Agency life is full of sharp turns, changing deadlines and quick turnarounds, but we celebrate the fact that each day is different! Trust us, the rush is thrilling, but it also means we must wear various hats in order to get our jobs done … and we’re not talking about fedoras.
As a marketing/branding/communications professional, you hold an assortment of titles—like we said before, each day is different—and it’s important to have the organizational skills and flexibility to switch back and forth between them (depending on the client or project you’re working on). We’ve come up with a list of the different hats we rock here at KM&A … thankfully, we’re pros at being adaptable.
Copywriter
Our communications team is full of rockstar copywriters! Whether they’re curating social media captions, crafting engaging blog content or channeling their brainpower into our latest case study or white paper, they must put on their writing hats to come up with the latest and greatest wordy wisdom.
Writing is one of the most useful ways to tell a brand’s story, showcase a new product or explain the inner workings of your latest project. However, readers only consume 20% of the content on a page (LinkedIn), which is why it’s essential to have an engaging headline and an attention-grabbing lede. Without a kick-ass copywriting cap, your reader might not make it past the first paragraph.
Editor
Now, let’s say you have a fantastic email newsletter draft—it’s engaging, has a sense of humor and will without a doubt draw your readers in. However, it has a few errors—grammar mistakes, misspellings, maybe a statement that isn’t quite accurate … this is where your editor hat comes in handy.
Bad grammar, misplaced punctuation and inaccurate information can seriously tarnish your credibility as an agency professional. Who wants to put their trust in a brand that doesn’t know the difference between there, their and they’re? This is why your editor hat is so important. Proofing, rereading and editing your copy is a critical part of improving your client’s (and agency’s) reliability–and makes you sound more professional. Want to brush up on some common grammar mistakes? Check out our blog, Droppin’ Grammar Knowledge.
Researcher
Don’t panic! We’re not talking about the good ol’ days from undergrad where your nights were spent in the library trying to finish a 12-page history research paper. We’re talking about the fun type of research—social media analytics, target audience demographics, post-event surveys and polls, purchasing data and content analysis.
Here at KM&A, we put our researching hats to good use. For example, after our virtual summer camp series for our client, Delta Faucet Company, we sent out a survey to event attendees to better understand how the event influenced them. Being able to measure business impact not only determines client success, but also allows an agency or marketing professional to fine-tune their strategy.
Social Media Manager
Some may say this is one of the most creative hats an agency professional will wear, however, social media management isn’t all about taking aesthetically-pleasing photos and writing witty captions. To be a successful social media manager, you must be able to create a strong social media strategy, adapt to changes and updates within platforms and craft engaging content (cue reappearance of the copywriting cap).
The world has fully transitioned into the digital space, making social media marketing a powerful way to reach your target audience. According to Oberlo, people spend an average of 2.5 hours a day on social networks. That may seem like a short amount of time, but it can be the only thing a skilled social media manager needs to make a valuable impact on a brand’s target audience.
Problem Solver
Running into a crisis or obstacle is inevitable in agency life. Whether it’s a rainstorm during an outdoor event, an email newsletter gone awry or a social media announcement sent out too soon, a marketing agency professional has to be ready to tackle any problem.
It’s wise to keep your problem-solving hat on 24/7 … think of it as a preventative measure. Scheduling an event during the rainy season? Choose a venue that has an indoor space. Afraid of posting on social media at the wrong time? Use a scheduling software like Agorapulse, Hootsuite or Ripl. Always be prepared to manage a crisis and communicate it effectively.
At this point, you should be on your way to the mall to add to your hat collection … just kidding! These skills are developed with experience and lots of practice. Next time you’re looking for an outfit change—or an adrenaline rush—try out agency life.
