As a professional advertising copywriter at DDA, I am responsible for developing creative and effective copy for website designs, brochure designs, and direct mail pieces, scripts for video and animation production, and much more. I must be flexible enough to switch topic, industry, and media format from one minute to the next. In my experience, I’ve found that clients either “get” your work or they don’t quite understand why something was worded a certain way.

Typically, I submit my content to clients for their review with little to no commentary because I truly want to gauge if it worked to convey the right message. Most of the time, clients follow the intention, but sometimes clients are at a loss, which happens most often when working with international clients who rely on us to develop copy on their behalf that sells in the U.S. or when working with clients on a search engine optimized website where there are a million and one intricacies involved in developing first-page ranking copy.

Because it happens so infrequently that I need to explain why I wrote what I wrote in the fashion that I did, I almost welcome the opportunity to clarify things so clients know that there is a method to the madness that is advertising copywriting. Whether it’s for word structure, word play, high search engine rankings or any other strategy, my copy does have purpose. Once clients see all the thought that is involved in the development of their copy, they have a renewed sense of appreciation for the written word and a respect for the copywriting services of DDA.

Today, I ask you to challenge yourself to work harder, better, and faster than yesterday. When you allow yourself to be comfortable with the status quo, things tend to fall a apart, the bar has been lowered, and confidence in your abilities weakens.

At our full-service advertising agency, DDA, it’s important that all of our professional staff members push the envelope every day. Graphic designers need to be on the cutting edge in terms of style, graphics, layout, imagery, etc. Copywriters need to tune into the types of messages that are relevant to today’s and tomorrow’s demographics. Animation artists and programmers need to understand the latest technological advancements in software and programs to utilize them to their optimum level for our clients. Search engine optimization technicians need to be aware of the evolving algorithms of search  engines to ensure that we do our best to maximize rankings for as many relevant keywords as possible.

We are in a field where thinking one step ahead is commonplace. The only way to achieve this goal on a daily basis is to challenge yourself. So I ask of myself and my colleagues to look within and see how you can make today better than yesterday!

I just lost my blog from this morning because the Internet failed me at the (far to common) critical moment. Angry and not wanting to recap what I had previously written as it just wouldn’t be the same, I’m switching focus to the good and bad qualities of technology, specifically the World Wide Web. As a society we have become so reliant on this medium to communicate with others, to learn about a plethora of information, and to entertain ourselves in idle moments. When the Internet stops working, or in my case, fails for a brief period (enough to disrupt things), chaos - to varying degrees - ensures.

At the office, the IT person is called almost immediately and he/she scrambles to get everyone back online to continue productivity at the normal fast pace. At home, we call up our Internet provider and complain only to hear that everyone is out in the area and they are doing what they can to fix it. We don’t know what to do with ourselves. It’s almost like we feel that we’re cut off from the world. BUT… we’re not and we have plenty to do. It should not be that the Internet dictates our productivity at home or at work. It’s just one medium, one piece of technology.

As angry as I get with the Internet and with people succumbing to its “power”, I have to admit it does help our advertising agency to function at full capacity and me to present my work and that of my colleagues to clients around the nation and across the world. In no other “age” of our collective history have we been this connected as a human race. Online, the ugly guy can chat with a beautiful woman just as the small business owner can compete with the big wigs.

At DDA, with or without Internet, productivity, and more so creativity, goes on. From our custom programming department and video production studio to our copywriting department and graphic design area, work gets done to the highest quality at all times. The only problem we encounter if the Internet does go down is that an email to a client may not get out as promptly as one would hope.

In the fast-paced corporate and medical worlds, decisions are made and needs must be met effectively and efficiently. At Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA), we are often contracted to work on deadline-oriented projects. We’re accustomed to working with clients that, at the drop of a hat, need a complete trade show booth designed, developed, and implemented once the decision is made to participate in a show. We’re also familiar with those that conceptualize an idea to enhance sales through a direct mail wave and want to distribute each piece before the summer slow-down, and we make it happen.

Although initially anxious about meeting tight deadlines while maintaining quality work, I’ve come to embrace this type of environment. When I’m given unlimited time to work on advertising copywriting for a brochure design or search engine optimization (SEO) copywriting for a website, I struggle (as many of my clients do) to commit to the written word. Eventually, I get in the writing zone and produce the creative copywriting that works to sell a company’s products or services. But, it is when I am pushed to work on a project and have it complete within a specified time frame that I find some of my best writing emerges.

Just as I know that I’m able to generate some of my better ideas at night once I’ve had time to reflect on the day and culminate all of the information gained, I know that I function best when encouraged by a deadline. Learning about oneself, recognizing good and bad qualities, and adjusting your lifestyle accordingly is, what I’ve found, to be the key to obtaining success in whatever measured terms one deems appropriate.

This past weekend, I went wine tasting with my husband. As novices, we don’t necessarily swirl the wine in the glass just so or perform all the well-known techniques just right, but we enjoy experiencing the different tastes and smells each bottle has to offer. Under the wine umbrella, there are different variations, including but not limited to merlot, chardonnay, blush, pinot grigio, and riesling, and within each type there are those that are dry or more acidic, those that are sweet or tart, and those that are aged six months to six years and so on. The flavors of each can run the gamut from fruity with specific floral aromas to spiced with a carmel or butterscotch aftertaste.

At the end of the trip, my husband and I were able to agree on a bottle to take home that suited our tastes best. I couldn’t help but think that this process could be applied to that of website design, brochure design, video production, trade show graphics, and more in the field of advertising. While other advertising agencies often utilize a one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to design and development, Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA) takes on every project as a unique venture that needs customization based on the business, organization, and target audience.

Just like in wine tasting, in website design, there are many different types of websites - ecommerce,  Flash, database, corporate, medical, etc. - and within a certain type, the possibilities (like the flavors) are virtually endless. But unlike the vineyards, we (at DDA) make sure our clients end up with a final product that is exclusive to their company and tailor fit to their distinctive needs. With our team of professionals, we don’t just choose from an extensive list of existing materials, we create it from scratch.

After watching the Pennsylvania Primary Democratic Debate last night, I feel inspired by the words of hope, the commitment to change, and the camaraderie (if even for just a moment) toward a greater good. Our economy, foreign relations, and environment may be in dire straits, but with recognition, a solid plan for the future, and the dedication of a nation, I have faith that we’ll all be OK and maybe far better than before.

The same inspiration is felt through the design, development, and implementation of the projects we accomplish every day at our full-service advertising agency, DDA. By brainstorming ideas, weighing the pros and cons, developing a concept and plan, and seeing it through to fruition, we go beyond the ordinary and create the marketing and branding tools that set a new standard in our industry as well as that of our clients.

I know we’ll come out of this recession a better country just as I know we’ll come out of every DDA project more capable and because of this I’m inspired to look forward to tomorrow with anticipation.

The importance of good decision making in a project is not to be underestimated. The launch of a website can be significantly delayed if a client cannot confirm approval on content. The design of a brochure can be compromised if a client requests the wrong image. The production of a corporate or medical video can be disjointed if a client gives feedback on one item, but not another.

In our 14 years of experience as a full-service advertising agency, we have come to realize that it is critical to implement an efficient process for every project from website design and development to print design and video production. Throughout the course of a project, we ask for client approval at specific benchmarks to ensure that we continue in the right direction.

By adhering to a strategic development process, by having our clients identify key personnel to take on the role as decision makers, and by obtaining quick feedback, projects are completed in a timely manner with successful results. If this is not done, then projects lose enthusiasm, and subsequently get shelved and become out of date.

Not only is it important that good decisions be made, but as Jim Rohn states, “It doesn’t matter which side of the fence you get off on sometimes. What matters most is getting off. You cannot make progress without making decisions.”

I passed our old office on my way in this morning and recalled many memories. I remember when I first started at Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA) years ago, starry-eyed and scared of not succeeding as I sat next to Esther, a 70-something woman who was, at the time, in our Sales/Marketing Department. A hard-nosed go-getter, she made me laugh at least once every day. I remember moving to the front of the office and how quickly our space filled with eager writers striving to find their place and learn everything there was to know about the business.

Now, as I sit in our current office, which has more than tripled in size, I think of what a great beginning that was and of how much I’ve grown, learned, and evolved in my personal and professional life. There is still so much to learn and so much life left to live, but both myself and the company have come a long way. Aside from a great office space, our advertising agency consists of a team of professionals that works incredibly well together. Each member of our company has a unique skill set that brings diversity and creativity to the mix. And, still, I laugh at least once every day!

After such a full-filled weekend, it can be difficult to get back to the grind early Monday morning. I’ve grown accustomed to my inability to wake up smiling on Monday’s and compensate for it by relying on a number of reminders that I’ve put in place to ensure nothing falls through the cracks and everything gets addressed in a timely manner. From post-it notes to calendar and email notifications, the system I implement works well for me. It is a system that allows me the peace of mind in knowing that I can come into work, have a cup of tea, and know exactly what project or issue needs my attention.

Our full-service advertising agency is a busy environment Monday-Thursday, 8:00-6:00. As such, one needs to stay aware and informed at every level in every department, including programming, copywriting, website development, graphic design, photography, videography, animation, and more. Each of us uses our own unique system that enables to stay on target and focused on critical topics. Consequently, I am able to wake up Monday morning a little easier and a little less frazzled to enjoy the day and the projects at hand.  

This past weekend, my sister came home from college and explained an assignment that she was given to not listen to music, watch television, follow news, or be exposed to any form of mass media for five days straight. At the end of the assignment, she will be required to write a paper on how she was affected by the experience.

Of course, with all of the things that she has learned during college, I like to engage her in debate; and this was no exception. Her professor wanted to see how the students would ultimately come to realize how people in today’s world use media as a coping mechanism in their daily lives. Playing devil’s advocate, I questioned her on why people listen to music. Although many people now wear iPods almost as another appendage and listen to music as an escape from reality as if they are the feature in their own music video, others listen to feel the beat of the music in their soul, to be moved by it so much so that it evokes emotion. My point to her was that media is all about perception.

Advertising, by definition, is a paid form of communicating a message through the use of various media. While some companies see advertising as a superfluous expenditure in hard economic times, and subsequently cut their budgets, others see it as a means to improve their business, gain greater exposure, and obtain a better ROI. At DDA, we not only help in the development and implementation of a client’s project — whether it is a website design or a brochure design — but we help them understand all the ramifications of choosing one form of media versus another so they get the most bang for their buck.

It’s now nearing the end of the week and my sister (giving it her all) was not able to avoid mass media. Our culture is so immersed that it almost makes it impossible to remove from our lives, even for a five-day period. In some ways, media has gone to extremes with negative results, but in other ways media has allowed us to communicate with people in the next town and across the world. Right or wrong, media is here to stay; it is our perception that shapes how we will take advantage of it at home and in the office.