Working with my co-workers leaves me with one choice. To stay awake hours after I would have liked to rest my eyes. I don’t have time for that luxury anymore…it’s now become a “you can sleep when your dead” kind of attitude.

In my previous career, I had the luxury of taking my time to think in depth and only worry about producing. Now, I have to be able to think in depth fast and produce fast. I’ve just doubled my required talent. I need to figure out a way to be faster at attaining the speed desired per client.

 One point I’d like to make –I only see the “need for speed” as a positive. It can only help me “evolve”. I hear some people say “don’t waste your time strengthening your weaknesses” and “focus only on building your strengths”. Right now I only believe the second half of that is true. I guess it depends if you’re are thinking of the business or an individual. If an opponent is aware of your weaknesses (in games, sports, and other one-on-one activities) and you only build to your strengths -good luck! Someone will find, point out, and take advantage of those weaknesses. In business you have the advantage of building a defense around your weaknesses as a good way to compensate. My husband and I are a great example of that. Where my strengths are not, his are. Where his strengths are not, mine are. I am aware of companies that only hire people like themselves. They’re surviving –but they’re not thriving!

One of the benefits/hardships of running an Advertising Agency is you go where your clients want you to go. Sometimes this is a wonderful thing, especially if you’ve not yet been there. Other times you think “not again!”

Either way, a 1 to 3-hour meeting with the client turns into much more. Time spent planning the trip, making arrangements for responsibilities beyond life as a Project Manager, and postponing other work at least a few hours in the process is where a lot of my creative genes are expressed.

Being a Project Manager I have tried to relieve the stresses for my clients by using my nifty cell for access to e-mail (and phone too! Except during flying of course) and taking my laptop with me. Having a mobile office is the way I prefer and has served me well during my travels.

I need to be connected and I need access to all my files –I’m just more comfortable that way. I’m the woman who will be taking her huge purse to Heaven because they might not have something I or someone else will need. My husband jokes that it’s a diaper bag! Therefore, it fits me perfect -to have an office on the go. Needless to say clients have appreciated it too. More often then not, the files that they need are right at my fingertips. 

Advertising is a fast paced, opinionated, and 24/7 on call career. If you think you can handle becoming a resource for multiple clients then consider a career as a Project Manager of an Advertising Agency. This Dangerous, think on your feet, big league game is not for the “thin-skinned day-dreamer”. Even when you’re rushing your kids to the grocery store on a Sunday night before school –look like you’re going to run into a client because it happens. This Advertising game has a style like no other. They are buying you and you need to show them why they would be lost without you. Enhance your strengths and build your weaknesses.  There are sharks in those waters and they want you to hurry up so they don’t have to wait. They have an expectation that you will deliver the best service, stay one step ahead on projects, and always deliver only good news. The truth is you have to deliver impeccable service (they are your only client), stay two steps ahead of them, and be the “best friend” that only delivers fantastic news. –And why should they get anything less. Don’t they deserve to have those expectations? To keep a client from looking around for a different agency you have to be able to consistently exceed the expectations. This is a people business. They need to hear from their Project manager by 10am or they start to wonder “Where did ??? go” and being referred to as “???” is not a good thing. Reinforce who you are. A client has a million plus things to think about in their mind daily and they have little room for someone not so memorable.  

As project manager you are the “Gate Keeper”, a buffer between the wonderful clients and your crew. And like any great mom running a well-oiled machine (family, team, whatever you would like to call it) you monitor what comes in and what goes out. This is an ideal role for any individual who feels compelled to know every detail about what the client says and what they didn’t say. I want to know key words such as –“like” or “love” – does it really matter? That depends on the client. If you have an emotionally expressive client –then yes, it matters a great deal. It is also important to know about this client’s day and how their morning has been going. In these cases, the client’s response to your presence can be persuaded by a great or terrible morning. Keep that in mind. Then there are those blessed times when clients know how to play the bigger game. They have the business mind set and even if their day has been rocky. These clients tend to have a very middle way about them. They can express themselves but they have a more conscious handle on their words and actions and use them more wisely. 

“On top of it all!”

I love days when I feel on the same page as the best of the world. My number one client –and yes –I said #1- will soon expect to hear from me almost every day before 10:30am. I check e-mail when I wake up (before 6am) and respond if needed. Let clients know I am thinking of them, their projects, and what’s most critical in their minds. Especially, if they need to deliver important information to me –I need to let them know I am working for them and expecting to hear from them. It’s about being two steps ahead. I am growing ever more passionate about finding out what they mean by the “end of the day” 2pm, 3pm, 5pm, 8pm, or midnight and similar details. Detail, detail, detail, and finding out what makes them tick. I am enjoying learning about their expectations and adapting accordingly. I love change (because most of the time it involves fine-tuning or improving my ability to bond and relate with others). A fascinating new realization (epiphany), relationships should not be about them understanding you –they should be about you understanding them and using their styles to get your points across. Boys…think of it as self-evolution –I know you can’t and mostly don’t want to change –but consider this new idea of evolving! By learning about your client…you may be able to see exactly what they are asking for and make a better connection.

Advertising is a strategic way to market to the masses –be smart and learn about the masses. When involved in a career as a Project Manager it is helpful to learn about who you are communicating with. Pick up on their general attitude, common phrases, likes, dislikes, preferred ways of communication, family, what do they enjoy doing out of the office, what is their pain –who knew a more accurate title for this position would be “Client Analyzer & Adaptation Specialist”. Learn to love people, make them laugh, know your boundaries, develop many deep relationships, and let them get to know you!