''Affability is important when working with clients, but one should always practice an equal measure of professionalism,'' he says. ''Building a friendly relationship with the client is vital to gaining trust and can help ease any difficult situations that arise. However, just because a client is comfortable enough to make off-color jokes or swear in front of you does not mean you should do the same. The trick is to find the right balance.''
Due to its collaborative nature, the advertising business provides a lot of opportunities for error.
McCool explains, ''Many times as an account executive, others will be helping you compile information that you will present to a client. Like you, the people working for you are human, and some are more prone to mistakes than others. It doesn’t matter if it was the intern who put the decimal in the wrong place — when you are presenting the client with an advertising plan for $500,000 but that actually costs $5 million, it’s not the intern who will be answering to the client.''
With such detailed work involved, McCool advises that all ad employees take the time to carefully review their work before presentation.
''Double- and triple-check your work, setting up fail-safes for yourself as often as possible. We are all human, so we all make mistakes at some time or another, but this is not a good excuse to use with the client. Once you are in a position for a few weeks and have learned the ropes, begin thinking of good habits or processes in your day-to-day work that can help minimize mistakes.
''For example, if a client calls in an order for ad space in a magazine, ask them if they can also email you the request so that you have it in writing. It may be redundant, but it can save you a lot of trouble later. In advertising you will constantly be relying on other people for numbers, reports, etc. You should also double- and triple-check everyone else’s work because ‘the secret of the eagle eye is to not trust anyone,’ as I used to say at my last agency.''
McCool leaves off with a few wise tips that will aid your success in an advertising job:
- Do not delete your emails! Archive them if you have to, but save everything work related. Your old emails can serve better than your memory as they are written proof of an interaction, complete with a time stamp.
- Always be thorough, accurate, and professional in your written communication. In this age of email, instant messaging, and BlackBerry messages, it is easy to slack off and write incomplete sentences or not use proper punctuation. You should always be careful to word your communications as clearly and concisely as possible so that you get the information you need the first time, avoiding any misunderstandings.
- Managing the client’s expectations is nearly as critical as getting the client what they want. Put simply, don’t promise something you can’t deliver.
