Difficulty: Moderately Challenging
Things You’ll Need:
- A job as an Account Executive at an advertising agency or its equivalent creative services organization
- The desire to focus on what's important
Step1
Do what you can at your level to contribute
Help Get Great Creative Work
No matter what your level in the account group, your main job is to help the agency develop great creative work that sells product and that you can be proud of. At the junior levels, just asking the creative people what support they need or help you can provide them. At the more senior levels, you might contribute to the strategy for the advertising or help sell it.
Step2
If they like it, they should support it
Get the Client to Spend Against the Great Work
Once you have the great ad or campaign, get the client to spend money on it. This is how an ad agency makes money and it also is a self fulfilling cycle. The client will sell more product producing more money with which to support the advertising.
Step3
Attract good people
Attract and Retain Good People
This applies more to the account people higher up on the hiring decision. But upgrading people on your account adds directly to how well the account does. And once you have good people, retaining them is just as important.
Step4
Strengthen ties to the client
Forge Strong Client Relationships
Become passionate about your client's products and learn to walk in their shoes. Learn their business inside out and they will value your contributions.
Step5
Don't forget to have some fun
Have Fun
The advertising business is hard work and offers plenty of stress. But you need to be able to have a laugh or two to keep your balance and to project a sense of fun to your colleagues. After all, it's not rocket science.