What I learned from The Restaurant Man

I recently wrote an article for a B2B client and it struck me that being creative, or in fact being a good writer isn’t enough in this line of work.

Having sound business acumen is often overlooked in the creative professions. There’s almost an expectation from some clients that a writer will probably be a socially inept, brooding character with a penchant for drinking excessive amounts of tepid whiskey. Wow, I’ve just described myself. No, I really haven’t. (Honestly). But there can be a preconception that writers are oddballs with strange habits, but as long as they get the job done, it’s ok.

I personally enjoying writing in all forms, but producing what I tend to think of as commercial content for my clients is a different beast to tapping away without agenda and for my own pleasure. Sales, marketing and promotional copy demands a certain outlook and skillset in a writer; first and foremost, commercial acumen and secondly, social skills.

Making your ideas a (commercially viable) reality.

Which leads me to the headline of this blog. The seemingly elusive link to the TV programme, BBC2’s The Restaurant Man. Apart from the fact that I frankly love the programme and would like to talk about it for my own satisfaction, it’s also a very revealing study in terms of people putting their dreams and visions into action.

The programme follows a number of aspiring restaurateurs as they attempt to launch their businesses, with the help of Yoda-like advice and guidance from Russell Norman, a highly successful owner and entrepreneur of a chain of London restaurants and bars. Now, anyone who’s ever run a business will understand the importance of having a sound knowledge of their market, the competition and their place in this puzzle. However, in The Restaurant Man, most of the budding restaurateurs display a baffling lack of foresight for their ambitions.

Perplexing in the least, especially when considering what’s at stake. To my mind, it actually goes to show that creative vision doesn’t necessarily mean you have a clear indication of how you’re going to get there. In a nutshell, having an idea doesn’t equate to having a clue.

The same can be applied to any business, from cafes to freelance writing, and even on a micro level, applied to a particular copywriting project. Developing an appropriate sense of tone and structure without focussing half your attention on the business needs – the objectives, the messages, USP’s and the audience, just isn’t practical. Your great ideas could fall short of the mark. 

Everyone needs a Russell Norman.

So what about my second assertion in the importance of social skills? On a basic level, a good copywriter will start a project with a conversation. They will take a considered brief and gain a thorough understanding.

There is also an element of customer care here, and again, I feel compelled to relate back to my favourite programme. Being responsive, aware and willing enough to adapt is the key to success in any business. Constructive advice and criticism is far and few between. So, there needs to be a full appreciation of these gifts as a real opportunity when they come your way. In the Restaurant Man there is Russell Norman. As a freelance copywriter? Well, you get it where you can. Any client or peer who is willing to share their thoughts on your work and your methods is a precious rarity.

Adapt, learn and improve. It’s only through this humble and commercially focussed attitude that you can progress. Corporate speak I know, but it’s also a business truth. There’s a big pool of freelancers out there, like most businesses, it’s a competitive market. So being able to add value to your client by keeping an open dialogue is paramount.

So what has the Restaurant Man taught us? Firstly; that it’s hard to launch a restaurant, but easy to create a highly watchable programme from the experience. Secondly; being a great writer is one thing. Being a successful copywriter demands more. It turns out that business acumen and an ability to communicate and learn from your clients, are an essential and binding part of a copywriter’s skillset.