(yep, that's me, in Samoa)
I'm lookin' for a little advice here. I know that the agency where I work desperately needs strategic planning, but is very stingy and, thus far, unwilling to implement it with any real commitment. There are a variety of other things that make me question the agency I'm at, but this is the big one. I've been able to dabble in planning whenever I possibly can, but the opportunities are few and far between because I'm so busy doing account management day-to-day tasks. I'm stressed all day and am not enjoying it. All I can think about is our first class 1st year - Stacy Thomas' enthusiasm for this job we get to do each day.
So let me know what you guys think about the idea of freelancing in a town that has little planning even within their agencies, much less hiring a freelancer outide the agency. There's a bit of an argument to make for agencies getting a taste of planning by hiring freelancers without having to hire full-time.
Lost in Baltimore,
alexis
11 comments:
Hey...I've been waiting all day for someone else to reply, but I'm thinking that everyone else is in the same boat that I'm in regarding freelancing: I have no idea how it works. I think Dauner from the class before us has done some or was looking into it...I would contact him.
I had a reply but I just didn't have time to write it. I've actualy thought about freelancing when I headed back to the US, mostly because I didn't want to commit to a company. From what I know, most companies prefer for you to freelance first so they can test you out. See if they like you, if you contribute, etc. I think from your POV, you need to explain to a company why they need it and how they can use it. I guess I'm in the same boat as most agencies don't have creative media in house, so I'm putting together another book that shows what I can do, how it's different, etc etc. I don't think an agency is going to bring in planning if they don't even know what it is. Hope this helps.
kev - thanks so much for your input... i'll find a way to contact Dauner.
Mike - we'll definitely talk on IM, but I am right there with you on the need to prove what you can do for them because it's a new expense for them that they can't see a need for, obviously.
We had a speaker at some point in our first year named Elena Salij... she was (maybe still is) a freelance planner. I know some people didn't like her too much because she was a little feminist or something, but she was always really nice to me when I asked her a couple of things in the following months. I happen to have her card... see if her email address is still elenasalij @ earthlink . net.
Hey Alexis,
I think Kevin was speaking of Matt Daunier aka Dauner. I am not sure how much he has to offer but I do have his phone number: (917) 445-4151.
I know that Andrew Guiteras, is also from the same class as Daunier and works with Alison at W&K did some freelancing in the Seattle area before he went to Portland. He would also be someone worth talking to.
Hope this helps.
generally speaking, freelance planning is definitely not unheard of. i freelanced for sally hogshead this summer. last summer at cramer-krasselt, they would hire freelance planners during new business to help with the workload.
obviously it will be a little harder for you since apparently baltimore is behind on the whole "planners can be valuable" notion so like mike said, you're going to have to prove your worth.
some advice i got from this summer was to find out what the agency/business works on, and come up with a specific planning project you can offer to them and what they can get out of it. for instance, if an agency's client is a insurance company, you can make a film, etc. that shows the insight you can offer.
also contact some agencies in dc (arnold, akqa). they know planning and might be willing to let you work from home. and let me tell you, nothing beats making a powerpoint presention in your pajamas while watching endless episodes of full house.
THANK YOU GUYS!! I knew I'd get some great input if I put this question out there... thank you, from the bottom of my lil' heart.
Hi There ... just come across this lovely blog and wanted to let you know there are lots of bloody brilliant freelance planners around ... infact my company [cynic] has a division that 'loans out' planners to companies too small/too tight to have one fulltime on staff.
Hope this helps and all the very best with everything.
I can appreciate your feelings, but even Stacy told me that experience (even Account Management experience) will make you a better planner. So, if I may play devils advocate, I recommend making the best of your current situation for at least a year or two before heading off into the land of freelancing. It might actually make you more marketable. Just a thought...
Thanks for the input, ed. I've gotten to the point in my job where my health is actually being compromised. I've had an eye infection for two months, a bad cough, and a really gross case of which I believe is staph infection down my leg. emotionally, i'm spent. mentally, i'm getting dumber by the day. I wish the agency I was at had good business sense, but they don't, in my opinion. I don't see a future for myself here, and by that, I mean that I think I've stuck it out as far as i possibly could. I'm goin' on 6 months come february... I hope I can make it to that point, but we'll see:) Again, ed - I really appreciate your input, especially the way you put it. I think it's more about my problem with the agency and their polices about doing business (act more like a vendor than a partner) that's showing me that there's not much of a future here. I can explain more if you want me to:) Thanks again!!
Hey Alexis...What agency are you working at in Baltimore? As I may be living in the DC area one day, I would like to know which ones to cross off the list. If you don't feel comfortable saying on the blog, please shoot me an email at glenn224@hotmail.com.
Thanks and good luck. Don't let them pull you down too far.
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