On Attempting To Run A Marketing Campaign

Bits and Bobs | Fiverr | Private Messages | Testimonials | Costs | Prototype

I wrote the other day about why it’s helpful (to me) to post about my experiments in advertising and marketing. It stops the whole thing feeling furtive.

In that other post, I mentioned using Google Ads to reach people who might like help making wedding speeches – help based on A Modest Book About How To Make An Adequate Speech.

In this post (and perhaps others to come), I’m going to write about my attempts to do something slightly different: reach a business audience with talks about mental health.

I’ve done quite a few of these, and have posted various bits and bobs in digital spaces. Click on the screenshots below to see them more clearly (you can download the middle one, my story for the Financial Times, as a PDF here).

Bits and bobs in digital spaces are all very well. But I want to create something physical that I can put in the post.

Back to top

***

Fiverr

The other day, I signed up to Fiverr and found somebody to help me gather names and addresses of people in the legal industry, where I’ve done quite a lot of these talks already.

Here’s a picture of one that took place quite a while ago (before Covid):

I’d been a bit wary of using Fiverr, but found somebody with lots of recommendations and she saved me oodles of time.

Today, I’m planning to create a flyer, making use of some of those digital bits and bobs.

But what to include? How much should I do myself? And how much will it cost?

Back to top

***

Private Chatbox Messages

I’d like to include some of the visuals you’ve already seen on this page. Also perhaps this fragment of (anonymised) chatbox messages sent to me during a talk I delivered online.

It shows how open people can be about their own fragile state if somebody else goes first.

Back to top

***

Testimonials

I guess I should also show some of these generous testimonials:

Perhaps also an image of myself as a speaker, and my book about speaking:

Back to top

***

Costs

On Mixam, which was recommended to me by a friend, I looked into the cost of printing 50 x six-panel flyers that are A5 when folded (£14.30), and the price for 100 (£21.50).

On Fiverr, I looked for a graphic designer with a lot of positive recommendations, and found one who will create a double-sided print-ready file in two days, for £15.66.

(Update 7 March 2022: I did the design myself, in the end.)

I looked for discounted postage stamps from Royal Mail, and discovered that I can buy 50 for £33.

Total cost for 50 flyers, leaving aside the cost of my time: approximately £64 £48.

Back to top

***

Prototype

(Update: 4 March 2022)

I sketched out what needs to go where, on a folded leaflet, and made a mock-up, to share with my agent before I do anything else.

If you’re desperately bored, you can download today’s prototype as a PDF, here:
Mental Health Flyer Text Low Res.pdf (718.4 kB)

(Update: 7 March 2022)

I’ve subsequently amended some of the pages and uploaded them to Mixam, ready for printing. You can download this later prototype too, and compare:
Mental Health Law Firms Flyer as Mixam Page Proof.pdf (2.8 MB)

Back to top

***

Sending Out

(Update: 28 March 2022)

Took a long time to get the printed pamphlets to my agent, with envelopes, and then to get hold of physical addresses.

It seems the person I found on Fiver to help collect names and contact details uses LinkedIn, and wasn’t able to find physical addresses there. I looked them up myself, on Google.

Now we’re ready to start sending.

Back to top

***

I’ll write more about this when I have more to report.

Thank you for reading.

¹ “One of the most powerful talks that I have ever been to”
I’m one of the partners at xxxxxx, and I just wanted to say that your presentation was one of the most powerful talks that I have ever been to.
It was so raw, honest and exceptionally brave. It made me reach out to friends and colleagues, and will be something that I always remember.
Thank you.
- Partner, top 40 law firm

² “The best mental health session we’ve had”
Thank you for your presentation this evening, the best mental health session that we have had by far and I think went a long way towards starting a more open culture about these things.
It would have certainly helped me a couple of years ago when I was at a particularly low point, and thinking some of the thoughts you described.
But it was still helpful now as I continue to recover. Please keep going.
- Associate, top 75 law firm

³ “Eloquent and talented… would definitely recommend”
John-Paul delivered a highly memorable event for Linklaters. His personal story of going from ‘high flyer’ to ‘rock bottom’ was raw, honest and deeply affecting, moving many of us to tears.
John-Paul is an eloquent and talented story-teller, sharing his journey through the medium of his powerful drawings and paintings.
We found him to be most professional to work with and would definitely recommend John-Paul to anyone looking for a speaker on the topics of mental health, resilience and how to rebuild after trauma.
- Partner, Linklaters

⁴ “What you said… will definitely help people”
Just to say I was at your talk yesterday which was incredibly inspiring (and I know a lot of people felt the same way). A lot of what you said resonated strongly with me. I wanted to encourage you that your bravery in speaking out will definitely help people.
This email is very inadequately expressing what I want to say, but I wanted to drop you a line to say thank you.
- Attendee, Linklaters

⁵ “A talk that everyone needs to hear”
JP came to deliver an hour-long talk, entitled “From high flyer to rock bottom”.
He was generous with his time before the event and worked with us to understand the firm and what we wanted. He also helped us to market the event internally meaning on the day it was standing room only to hear him speak.
The talk itself was honest, emotional and everyone in the room felt a connection to JP. This is a talk that everyone needs to hear and we felt lucky to be able to have JP speak at our firm.
- Organiser, City law firm

⁶ “I was the one at the back, sobbing and snotting”
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for today’s talk. I did a two-month stint at the Priory last year. I related to so so much of what you said. I wanted to leap up and tell you that I’ve walked in your shoes and you’ve walked in mine. I was the one at the back sobbing and snotting. It was very emotional for me to hear your story.
I wanted to thank you for having the courage to share your experience and for reminding me of all sorts of important lessons that I’ve learned since my rock bottom. Stay well and please keep doing what you’re doing.
- Associate lawyer, City law firm

⁷ “Most effective of all mental health talks I’ve attended”
The event today was really wonderful, it was so moving and powerful. He did an incredible job, he was a really engaging speaker. I think it was the most effective of all the mental health talks I’ve attended at the firm so far, because it was so deeply about his personal experience, as opposed to having a professionally trained mental health activist/therapist etc. speak.
I hope other law firms/any job have the experience of hearing him speak. As I was listening I kept thinking there are so many people who would benefit from hearing this, whether they are in a position that they relate to him, or if they have someone they need to be there for.
- Lawyer, “Magic Circle” law firm

⁸ “Can’t Recommend Highly Enough”
Last week we held a very powerful session focused on high achievers and mental health. An award-winning journalist, author and performer came in to bravely share his personal journey of a mental health crisis.
The talk was illustrated by his own drawings (which are very impressive). At the end of the talk, he gave really authentic insights on how to spot the signs and support others who may be experiencing something similar in a high pressure environments.
He was an incredibly engaging speaker, able to make you laugh, think and cry all at the same time! We received some of the best feedback to date from this event. We can’t recommend him enough.
– HR, Slaughter and May

⁹ “Made me get in touch with friends who are struggling”
I was moved by the honesty with which he told the story of his difficulties with his mental health. He managed, in the space of an hour, to make me laugh, make me think, and shed a few tears.
The illustrations he presented were particularly effective in portraying how he was feeling at various points in time.
A number of the lessons he imparted hit home with me and made me think about how I had been relating with friends who are currently going through mental health issues of their own. I’ve since been in touch with them to see how they are doing.
- Participant, “Magic Circle” law firm

***

Re: “High Flyer To Rock Bottom”. It’s an arresting phrase, and tends to attract large audiences. I didn’t feel comfortable being described as a “high flyer”, but gradually I’ve got used to it. I posted more about that here.