from cafepress poster from Baltimore Print Studios notebook at cafepress again find it at spreadshirt.com
Category: Planning
don’t just ‘put a planner on it’ – understand your audience first
When my first ever Planning Director was interviewing me for the job, he asked “when was the last time you were on a bus?”. He had a point. Its all very well for Account Planners and the like to say that they are ‘always listening’ (actually, I think I like that better than ‘always thinking’…), but … Continue reading don’t just ‘put a planner on it’ – understand your audience first
I love the library
I mentioned in a post a couple of weeks ago about the undiscovered mine of FREE information that is your local Central Library’s Business/Information centre. Since in Freelance Land I don’t have the luxury of access to desk research resources like Mintel and back issues of the trade press I’ve really rediscovered the library and am … Continue reading I love the library
Planner’s time utilisation report
what would yours look like?
and exactly what is it you do again?
Since my recent change in work circumstances, friends and family have kindly asked how it’s all going, followed the tentative “erm…tell me what it is you do again?” Rather than haul out the good old ‘voice of the consumer’ explanation one more time (and when you’re not in an agency 247 that becomes harder to … Continue reading and exactly what is it you do again?
confidence is contagious
I was having lunch with a junior planner yesterday and she was telling me how thoroughly she prepares for client meetings and presentations, just for the extra bit of reassurance that she has every possible angle covered. Which made me offer her the thought that the most important thing I’ve learned about meetings and presenting … Continue reading confidence is contagious
Life as a Freelance Account Planner – the first fortnight
Like Arkwright might say, it’s been a funny kind of two weeks. As I’ve posted before, I was gobsmacked by the helpful and kind emails and texts that flooded my inboxes following my post about my redundancy. So I’ve been busy catching up with old bosses, mates from two jobs ago, uni friends and the … Continue reading Life as a Freelance Account Planner – the first fortnight
How to do regional integrated Account Planning
Following on from Heather’s series of Get Your Digital Planner On posts, Amelia’s How to get your first job in Planning and Andrew’s How to be more creative, I thought I’d throw my hat into the ring too. Since I’ve spent the last eleven years working as an Account Planner in three different regional integrated … Continue reading How to do regional integrated Account Planning
speaking up for the sensible skirt brigade
India Knight’s column in last weekend’s Sunday Times briefly alighted on people “who live quiet, kind lives wearing sensible skirts and shoes and not making much noise”. And because these people like their private life private, they’re the ones least likely to be visible to us - the marketing bods trying to have a conversation … Continue reading speaking up for the sensible skirt brigade
The negatives of being Up North
I’ve been working in regional marketing agencies for 12 years this Summer and I’ve written before about what I see as the positives of Life Outside London, but I thought it was probably worth mentioning some of the not so brilliant bits as well: - Your face, body, children, house, pet, car and all your … Continue reading The negatives of being Up North