Oftentimes I’ve been asked by friends, “What have you learned from working in an agency? Is it really that different from being on the client side?” The short answer is: A lot, and yes, it is different. Two years ago, I made the switch from the client side to an agency, and the knowledge and experience I gained in that short time are invaluable.
To expand on the questions above, I’ve compiled a list of things that are topping the charts of key learnings in my time at J&C.
1. A little effort goes a long way: The importance of a good creative brief. I’ll be honest, if someone had asked me what a creative brief was two years ago, I’d have probably looked at them dumbfounded; I had no clue. Oh, how quickly that changed when I joined the agency world. Now I have a full understanding of why a good creative brief is imperative to the smooth execution of any project.
It is a roadmap. Direction. A double-check. Strategy. It is insightful. And it is, as its name suggests, brief. This crucial document provides all the important information that all parties – account team, creative team, client – reference during the creative development process and through implementation. It should provide a project background, address any communication challenges, outline the messaging objectives and determine the target audience, all within 2-3 pages.
It may seem like a challenge, but a little effort at the beginning of a project can save wasted time, money and potential frustration in the long run.
2. Not all conversations are created equal. Know your audience. Whether it’s collaborating with a client, brainstorming with the creatives, reviewing a wireframe with a developer or budgeting with the boss, you will have to work and communicate with a wide variety of people. Folks on the creative side of things are going to digest information in a much different (read: visual) way than those on the account team. Information shared with internal teams will be presented much differently than when it’s shared with a client.
Once you know who you’re communicating with, there are a number of things to consider: thoroughness vs. brevity, professional vs. informal tone, text vs. visuals; they all have their place. Knowing the communication style for each audience and disseminating key messages accordingly are essential.
3. Prepare yourself to learn a lot. About a lot. This is one of the biggest differences from my experience on the client side, where managers are typically focused on one area of the company’s marketing efforts and have in-depth knowledge in that area. On the agency side of things, we’re exposed to a breadth of marketing tactics that make up an entire multichannel campaign.
Direct mail, mobile-optimized emails, landing pages, banner ads, videos and demos, social media posts, QR codes…you name it, you’ll probably learn about it. With an industry that is ever-changing, it’s important to keep up with the latest marketing trends. This includes research and reading about new ideas, applying those ideas where relevant and being challenged on a regular basis.
The continuous learning environment at J&C has provided countless opportunities for expanding my knowledge and understanding of marketing strategy, best practices and tactics, and continues to foster growth in those areas and far beyond. For instance, J&C has developed a dozen ebooks this year, on topics across a broad spectrum of marketing trends and topics. Having access to this plethora of information has proven to be a great learning tool.
Check out my personal favorite ebook on triggered and behavioral emails. I learned so much about triggered email campaigns and what best practices to follow when developing a behavior-based email program.
Bonus learning:
4. You’re going to have a little bit of fun along the way. There’s a reason behind the stigma that advertising and marketing agencies are a fun place to work: They are. The agency life is fast-paced, so there’s rarely a moment for boredom. And, with so many creative minds packed between four walls, it’s hard not to let loose every now and then. But it’s important not to confuse “fun” with “easy.” You will work hard, but the payoff in knowledge and experiences will be well worth it.
This is not an exhaustive list of what I’ve learned, but rather some highlights of what I’ve found to be the most important and foundational items to a successful career in marketing. Over the past two years, it’s been fun, it’s been hard work and it’s been challenging, but those moments are when the real learning happens.
Keeping in mind that these are just some of the things I’ve taken away from my own experience in a measurable, multichannel marketing agency, do you find the same things to be true? How do my learnings compare with your experiences in other agencies or marketing positions?
Topics: CMO
