may or may not need. It is for this reason that in modern times this business has come under rightful scrutiny and is looked upon by suspicion and derision by people -- it might be the closest we have come to mind control. I might write ‘Lijiye raseele phalon ka mazaa’ but what I am actually doing by using the inherent complexity of language and resulting communication is imbibe the seemingly innocuous imperative sentence asking people to enjoy fruits with an underlying sensuality, which will then further be enhanced by having a leading actress hold up a bottle of fruit juice. This entire exercise is being carried out in service of this fruit juice, to ensure it sells well and makes a corporation a lot of money. Thus, copywriters aren’t just sitting around writing a witty sentence or two all day long -- they are busy crafting an intricate mantra that will ultimately convince another fully sentient human being to buy tickets to a movie, or order food from a specific restaurant from a specific online service. This job becomes all the more difficult when other people start giving their feedback, often vague and indecipherable. I staunchly believe anyone who manages to correctly interpret ‘Make it more crisper’ has a strong future in this field. When dealing with feedback, the copywriter must not only have to defend the integrity of what was originally created and the meaning of the original copy, but also the way it is being interpreted by others. Copywriting is thus equal parts performing sorcery with language and performing the Sisyphean task of having to deal with other people’s interpretations of what you were trying to convey with your copy. Compromising your original objective the copy meant to convey is a given- after all, like a joke, a copy doesn’t really work if you have to explain it. But the reason for angst for many copywriters is when their underlying craft is swept aside wholesale by a party that neither bothers understanding what the copywriter tried to say nor explaining themselves in clear terms. And thus the frustrated copywriter is left dealing with trying to himself interpret language such as ‘Make it easier to understand’, ‘Use simpler language’, ‘Mazaa nahi aa raha hai’, ‘No’ and of course, ‘Make it more crisper’ (not just crisper, mind you. More crisper) And thus, at the end of the day, you are left with your existential dread, arising from having to decipher ambiguous feedback from multiple parties. When your sixth attempt to give the copy results in ‘Not working out’ coming as a feedback, you are left pondering about what is it that you are doing, what’s the point of it all, and whether any of this is even worth it. Stuck at home for so many days, these questions have been gnawing at me more and more. Home is supposed to be a man’s sanctuary, but stuck between work from home and work at home, it doesn’t take too long for it to become your prison. And being in prison gives you a lot of time to get lost in pensive thoughts about what to do, what you are doing and what is the meaning of it all. Is it ironic that those whose job it is to imply many meanings with their sentence construction wonder the most about the meaning of it all? Maybe. Then why keep going? If the snake truly does eat it’s own tail and a copywriter’s life is being stuck in a loop of saying someone else’s words for them, why do I eagerly open this laptop every morning trying to connect to ‘Dad use this Wifi’? Why endure the late nights, the hectic schedules, the bizarre deadlines, the endless rejections and the feedback you don’t agree with? Because every once in a while, you will write something that is truly magical. It will swipe everyone off your feet, become part of a creative that is actually great, somehow actually will be posted online on time, and will actually be received well by the public. Sometimes you will perform the alchemy of language so well that someone really will appreciate it for its own merit, and maybe even buy that fruit juice. And that, believe it or not, is almost worth everything else. - By Mohit Rao, Copywriter, Tonic Worldwide

Confessions: Existential Dread in the times of COVID-19

<ul><li>Our confessions series is a platform where young professionals from the advertising, marketing and media world will get to pour their hearts out on how the outbreak of <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> has affected their daily routines, the good, bad and ugly sides of working while under house arrest and talk about if it's even possible to balance work and personal life in a situation like this. </li><li>In today’s column, Archit Gadiyar, Associate Executive Creative Director, <keyword id="131262" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Leo-Burnett">Leo Burnett</keyword> India answers how creatives, if this life of ours is the new ordinary, can seek the new extraordinary?’ </li></ul>It’s been over 24 days since WFH became the new normal for us at Leo Burnett. One thing that has been on my mind is the amount of 'me time' I have on my hands right now. On one pensive evening, right around sunset, I stood in my balcony with a nice cuppa joe. There was a weird epiphany -- when I realized that there’s no one around and so of course, I started talking to myself and instead of vanilla questions like “I wonder what’s for dinner,” my brain raked up existential ones like “What is the difference between a mouse and rat?” You experienced the same? No? Just me, is it? Alright. Anywho, after I steered clear of those pesky questions and was on my last drop of coffee, there was a brief moment of clarity where I started picking up on certain things. Things that are seemingly obvious but maybe I hadn’t thought about it till now. If this life of ours is the new ordinary, how do we, as creatives, seek the new extraordinary? So here are 5 seemingly obvious things: <ol><li>Short term isn’t a bad thing: </li></ol>I think it’s an Indian way of looking at life. In this country, you could walk up to any 7-year-old kid and ask him or her about their future plans, and there’s a high chance that a squeaky voice replies, “astronaut”. It’s ingrained in us that we are supposed to know what our distant future has in store for us. However, this lockdown has shown us how sometimes even a tiny hiccup can result in a butterfly effect and shove all your plans out the window. Don’t get me wrong. Long term plans are essential for brand building, but then again, why do short term plans have to be reduced to tactical and merely sales-driving? To chart a path out of these choppy waters, we, at Leo Burnett, have devised the 0-3-6 model. This model seeks answers as to what a brand or the comms agency should do right now at stage zero, but at the same time, be agile enough to prepare for month 3 and month 6 too. Ergo, the long-term thinking for a brand can be seen evolving through multiple, successive short terms strategic thinking. This blueprint allows us to be nimble and spectacular. 2. Be a pirate: A side-effect of being alone means you eventually end up thinking about yourself. Which I don’t see as a bad thing. Putting yourself ahead of everything else is a trait designed by nature. In which case, embrace it. I’ll talk more about this point from a personal POV later but for now, focus on the work aspect. I firmly believe a good creative must be a pirate or exhibit pirate tendencies. A pirate thinks of everything as rightfully theirs. So, must you. Being alone on most days now, I understand how important that has become. To constantly stay hungry and keep attacking briefs with the same vociferousness. To hoard all kinds of knowledge, wisdom and information. To not wait for a good brief but instead find one that deserves a good idea. And most importantly, prioritizing your ideas ahead of everything else. This isn’t a time to be pleasant, people. Be a pirate. 3. The first thing to rust is a creative’s brain: A creative’s mind is constantly sharpening, even when it isn’t at work. As the lockdown extends day after day, we find ourselves with more time on our hands. No need to travel, no need to dilly-dally, no need to wait for the others. Question: what do we do with the extra time? We spend it on ourselves. A creative’s mind is the first thing to start showing signs of rust. Complacency isn’t a great bedfellow. Neither is stagnancy. In which case, spend time on the things you love. (Which may or may not include Tiger King.) Spend time on things that will nurture creativity. Cook a dish without knowing the recipe. (If you burn the kitchen, that’s on you.) Create inappropriate playlists for future weddings. Write poems that have “blazing inferno” and “singed eyebrows” in the same sentence. (I think that burning kitchen visual is going to stay with me for some time.) Oh, well. 4. Facetime is not just an app. We are a people business. And year after year, the statement just keeps becoming truer. For me, a great idea has always been borne out of banter. The usual back and forth is a good churn when it comes to the ideation process. And more often than not, the different people in the room just add their own juicy bits to it. Refining and polishing it along the way. And making it into this masterpiece. Or maybe a shortlist. I don’t know. But I do know that spending time face to face does help. The next time there’s a work call, make it a video call. Skype, WebEx, Zoom, Teams, Duo. It really doesn’t matter which app it is, as long as you’re face to face. Just helps me feel like I’m still in office and with my people. Also, helps me preserve the last shred of sanity. The other day, I even invited them onto a call where we just had our evening coffee together. That Dalgona doesn’t taste bad if you put a shot of Jameson in it. 5. Health comes first. A close second is Vada Pav. This lockdown might extend for a few more weeks. But there is no certain exit date for the pandemic. In times like these, and this has been my biggest learning of all, is there’s nothing greater than your health. I dream of the day we can laugh about this as we walk out of our front doors, but until then, all I can think of and preach is staying indoors and staying safe. I also started following some home workout routines on YouTube. Discovered that it helps with the lethargy and this overwhelming sloth personality that’s oddly reminiscent of something I saw on NatGeo. I wait for the day I can walk out and eat everything in sight. Remember the end of Shawshank Redemption? That will be me. Happily back in the offices of Leo Burnett Mumbai. With a luscious Vada pav in my hand. God, I miss Vada pav. - By Archit Gadiyar, Associate Executive Creative Director, Leo Burnett India

Confessions: 5 seemingly obvious things that I shrugged my shoulders at before the lockdown

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Starting in freelancing is tough, and mistakes can easily put you under.</li><li>These successful freelancers overcame their mistakes, but advise that you avoid them from the beginning.</li><li>Avoid giving too much of your time away for free and always specify a contract, they said.</li><li>They also recommended vetting your clients to ensure that you would be a good match and constantly selling yourself.</li><li><a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/prime">Click here for more BI Prime stories.</a></li></ul>Making rookie mistakes in your freelance business can doom your enterprise to failure before you've even had time to gain traction. But even veteran freelancers are not immune to the occasional slip-up or setback that can lead to the loss of clients or steady income."It's not that surprising that so many freelance businesses go under, when many freelancers don't think about staying afloat," wrote freelance writer Rajiv Sighamony in a 2017 <a href="https://speckyboy.com/freelance-business-failure/">blog post</a>. "They set out to seek their fortune, giving no thought to the fact that they've set sail in a colander."As an alternative to the leaky-boat approach, Business Insider interviewed several freelancers on the biggest mistakes that they've made while practicing their trade, with their rear-view insights on how you can avoid a similar fate.<h1>1. Sharing too much expertise for free</h1>Freelance virtual assistant and blogger <a href="https://www.phyllispometta.com/">Phyllis Pometta</a> confessed that the biggest mistake she's made as a freelancer has been giving away too much billable information to prospects without getting paid for her time and expertise. Pometta recalled times when potential clients had arranged for a discovery call with her - presumably to explore her services - and ended up picking her brain and extracting valuable information that was part of what she was supposed to be selling. "I would often provide information - sometimes detailed - as to what I could do and would do during our 30-minute discussion," said Pometta. "However, I'd also give some tips/advice that should have been paid for. I like to show my kindness as well as my knowledge, but sometimes that can be taken advantage of." As a result of this error in judgment, the freelancer found out more than once after sending a proposal that the prospect was hiring another virtual assistant because they charged less - and most likely took Pometta's trade secrets to her competitor. Because of this experience, Pometta no longer offers her expertise for free as part of exploratory calls, and she recommended that other freelancers follow her lead.Now, she "sticks to the script," not offering any additional information until she has a signed contract in hand. By doing this, the freelancer has controlled her time and avoided being taken advantage of, and works only with people who value her worth and skills. "Previously, as I was talking to potential clients, I would brainstorm while I was on the call," Pometta explained. "Their 30-minute consult then turned into an hour conversation on what they could do. Now, I stick to what they specifically asked for in their discovery interview and don't go into so much depth right off the bat." To help keep these conversations focused, she aims to keep the discussion within the scheduled 30-minute time slot without running over. She does like to give prospects one key take away from that initial conversation that makes them think, "I never thought of that ..." and encourages them to hire her.<h1>2. Working without a contract</h1>Marc Andre currently does some part-time work as a freelance writer for <a href="https://vitaldollar.com/">Vital Dollar</a> and previously was a freelance web designer as a sole proprietor. He remembered that several years ago, when he first started freelancing, he made the mistake of working with clients without a contract. "I knew that I should be using a contract to protect myself, but I was just starting out and I felt like I wasn't good enough or experienced enough to use a contract," Andre admitted. "I felt insecure being a beginner and thought that if I asked clients to sign a contract, they would think I was overstepping." Andre recognized that this mistake hurt him in two specific situations. In one case, he had started working with a client, putting time into her assignments, but she disappeared and stopped communicating with him mid-project without paying him. Since the client hadn't signed any contract with Andre, he had no definitive recourse to take action and recover his pay. In the second situation, Andre was working with a client that had some unrealistic expectations about the scope of work for the project. Since he didn't have a contract that specified the work, the project kept growing and took much longer than anticipated.Andre now advises other freelancers to use a contract with each and every one of their clients, whether they are first starting out or have been in the game for a while. He said that based on his experience, there is no reason to dread talking about contracts with a client - especially because, assuming the contract is fair and balanced, having it protects both parties, so most clients will probably prefer to sign one to have some protection as well. "I think my fears [of using a contract] were unjustified, and once I started using contracts, clients seemed to view me as being more professional," he said. "That client probably deals with contracts whenever they hire other contractors or freelancers." In terms of how and when to introduce a contract into the conversation, Andre suggested talking about the contract whenever you're discussing the terms, timeline, and payment schedule of the project. "You'll probably estimate the amount of time that you'll need in order to complete the project, and you'll present them with a proposal or a quote," he said. "Your proposal should lay out the timeline and order of events. If the total price of the project is $3,000 and you want to get 50% up front, the proposal or quote should cover those details." Andre added that you should tell the client that the project will begin when both parties have signed the contract and the initial payment has been made. That way, the client will know that they should expect to receive a contract, and if they have any questions about it you can work out those details together before moving forward.<h1>3. Ignoring your intuition and red flags </h1>Digital marketing consultant Michael LaLonde has been a freelancer and operated his own small agency, <a href="https://londes.com">LDM</a>, for almost a decade. LaLonde pointed to failing to listen to his own instincts during initial conversations with potential clients as his biggest mistake as a freelancer."Those initial calls are crucial for understanding the kind of businessperson you're working with and whether or not you'll get along," LaLonde said. "There are a lot of different styles, approaches, and philosophies when it comes to not only the projects themselves, but the kinds of relationships that form between the company and you as a freelancer. LaLonde explained that being aware of this reality - and recognizing relationships that will work and those that won't - are key to doing good work, as well as just keeping your sanity as an independent worker. Long-term relationships are vital to freelancing successfully without constantly selling, which many freelancers would prefer to avoid. So figuring out how to effectively evaluate potential relationships during initial calls, looking for red flags, and honestly evaluating whether a client is the right fit for you are key to establishing a long and happy freelancing career.LaLonde recalled several times when he ignored his instincts to abandon a new client and regretted it. In his case, red-flag clients included people who thought they knew more than he did about his specialty, were more focused on learning what he was doing than working together, or who vented a long list of complaints about previous providers. "Some freelancers are happy to babysit clients like that, but I'm not one of them," LaLonde stated. "Sooner or later, things will come to a head, and you'll part ways not on the best of terms due to these incompatibilities." To help other freelancers avoid his own mistakes, LaLonde suggested evaluating yourself and how you work best, as that allows you to recognize clients who are compatible with your working style - as well as those who are a poor fit. "If you can afford to, don't compromise it," LaLonde said. "Stick to your strengths, and look for those great matches."<h1>4. Only marketing yourself when you need work </h1>Cyrus Vanover, founder of the <a href="http://www.frugalbudgeter.com">Frugal Budgeter</a> and freelance copywriter, told Business Insider that he still struggles with his biggest freelance mistake: stopping his marketing efforts when he is fully booked, rather than continuing to search for new business. Vanover shared a recent example of making this error. Last spring, he landed a writing project with a company that offers online courses. His job was to go through each chapter of a textbook and create PowerPoint slides, write study questions, and also create a bank of test questions for the chapter and final exams.It was a three-month project to complete the course, and the client indicated that he was pleased with Vanover's work, assuring the freelancer that he had "many more courses that needed to be developed" after this one was completed."Thinking I had hit the freelancing jackpot, I completely stopped marketing my services," Vanover confessed. "I thought I had enough work to keep me busy full-time through the end of the year, and possibly longer."After completing the first course, however, the company made the decision to pause the development of new courses for the foreseeable future. "And just like that, I was out of work," Vanover said. "I then had to start marketing my services again to land more work. In some ways, the experience felt like starting my freelancing business all over again."He added, "It's easy to become complacent as a freelancer when you have more work than you can handle and think the good times are going to continue without marketing your services. But it rarely works that way."To put an end to the "feast or famine" cycle of freelancing, Vanover said to constantly market your services, even during periods when you have work coming out of your ears. He suggested that there are many different ways that freelancers can effectively market their services, including the popular method of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/six-figure-freelance-writer-cold-email-land-new-client">cold emailing</a>."In a cold email, you both introduce yourself and offer your services," he explained. "A variation of this is the warm email where a connection is first made with a client (to warm them up), and then you offer your services."His own marketing strategy involves the use of LinkedIn rather than email. "People on LinkedIn are much more receptive to pitches than with email," Vanover said. "LinkedIn is for business, after all. It's expected. After connecting with a marketing manager on LinkedIn, a freelancer can then initiate a conversation to make an introduction and pitch his or her services."He added that after optimizing his LinkedIn profile with keywords that people are searching for (for example, "freelance financial writer"), he does occasionally have people contact him about his services. "Like Google, LinkedIn is a search engine," Vanover said. "The main difference is instead of getting links to websites when you do a search, you get people's profiles."Vanover concluded that marketing is so important that it should be the first thing you do in the morning before starting work on any freelance projects."This doesn't guarantee you will always have freelance work, of course, but it can go a long way in stabilizing your income," Vanover said.

The 4 biggest mistakes to avoid as a freelancer and how to overcome them if you've already made them, according to veterans who've been there, done that

A blog called "<a href="http://www.thecreativeconfessional.com">The Creative Confessional</a>" started life as a place where art directors and copywriters at ad agencies could go to anonymously confess their weird quirks and dislikes about the job. A typical confession would be, "For fun, I convinced an AE to only use Bing."
Amusing, but harmless.
Until recently.
The confessions have taken a dark turn in the last few days, with execs posting material on the blog that identifies specific workplaces and even individuals.
For example, this confession is, obviously, all about TBWA/Chiat/Day, the ad agency for Apple:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="The Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/5102993c69bedd2047000000-960/clipboard01-67.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">The Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
It's not too mean. But then there's this ...
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/510299af6bb3f76e5900000d-960/clipboard03-3.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
BHP Billiton is the world's largest mining company. It has used Lawrence Creative as its agency. I'm not saying that a Lawrence exec wrote that confession. But a person could be forgiven for thinking that, based on the confession's words. Which is why the blog is so (unintentionally) vicious.
Here's another example:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/51029c77eab8eac536000054-960/clipboard07-3.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
Copyright and trademark law in the fashion business is nebulous at best. It's difficult to own a look or a color. But companies can use expensive litigation as a weapon. If this person is employed at a small company, Lululemon could put them out of business.
It gets personal, too. Presumably there are three women out there who know exactly what this was all about:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/51029d09eab8ea933d000004-960/clipboard08-2.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
This one is kinda funny ...
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/51029d72ecad044e7b000017-960/clipboard09-3.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
... but creating fake likes is not only against Facebook's rules, it's a legal issue too. <a href="http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-42745663/how-the-ftc-may-curb-free-speech-rights-for-pr-agency-employees/">Reverb PR was once cited by the FTC</a> for writing fake product reviews for its clients.
Likewise, this move is professional suicide:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static2.businessinsider.com/image/51029e1e6bb3f71b6200001a-960/clipboard10-2.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
Pepsi is the blue brand, in case you live under a rock. Clients have fired agencies from their accounts for screwing up this kind of thing.
Then there are the petty acts of revenge by underlings:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/51029c4becad04f17600002a-960/clipboard06-4.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
And power-plays by egomaniacs:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/51029c1eecad04d774000018-960/clipboard05-3.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
The blog also covers the unpleasant side of agency life that could occur at any office:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static6.businessinsider.com/image/51029bf669bedd084a00000d-960/clipboard04-3.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>
Although this woman has issues only she can solve:
<table class="image-container click-to-enlarge" width="200"><tr><td><div class="image"><a title_source="Creative Confessional" title_caption="" class="zoomin" href="http://static1.businessinsider.com/image/510299776bb3f7735b000004-960/clipboard02-5.jpg"></a></div><a href="www.thecreativeconfessional.com">Creative Confessional</a></td></tr></table>

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