Although movies often glamorize the advertising business as one revolving around glam fashions, expense accounts, and upscale lunches--not to mention lots of free time to pursue romance--the reality is that it's very hard work. For savvy wordsmiths and imaginative spin-meisters, however, no two days are ever the same, plus they have the satisfaction of shining a spotlight on companies that would otherwise be in the dark about promoting themselves.
Identifying Your Niche
Advertising consultants and the agencies they represent fall into two categories: generalists and specialists. Generalists handle a broad spectrum of clients, products and special events. These are often mid-size or large agencies that have the personnel to handle multiple, time-sensitive accounts and/or operate on a retainer basis. Specialists, in contrast, focus on a particular type of clientele (i.e., celebrities, authors, restaurateurs) or events targeting specific demographics (i.e., cultural festivals, sports tournaments, fashion shows). The combination of choosiness about projects and orchestrating one-time or recurring community events makes this an attractive career choice for the advertising consultant who wants to work solo and/or work out of her home. Ideally, you should either have hands-on experience with an existing ad agency or a mentor to show you the ropes before you put out your own shingle. Once you decide whether you want to be a generalist or a specialist, you can start part-time by handling a few PR projects such as press releases, logo designs, radio/TV/print ads, speaking tours, and fundraising campaigns for friends, associates and nonprofit organizations. This strategy will not only get you referrals but also build your advertising portfolio and expand your media networking circle.
Researching Your Competition
As with any type of business, it's important to find out who is already providing similar products and services to your target demographic. If, for instance, you live in a large city where lots of advertising agencies already exist, you have to figure out what you can do to distinguish yourself from the herd. This is where a specialist can have an advantage over a generalist because his clientele may be looking for someone who not only has a deeper connection to their needs but who can also give them more one-on-one attention than an ad exec who is busy managing her other accounts. Cost-effectiveness and turnaround time are two other factors that figure into a client's decision to go with one advertising agency over another. Your research methodology should include a look at what your competitors are charging (i.e., hourly, per project, or retainer), what types of accounts they handle, and how long it typically takes them to deliver on their promises. In concert with this, you should talk to business owners to gauge a sense of their satisfaction level and their expectations when working with an ad agency. Something to keep in mind when you're starting out is that mid-size and large advertising agencies often require a project to be of a certain dollar amount (usually four or five figures) in order to even capture their interest. When this amount is prohibitive to individuals or small businesses, their only recourse is to try to promote themselves. A newcomer like you who can offer a quality level of service at a price within their budget may be exactly what they need.
Building Your Network
An advertising consultant is only as effective as the breadth of names in her Rolodex that she can call on at a moment's notice whenever she needs to get something done for her clients. This includes a judiciously maintained list of media contacts for newspapers, magazines and radio/television stations, liaison with hospital industry reps, ongoing interaction with civic and community leaders, and an extensive pool of talent (i.e., writers, photographers, graphic artists, musicians) with whom she can subcontract to ensure each campaign's success. The advertising biz is not for a personality who is bashful or disorganized, who caves under pressure, or who only wants to work weekdays from 9 to 5. The more organizations and associations you can mingle with on both a social and business level, the faster you can create your platform, start a buzz, and begin acquiring clients.
