3 ways to make pro bono a win:win

In my perfect world everyone would share expertise with those who can least afford it. I know our world is less than ideal, but working pro bono for the right clients can be as valuable to you as to them.

Here’s 3 ways we’ve seen pro bono as a win:win.

We’ve written before about why we all should incorporate a slice of pro bono in our client-mix. You can read more about a balanced portfolio here.

Pro bono is in The Win Without Pitching Manifesto: we will build a lucrative expert practice, one profitable engagement at a time, and then use the strength of our firm to help those that need it most. For those carefully selected charity clients, we will work for free.

And we’ve written before about how to work pro bono here. This article is about choosing the right pro bono project.

3 ways we know pro bono works

1.  Use a pro bono project to roadtest how you’d like to work

We all have the way we like to work, however projects don’t always go to plan. Our methodology can sometimes be hijacked — by us, by our suppliers and by our clients.

Offering to work for free is your opportunity to roadtest different ways of working because the power balance is tilted in your direction.  It’s a chance to explore what it’s like to:

• demand all key decision-makers be present at all meetings
• run a workshop you’ve researched but not yet actually run
• expand your team with new players you’d not yet worked with
• write copy or develop imagery inhouse
• define early what success will look like for both sides (it may not be an output)
• ask for a guarantee the outcome will be used
• actually get video and written testimonials.

2. Give less experienced designers experience

With small teams and demanding clients, it’s often difficult to give less experienced designers the opportunity to grow.

It’s problematic to practise on paying clients — that’s where pro bono projects can be valuable.

Less experienced designers can learn practical skills like how to:

• cost and estimate a complete project (because pro bono projects should still have budgets)
• project manage a result delivered within the time and financial constraints
• manage a creative team
• liaise, communicate and present with/to clients.

All valuable skills at any level – invaluable for juniors.

3. Reposition your studio/agency

It’s difficult to repositioning your agency to enter a different client sector, industry or even skillset without proven experience. Pro bono projects can give you runs on the board.

Respositioning is often about playing a long game, but the timeline can be reduced by strategically identifying pro bono projects that will best demonstrate your abilities and skills. Strategic because you can identify where your skillset will make the most impact. Choose loud and meaningful pro bono projects.

Moral

Probono projects have a place in an agency project mix but they should be actively chosen to work for the studio, not reactively done just because you’ve been asked.

Consider choosing pro bono activities that will:

1. Roadtest how you’d like to work.
2. Give less experienced designers experience
3. Reposition your agency – enter a client sector in which you don’t yet have experience

And it’s not about doing a shoddy job, it’s about strategically positioning pro bono projects to be good outcomes for both you and your client.

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Want to discuss any of the above? Email Carol.

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Want more?

Links to other thought starters:

• • 1. 1. 1. Finding the right mix of clients and projects
          2. Rules for working for free
          3. Designers doing bus dev well

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