By: Charles Stiles

Several years ago...

My wife noticed we were slowly redecorating our ceiling in water colors. We had a leak, er, several leaks in our roof. Of course we had to fix it. 

Thanks to the insurance policy we had several options. I could reroof it myself (and if you know me at all, you know this was never really an option) … or we could hire an established roofing company … or we could hire a friend who would put together a crew and do it for less. That’s right, we went with the freelancers.

Fortunately for us, it was a crew who knew what they were doing and we now have a solid shelter against the storm. In this case, roofing is a fairly standard and ordinary project, a repeatable process that these guys had done a thousand times before.

So, here’s my question for you: Does your next marketing effort need to be treated as a routine, standard or ordinary event? Or does it deserve something better?

“Never love anyone who treats you like you’re ordinary.”
I’m thinking about framing this quote from the 19^th century Irish writer and poet Oscar Wilde. In addition to having me rethink how I need to treat my wife, it got me to thinking about the benefits of freelancing – both for potential clients and as a former freelance-only writer.

Let’s start with a confession. I am a Senior Copywriter for BKV. Right off the bat that should tell you whatever you read here is designed to help my company market itself better.

That doesn’t mean it’s untrue, however.

I’ve been on both sides of the freelance equation. In fact, my most recent gig before BKV was working for myself as a freelance writer. There’s a lot to be said for that life – choose your own hours, write during my personal peak writing times, etc.

Just write the copy.
However, there’s a downside – specifically, a “disconnect” with the creative process. Typically, I would receive a project that had already been through the concept-generating process – or worse, it hadn’t. I would have no idea of the back story or how the concept (if there was one) was chosen. I might not even know how this direction solves the client’s real advertising issue.

My job was to write the copy in a certain direction, and that direction only. No real room for creative leaps.

And that’s not always good for the client.

Because, let’s face it, is there anything more forgettable than a cookie-cutter marketing piece? Predictable. Routine. Ordinary.

What makes an agency experience so much better?
In other words, what kind of magic does an agency bring to the experience – for both the writer and the client?

The biggest and best benefit for the client is also the biggest and best benefit for the writer: an escape from the ordinary.

An agency is a consulting force with the power to learn your problems, make them its own, and create solutions that sell products, promote services and build brands. Whatever solutions your agency gives should not only solve the problem, they should be original. Your project receives the benefit of the collective insight of multiple creative professionals.

It’s easy to fall in love with one idea when you’re on your own. And it’s too easy to miss out on the chance to expand and grow it into something even better when you (and by you, I mean me) have creative directors, art directors and graphic artists feeding off of your ideas. It’s the creative process, and when it works right, it can pull off some pretty amazing things.

What about your next advertising project? Is it a DYI effort? Is it cookie-cutter marketing? Or do you need something better? 

Do you need more than ordinary? 

About BKV
Established in 1981, BKV is a direct marketing and interactive agency specializing in helping marketers meet business goals with strategies that generate leads, convert those leads into sales and finally, into established and loyal relationships. The company uses a combination of traditional and digital media along with high performance creative and strategies that ensure we're driving response while measurably growing clients’ brands and sales. With offices in Atlanta and Kansas City, BKV serves local, national and international clients and is a member of the ICOM Agency Network, a professional association of marketing and advertising agencies from all over the world. Want more information? Visit BKV.com or