“I have hat hair.”
How many hats do you wear on a daily basis?
I recently attended the Second Wind Network seminar, “Certified Account Executive College” in Chicago, IL. During one of the many informative sessions, Tony Mikes explained that there should be a clear delineation between the roles of traffic and account service, for example.
This notion led me to think further about how small- to medium-size agencies distribute responsibilities and manage workflow on a day-to-day basis.
Take, for example, the “Principal/COO/CFO/Account Supervisor” — not independently of one another, but all rolled up into the same person. Or, the “Account Supervisor/Media Buyer/Traffic Manager.” And, my personal favorite, the “Office Manager/Receptionist/Production Manager/Traffic Coordinator.”
With limited human resources, it’s often necessary to wear multiple hats within the agency. But, as your team (and workload) continue to grow, it’s going to become increasingly difficult to efficiently perform every function. How can I return the Client’s phone call when I’m chasing down the media rep? The main line is ringing, but I’m busy gathering print quotes…
Take a moment to assess the talents of each of your employees. Is he meant to be an account executive or would he be a better account planner? Would her attention to detail make her a great traffic coordinator or is she better suited for the front office?
It’s critically important to understand the strengths (and weaknesses) of your team members. And, to know when it’s time to hire. While investing in a dedicated media buyer, for example, may be an upfront cost, it’s going to yeild immeasurable results when those three new clients come on board. So, too, is your account executive being in front of the client versus chained to his desk –- right next to the hat rack.
Hi Dawn -
My agency has recently done some restructuring and my original position as a project manager has expanded into traffic management as well. Not to mention the office manager/phone duties.
Your blog has been great to ready over as I dive into the Traffic
I’ve been trying to pick the brains of some great traffic managers. Any additional reads/suggestions for me?
Thanks!
~K
Kat,
Thank you for your kind words! I can suggest the Facebook Group, “Traffic Patterns” (http://tinyurl.com/dmlybe), the Second Wind Network (www.secondwindonline.com) and Recourses (www.recourses.com). LinkedIn, I believe, also has a Q&A section where you sometimes see traffic posts.
Best wishes in your new role as “traffic!”
Sincerely,
Dawn Marie
Hi Kat, I just wanted to reach out to you and invite you to visit our website, which Dawn kindly suggested – (http://www.secondwindonline.com/). In our Knowledge Base, we offer some free content you may find useful. Enter traffic-related keywords in our site search window. Also, you may want to investigate our Second Wind seminar, Certified Agency Operations Daily Workflow and Efficiency, scheduled for June in Baltimore. Traffic management is changing a lot as agencies move to more digital, multi-user workflow systems. Some agencies are eliminating the traffic management position entirely in favor of project management; others find they still need a TM to stay on top of scheduling, personnel assignments and deadlines. If you have specific questions about traffic and workflow, feel free to contact me. (And thank you, Dawn, for the recommendation.)