notes from 3/18 meeting with Tim Best

1) Advertising Works
a. Educates, communicates, better consumer decisions, better products
b. For Advertising to work, you must know 2 things.
i. Who you’re talking to
ii. What your purpose is
1. Sell
2. Branding
3. Talking to themselves (shareholders, corporate culture)
4. Respond to competition
5. Education (create a need)
c. For Advertising to work, the tumblers must fall into place.
i. Economy
ii. Competition
iii. Product quality
2) Advertising is collaborative.
a. If you have a great idea, know that it will be fiddled with.
b. While some fiddling is necessary and makes the idea better, too much can ruin the great idea.
3) Advertising is NOT subjective.
a. There are things that work and don’t work.
b. Studies are done to help you know what works and what doesn’t. Some of it is learnt by experience.
4) Getting a Job in Advertising
a. Don’t go to an agency without knowing what position you want.
b. Build a portfolio.
i. Be willing to spend money to make your portfolio great.
ii. Including marketing plans, graphics, press releases, etc related to the job you want to do. Even if you want to be an Account Executive, a portfolio is necessary.
iii. Online portfolios are also a good way to differentiate yourself.
c. Work for a larger agency sometime during your career. Large agencies impress smaller agencies.
i. This may mean you have to go where they are.
ii. Think of your advertising career like the military. You might have to put in a couple years in a big city with big agencies before getting a job in the market you want (such as the small market in Nashville).
d. Redbook
i. Directory of agencies
ii. Where they are, billings, management, accounts
iii. Expensive, but if you have access to one, best source out there.
e. When you change jobs, reward yourself.
i. It’s okay to ask for more money than your last position if you’ve paid your dues and you’re worth it.
ii. Don’t change jobs too often.