r.i.c.k james model How to sell in innovative ideas

by @juliancole

punk funk

rick james created a new genre of music

!

motown didn’t know they needed punk funk but rick was a visionary and knew people

would get down to it!

‘the king of selling an idea that motown didn’t know they needed’

rick james

at the moment we are seeing an increase in demand from clients for non traditional

ideas.

however they have a hard time buying it. non traditional ideas don’t have a hole in

their media schedule.

unfortunately creative agencies have a low strike rate for these ideas.

rick is not happy about this.

i have come up with a process that is going to overcome these barrier and give you a better

hit rate of selling innovative ideas !

the r.i.c.k james process

r.i.c.k james process

r - role i - idea c - cash k - kpis (key performance indicators)

!

y’all got a process and named it after me! we gone done made rick proud!

CONCEPTING PRESENTING IDEAS

GO LIVE POST WRAP UPCREATIVE BRIEFING PRODUCTION

there are two key times in the process that we need to concentrate on the r.i.c.k model

OLE

!

R

rick always had a clear role when he got on stage…

the entertainer

one of the mistakes we make with ideas is sometimes we don’t have a role for the idea.

you need to get the client to commit early on the importance of a non traditional idea. you

need a demand. !

so you need to show the role in the 4 c’s

!

what is the role in the comms journey? what comms task is it solving?

what is the role in the comms ecosystem? where does it fall in their calendar of

activity? !

DEA

!

I

rick james always gave journalists something to

write about.

create ideas for journalists to cover. !

journalists are the key to exponential growth not consumers. create ideas for

them. !

ASH/cost

!

C

rick would never get on stage without seeing the cash first.

cash !

in most cases you should see a budget before you go off and concept ideas. this will help

your strike rate.

cost !

you should also present ideas back with a price tag. let the client know how much it is,

don't let them guess.

PIs KEY PERFORMANCE INDICATORS

!

K

RICK ALWAYS HAD A CLEAR GOAL

!

‘THIS SONG IS GOING TO MAKE ME MY NEXT MILLION’

kpis (key performance indicators)

!

get the client to agree on broad performance measures, then when you have

the idea present it back with kpis

KNOW WHEN YOUR CLIENT IS BUYING !

presenting in the golden window

CONCEPTING PRESENTING IDEAS

GO LIVE POST WRAP UPCREATIVE BRIEFING PRODUCTION

!don't forget;

- agree on role and measures - don’t leave the meeting without

the cash (budget ballpark)

CONCEPTING PRESENTING IDEAS

GO LIVE POST WRAP UPCREATIVE BRIEFING PRODUCTION

checklist for presenting non traditional ideas

!- role - idea - cost - kpis

now go sell the pants out of those innovative ideas and make your boy rick james happy