It’s around this time every year when things start to get a little harder.
Most of us probably haven’t had a holiday in a while, business is picking up, so it’s unlikely you’ll relax anytime soon, it’s getting warmer but you rarely see the sun. And it’s getting to the pointy end of the year, which means you’re almost out of juice. I’ve learnt it’s how you handle this time of year that says the most about you, and the easiest way to ensure you don’t get sucked into the vortex of being a Negative Nancy is to appreciate the little wins.
The most obvious strain we collectively face is positivity towards our clients. Sometimes we emerge at the end of these relationships a little worse for wear, maybe even a little scarred from the experience. At the time, there’s not a little win in sight, but give it time to heal. You’ll see that the next client or campaign you work on will try and scratch you up just the same, but guess what? Your skin’s a little bit thicker now, and those battle scars - your past experiences - help you win the war.
Ever poured your heart and soul into a response to brief or buy? You’ve seen it grow from a tiny little insight into a big and strong campaign, nurtured it through budget cuts and demographic changes. Then, bam! The whole campaign gets scrapped globally, or a client just wants a smattering of press insertions instead. It hurts, but you know what you do? You look for a win, whether it be, ‘my planning expertise increased 207% in the last four weeks’ or ‘client thanked us for our work’ – no matter how small, take it. Most of the time our clients feel the same frustrations as us regarding the budget, approvals or constraints. Use these shared frustrations to build a better relationship, because I guarantee you, life is a lot sweeter with your client in your corner.
My personal favourite little wins are so tiny you’ve probably never even noticed them, but once you do discover them, hopefully you’ll start noticing them everywhere.
In emails, seek the exclamation marks (that aren’t associated with shouty capitals). It is true that tone does not convey properly through email, but I like to think that a client is so happy with that programming, or that reach goal, that they’ve taken the time to coordinate two buttons at once [shift and 1] to convey that happiness.
My other little win is a good old-fashioned to-do list. When a task is complete – even if it is ‘file emails’ – the euphoria that comes with crossing out that bad boy is magnificent. Then, when you walk out the door at the end of the day, you’ve accomplished something.
So ask yourself, have you laughed with your team today? Win. Did data support your gut decision? Win. Did a meeting you weren’t prepared for get cancelled? Win. Win. Win. They’re everywhere; all we have to do is wear our rose-tinted glasses.
Lauren Cividin
Account manager
UM