In praise of pitches

Speculative creative work, that too for free, is probably the most inefficient way of getting business; but it may also be the most effective way of training young ad men, particularly in account servicing. That's when they learn to ask questions and judge if work is on breif.

On the other hand, may be not. 

In workshop after workshop I have seen account servicing people applying their grey cells wonderfully. In office, the very next day, they'd all go back to being peons. I never understood why. Here they were getting all the praise in the world, and being promised that if they contributed similarly in real world, they will surely make more money, for themselves and the agency... yet, in the real world, they wouldn't even try!

The beginning, the end and the opps

Everyone is interested in the beginning, trying so very hard to answer the question, Why will people buy? And a few are interested in the end, when the question becomes, Why didn’t people buy?

But none are interested in getting the work done. In getting the labels printed, the IDs cleaned, in taking daily tele-calling reports. That’s supposed to be logistical nightmares or obvious but tedious opps, which should be hived off to the utterly brainless. Some are under the impression that the machines have taken over and everything is already automated and automatic!

Strange, books and sites scrupulously avoid the ‘dirty work’ as well. No wonder nothing happens. Would anyone know of sources for standard procedures or best practices for the middle?