What I’ve Learned Working at Disruptive Advertising

Lesson 0: a Cool Company Shirt Goes a Long Way

As I write this, today is my last day of work at Disruptive Advertising. This company has my heart, but I am having a baby boy in a few weeks and will spend the next couple of weeks preparing! As I’m wrapping up everything, I can’t help but reflect on all of the things that I have learned from working here. I thought I might as well share things for anyone who is starting out in marketing, or any new field!

1. Don’t Throw In The Towel

This is an important lesson that I have learned. I remember when I first transitioned from doing intern work to actually jumping into the Account Strategist side of things here at Disruptive. I was so overwhelmed and discouraged. There were so many things I didn’t understand. “How the heck am I supposed to know what to set this bid at? This is an auction?! There’s so many tabs of things to look at- where do I start!?” It makes me laughing thinking about this now. Don’t worry. It’ll come to you, and things will make sense much quicker than you think and, you’ll wonder how it ever confused you so much. Don’t give up on yourself! You got this.

Once things do make sense, you will still find yourself stumbling at times. There have been different moments where I have felt like I have tried everything I can in an account, and felt hopeless thinking about what I could try next. But this is one of the most important lessons I’ve learned: There’s. Always. Something. Else. You. Can. Try. Test, test, test, and test again. You never know what might help you get the breakthrough you need. Things can always improve. Don’t be afraid to try something totally crazy or bold in your ad copy or on your landing pages. Try different offers. Expand your keywords. Try different avenues to reach people like Gmail, Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn. It sometimes really surprises me when I’m almost out of hope and resort to trying something I am hesitant about, and it causes click through and conversion rates skyrocket. Things can turn around at any moment, so don’t get too discouraged or be too hard on yourself when you’re not seeing the results you want.

2. Make Your Clients Love You

This one goes a really long way and has proven to be one of the most rewarding things from working as a PPC Strategist. Make sure all of your relationships with your clients are strong and where you want them to be. Even if your results aren’t where you want them, if you are being honest and have built a great relationship with them, they will understand and trust you enough to stick around a little bit longer like you need them to to show them the results you can get them. Be their friends. Ask them about their days and what they’ve been up to lately. Be easy to work with. Be positive. Show them value. Treat them well. Try a little harder to go the extra mile for them…because sometimes that extra mile will take you a few miles ahead. It is always so rewarding to hear a client tell you that you have given them top notch service, that you have really helped their business grow, or just that they have really enjoyed working with you.

3. Continue To Learn

You’re not always going to have all of the answers, and it’s okay not to. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. One of the things I have benefited from the most is bouncing ideas off of my colleagues and getting their input. I often ask them what they would do with a certain situation in an account, and it has proven to be very useful to me. If a client asks you a question you don’t know the answer, it’s okay to tell them you don’t know it…but that you will find out. Seek learning from all sources you can. Read blogs, sign up for webinars, and reach out to Google reps for new ideas!

There are so many ways to expand your knowledge when it comes to PPC marketing that are so useful. I have learned some amazing things as I have set aside a little bit of extra time weekly to read up on new features, ideas and insights. You can never learn enough, so do your homework and make sure you’re staying updated on the vast world of PPC marketing!

4. Don’t Take Yourself Too Seriously

It can sometimes be really stressful working in PPC if the results aren’t where you want them to be or you’ve been spending tons of hours in the office. This is why it’s so important to have fun! I feel very fortunate to have worked at Disruptive Advertising, where they really try to make sure that the employees are enjoying themselves. Even if your to-do list is long, take that extra 15 minutes if you need it to play a game of ping pong or foosball with your co-workers. Go on a walk! Shake it out! Go grab a snack! Watch a funny YouTube video! It always helps me to get out of my head/computer for a few minutes sometimes. At the end of the day, make sure that you are enjoying yourself. Work hard, but make sure you PLAY HARD. The company environment at Disruptive Advertising has made all of the difference, and I know that every person working here would agree.

I know there’s so many other things that I have learned, but these were some of the most valuable. I am so sad to be leaving this company, but am so thankful for all of the important lessons I have learned through working here!