All posts tagged LinkedIn

Take the meeting. It’s good karma.

Whether we’re 20 or 90, we all ask for advice.
Should we take the job? Should we wear this jacket with these pants? Should we use WordPress or Tumblr? Usually, it’s with those close to us, but when our indecision extends to the workplace or our career, we usually have to look beyond our Friends List for real and insightful advice. And that can be tough. Often, you won’t know the people who’s counsel you seek. So you reach out on LinkedIn, you look for mutual friends on Facebook, or you simply cross your fingers, fire off an email and hope for a response.

Over the past year, I wanted to do just that. I wasn’t seeking advice as much as perspective. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do exactly but wanted to dedicate time to really find out how other worlds were adapting to the new media and advertising landscape. So I connected with network programming people, production companies, media sellers, media planners, creative folks, planners and more. It was like a TED Tour and I had a front row seat.

Through it all, I discovered the niche I wanted to play in but admittedly, didn’t do a good enough job of thanking those who took the time to help me do it. Well, this week, I got a great reminder when Daniel Hebert went out of his way to thank me for my advice.

A while ago, I got an email from Daniel asking me to look at his blog and provide some career advice. Like most people with senior advertising experience, I get a ton of emails asking for meetings, portfolio reviews, and the general, “Can I pick your brain?” sort of requests. Normally, I try to set aside time as there are many who have done the same for me. When I can swing it, I try to make myself available.

I just never really know if they listen. Now I do.
Daniel Hebert wrote a blog post featuring my email response, my career advice and his appreciation for both. Needless to say, it made my day.

When we get asked for a bit of our time, it’s pretty easy to forget how we feel when we’re the one asking for it. It’s nice to know that a simple email resonated with him and that all those meetings and emails DO help people.
To all those who have helped me out, thanks. And the next time someone asks for that meeting, try to make yourself available. It’s good karma.

Here’s the post (and I’m curious to know what you think of my advice).

Canadian Advertising Community’s 2012 Resolutions.

We all make them. We all break them. And the Canadian advertising industry is no different.
Here they are. In 2012, the Canadian advertising community resolves to…

1. Close the blinds on Antoine.
I don’t watch a lot of live TV because when I do, I’m forced to sit through the forced enthusiasm and badly scripted interruptions of Antoine from Blinds to Go. I actually don’t mind the slowly closing blinds concept but I’d prefer to see it delivered by an ACTRA member. Until then, I’ll be over at Apple TV.

2. Commit to integrating social.
It will be great when we know the ROI of socially sound, customer-focused communications. But why is transparent customer engagement subjected to a level of scrutiny that isn’t applied to other aspects of the business? The only reason the doubters justify inaction is because true social integration radically changes people and processes. Quit asking the spreadsheets to do your job for you. By the time some of you figure it out, you’ll be too late.

3. Invest in good Content Marketing.
Howard Gossage said, “People read what interests them. And sometimes, it’s an ad.”

And often it’s not.

In yesteryear, people didn’t want to see an ad, they had to. Well, now they don’t have to. And now, their content choices include stuff on that weird little hobby they never spoke about. If you absolutely love buttons and can connect with others who love buttons and watch a web show on buttons and attend a button expo, watching advertising supported So You Think You Can Dance suddenly loses its cache. People want good content. It’s time your brand gave it to them.

4. Stop investing in bad Content Marketing.
Content Marketing isn’t finding clever ways to have a character raise your branded cup into frame. That’s right, McDonald’s. I’m talking to you. Please make it stop. And while we’re at it, let’s realize that branded web comedies and dramas compete with comedies and dramas on HBO. Let’s stop making them. I’d rather not sit through Season 2 of VH Sauce’s Life Unjarred, thank you very much.

5. Put the Loan Arranger out to pasture.
Whether he’s buying your gold, lending you money, giving you a mortgage, or sending creepy shivers up your spine, Russell Oliver is a guy who just wants to be on TV. Money should buy many things. Time for this freak to prance around on our public airways shouldn’t be one of them. Oh, yea!

6. Let Ramada do their thing somewhere else.
What’s worse – the horrible music, the ridiculous scenarios or the bad production values? Let’s call it a three way tie. Regardless, I’d rather sleep under the scratchy synthetic comforter at a Journey’s End (where I almost died once) than give my money to a crew that continues to produce this campaign.

7. Close the Gap.
No, not the clothing store. The gap that exists between what Canadian consumers want and what Canadian business is delivering. While not every Canuck wants a mobile integrated, e-commerce driven, unique shopping experience, many do. And the numbers are increasing. If we don’t get our shit together, Canadian retailers will be shutting down as quickly as Amazon warehouses will be popping up.

8. Stop blaming your agencies.
Big ad agencies are caught between delivering solutions for clients who want to push the envelope and those who would rather stuff an envelope. We all have something to learn. So let’s not throw the word “partnership” around during compensation discussions yet not use it when it comes to exploring better ways to do things. Pick your partners and figure it out together.

9. Say “I don’t know”.
Guaranteeing results from new initiatives with very few historical benchmarks is like saying you can predict exactly how long a Hollywood marriage will last. Will it be Kim Kardashian? Russel Brand? Tom Hanks? No one knows. Let’s focus on making the right decisions with the flexibility to change along the way.

10. Learn.
We don’t know. But we should arm ourselves with as much information as we can. Dx3 Canada (full disclosure – I helped them as Content Curator) occurs on January 25-26 and features over 35 workshops on everything you’ll need in 2012 including mobile, social, search, digital wallets, media innovation, trends, digital retailing, ad verification, and more. Facebook, comScore, LinkedIn, Rogers, PayPal, John St., Visa, SAY Media, Amber Mac, and many others will be there. You should, too. It’s super cheap and promises to be fun. Pick the sessions you want to attend at www.dx3canada.com

 

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