When it comes to keeping and finding the best talent, money simply won’t rule the decision-making process of top creative talent. Especially in the world of advertising – where creative employees are usually much more inspired, (being creative by nature and practice) to feel rewarded and appreciated with creative incentives.

In truth, star talent is rare and difficult to find, and even harder to keep, so as a Creative Director or CEO you may never have the cash flow to keep a gem. But you don’t have to lose your best employees over a few extra bucks offered elsewhere…

The true top 10% of your agency most likely has an abundance of side-projects, freelance and contract work in addition to what they bring to your creative team. Top talent, especially creative talent, thrives on innovation and progress, not money. This is why they are indispensably valuable to your product.

Therefore, there must be intangible selling points when retaining and finding top talent. Those things that you can offer, that money can’t buy:

1.) Recreate their job description to include learning or producing something new and challenging – allowing at least 10% of their time to be invested in a new opportunity at your agency.
2.) Be sure that they have a “cool” mentor to associate with/spend time with and learn. If this means sending them to a conference to meet their “hero” so be it. It’s a worthwhile investment.
3.) Show them off. Give your creatives’ projects that will create publicity or visibility of some kind and be sure to provide verbal affirmation of the great job they are doing. No BS necessary – this is star talent so you’re certain the work will be the very best anyway.

Of course, a boost in pay always helps keep talent around, at least for a while. In addition to the above list, be as aggressive as possible with a bonus or a raise – it can’t hurt.

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