Jumping from the world of advertising into a comprehensive marketing role on the client side really opened my eyes. Back in my agency days, smack in the middle of all the creative chaos, I thought I knew it all — I also once believed I was “doing the client’s job.”
Ex-agency folks can make great marketeers but can often lack an understanding of the full picture of what marketing entails. This is understandable, of course, as they have only seen one angle of a marketeer’s role. When I made the switch to the client side, I quickly realized how much broader and deeper marketing and comms really is.
I remember one of my first days in the new role, I sat down at my desk contemplating the hard-hitting reality that had befallen me. “I am now expected to deal with budgets, manage the agency, communicate with departments across the company, and report to my seniors with progress.” That’s when it struck me how segmented my view had been at the agency. I was used to quick briefs and rapid-fire projects, often joking with my colleagues about how our clients couldn't possibly grasp the nuances of what we did. But here I was, discovering the true scope of what it takes to build a brand from the ground up and manage it successfully over the long haul. And let me tell you, it requires grit!
One of the biggest changes for me was diving deep into just one brand – learning it from the inside out. At the agency, our focus would dart from client to client, each with different needs and deadlines. Now, I was immersing myself into one brand’s universe, with the chance to really shape its future. It was about more than just executing a brief or strategy; it was about actually creating and bringing to life a clear vision for the company’s future.
For those who fantasize about making the move from agency to client side, trust me – it’s far from a walk in the park. For me, it definitely wasn’t without its challenges. While the day-to-day pace often felt slower, the decisions carried more weight, often needing multiple (and might I add exhausting) processes of approval. So much so, that I unexpectedly found myself missing the quickness and sprint-like pace of my agency days where the finish line was always the next project, the next campaign launch. Here, I was running a marathon, pacing myself to build something lasting.
In the agency world, it’s all about how creative and effective our campaigns are – do they raise awareness, are they stirring the waters and meeting client objectives? On the client side, the marcoms team has to not only create campaigns to sell the product, but attend countless meetings, working closely with every other department – research, supply chain, sales, crisis comms, events, legal, and every other function you can think of. Your job is suddenly much bigger and honestly, quite intimidating. But once you connect the dots and see the bigger picture, the reward is ultimate puzzle completing satisfaction.
My goal through this post is not to scare anyone looking to make this move. In fact, I encourage it. It will help you get a more holistic, zoomed out perspective on the world of marketing and comms, perhaps even understanding and empathizing (OK, that might be a stretch) with your clients. Yes, agency life is full of creative sparks, but client-side marketing demands a more strategic mindset, the ability to handle tough situations and think on your feet, and the emotional intelligence to balance a number of sensitive relationships and priorities. Some might say it takes you from being a specialist to a generalist, but I like to say it makes you a multi-specialty specialist. Once you take on a role like this, there isn’t a task someone can throw your way that you won’t be able to handle.
When I first made this transition, it was a struggle to find guidance and advice from others before me who had made the change. That’s how my book, Marketing and Communications on the Job, was born. A compilation of my twenty years of experience in the field to provide marketeers – amateurs and veterans alike – with practical processes, frameworks, and nuggets of knowledge that they can use throughout their Marcom careers. I like to think of it as an instruction manual – not just for this huge transition, but for the rest of your Marcom career.
This is the book for you if:
· You are looking to switch to the Marketing or Communications side, but you are not sure what that entails
· You want to ace your next Marcom interview, walk, talk, and act like an experienced marketeer
· You are an entrepreneur with a dream to turn your business idea into a successful brand.
So, if you've ever felt like agency life is the pinnacle of marketing, or you've underestimated the complexity and creativity of client-side roles, this book might just change your perspective.
It is my hope that this book will not be a one-time read, but rather a holy grail you come back to time and time again while you are on the job.
To learn more about my book order a copy, visit : https://amzn.eu/d/9LDmHyc
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