Many creative people have a knack for coming up with entertaining and humorous material for potential commercials. Creative thinkers are needed in today's business world, especially when it comes to developing or pitching innovative advertising ideas. Most businesses need to increase sales, and in turn, their overall bottom line. In this article, readers will learn ways to sell advertising ideas to big companies and protect their ideas from being stolen.
Instructions
1. Research. Advertising ideas for gaining attention, credibility and new customers are welcome by most businesses, especially in today's tight financial marketplace. Companies that do not have an in-house marketing department often hire freelance copywriters. Even those that do have a marketing department hire freelancers all the time. Just check out the freelance writing boards and you'll find hundreds of copywriting jobs for freelancers. The key is to know which businesses are most likely to need your services.
2. Jot down ideas. If you're a creative person with lots of clever ideas on ways your favorite products could be better advertised, begin to keep a list of those ideas. Jot down slogans, catchy phrases, jingles, logo ideas and scenarios for radio and television commercials.
3. Package your idea for the specific market and type of business you are promoting. Because you are dealing with the advertising world, creativity and packaging are everything. If you are selling advertising ideas for television ads, be sure to create a script, Powerpoint presentation or an actual video with the finished commercial. If you are selling advertising ideas for print ads, create an artistic layout of your ad. Design both a black and white version of the ad and a color version. If you are selling advertising ideas to run on radio, tape a radio voice-over commercial. Create the ad or "spot" as if it will go on the air. The more you develop the idea into a finished campaign, the more someone is likely to be impressed and buy the idea from you.
4. Protect your ideas. This can be done in several ways. Write "Copyright" on the title page. On the radio tape or video, at the beginning of the spot, you can write or speak the words, "The material on this tape (or video) is copyrighted." For further protection, you can mail a package to yourself containing your final advertising spot or ad. The postmark date on the package will prove a time frame for when you created the spot or ad, if ever you were to be challenged. You can also apply for a copyright from the Copyright Office in Washington D.C. at http://www.copyright.gov/. It might also be good to talk to a lawyer to get overall advice. Lawyers can help you draw up contracts to use for obtaining future work with companies, and answer any questions while guiding you to protect your rights.
5. Consider selling your skills and advertising ideas as a copywriter. Check out the job boards for freelance copywriters. There are many businesses looking for new advertising ideas. Approaching those businesses that are actually posting ads for help will better increase your chances of getting an advertising gig. Also, think of businesses in your community that could benefit from your advertising ideas and approach the person in charge.
6. Set up a website. This will help you establish credibility and showcase your talent, skills and past experience. By creating a website and/or a free blog, you can display photos of your brochures, ad copy, radio and television spots and print ads. You can also write articles or blogs that demonstrate your knowledge in certain areas. Creating an online presence where you can direct others to view your work is a fantastic way to speed up the process. This also allows you to do business with virtually anyone, anywhere in the world. From pitching advertising ideas for web banners to creating affiliate ads, there is no limit to your reach online. Be creative, innovative, persistent and smart and watch your freelance advertising business grow!
