By: Debbie Pizzino
I know, I know, I know…I’m an integrated media planner and I’m not writing about media?? Well, I thought about it and I was going to write about 2019 media trends, but what can I write about that you don’t know? Digital spend is skyrocketing…. Mobile will continue to spike…. Print spend is declining. Truthfully, that pretty much sums up every article I’ve read.
What media execs don’t talk about are the relationships we build over the years, in my case over the past 25+ years (I know, I’m dating myself), that are the most important part of our day-to-day work
As one of my old bosses once said… “You get a lot more bees with honey, than you do with vinegar” …. a saying I’ve never forgotten and one I take with me everywhere I go.
Seven Degrees of …. Media?
Let’s face it, we spend A LOT more time at work and with our coworkers than we do at home with our families. So, creating relationships – STRONG, HEALTHY,FUN, MOTIVATING, ENERGIZING- relationships are important. More important, is maintaining those relationships through challenges and differences.
When you start to think about all the relationships we Agency folk have, it can be overwhelming. From an integrated media buyer and planner’s perspective, relationships are the key to a successful career. Let’s look at just a few of the relationships that I encounter each day……
- Coworkers, Colleagues, Cube Mates
- To me, it’s vital that you get along with your coworkers. Here at T&B we have three ‘teams’ if you will. One third of the Agency is our Public Relations team, the second third is our Creative team, and the last third is the Media/Advertising/Social team. For the success of T&B, it’s so important that we are all able to connect with one another and work holistically. Essentially, we make up ONE team: the one team that gets it done. These are the people that allow you to vent and stress, and who also build you back up after a meeting doesn’t go so well. These relationships are the foundation you build upon- these are the people who are on YOUR TEAM and who have your back.
- Inter-Agency Teams (a.k.a IAT)
- I find this Agency structure to be one of the most challenging. Most times those that sit on these teams are not in the same office so conference calls are your go to for relaying account information. What’s challenging is that it’s harder to build relationships with someone you never see or meet. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve sat on IAT’s where to this day I haven’t met its members, but I’ve built a great relationships As an Integrated Media Planner and Buyer, I am used to working with and across many different departments. AND, being a people person sure helps. These types of relationships, while different, stay with you across jobs- because as we know the advertising and marketing world is a small one.
- Media Vendors and Partners
- WOW! This is a huge part of my day- chatting with all my media peeps. I have A LOT of vendors that have been calling me for years – like 10-15 years. This is the part of the job I enjoy the most to be truthful. It’s such a great feeling to know that you have all these relationships that make you and your job stronger. I LOVE learning all the new opportunities out there for our clients. It’s exciting! I approach this part of my daily job with a very open mind. I never say- no thanks, no time for that. I ALWAYS try to give my media vendors my attention. I try to get back to them in a timely manner and I always try to keep them up-to-date on plans and RFP’s and clients. I try to have all media vendors in- meet with them, put a face to a name and build that relationship. This type of relationship is truly a give and take. Both sides of the table need to give 100 percent for this relationship to work and grow, and for it to be mutually beneficial.
- Clients, Clients and Clients
- Now a client-media planner relationship is more of a partnership . This relationship needs to be strong and uplifting. Everything I do for my clients, I do with a ‘client’ eye. There is no room for negativity in these types of relationships- you must be aligned. Throughout my career I’ve had many clients- mostly with whom I’ve had great relationships. To this day, I still reach out to them and check in tosee how they are doing. Client relationships are imperative to an Agency.
As you can see, the common thread here…. relationships. We all have them, and they are all different. Take some time to sit back and think about all the types of relationships you have in your day-to-day, and how they make a difference not only in your professional life but your life in general.
