The worst job I ever had was as a cashier at a supermarket. The monotony of standing on the rubber mat, scanning can after can, waiting for the next person to arrive, was not for me. I am a person that cannot stand still and who needs to be occupied at all times.

Which makes DDA a good fit for me. Though you can argue that I spend a large part of my day in front of a computer, I can assure it is never just staring at the screen. There is rarely a dull moment and I certainly never have to wait for the people to arrive.

At the moment, I have a handful of requests from existing clients, for whom I act as Project Coordinator, involving flash programming, search engine optimization, traditional programming, and web work. I have two websites that are just beginning — one will be highly search engine optimized and is in the keyword research phase and another is at the design level — and a highly-involved ordering system that is on its way to completion, with proofing that needs to be arranged.

I have a few inquiries that I am trying to arrange either an estimate or  conference call for, a quote that needs to go out, two conference calls, and several follow-up e-mails that need to be sent out. That is in addition to the requests for work that will come in throughout the day either by e-mail or phone.

I also have proofing to do, a direct-mail piece that needs to be written, and an outline that needs to be prepared.  It’s a hectic day, as always. And I am not alone. I am in good company with my fellow three writers, as well as everyone else — the graphic designers, programmers, web developers, videographers, animators, and search engine marketing and optimization teams. Just another day in the life of DDA.

And I most certainly am not complaining.  I like the fast-paced atmosphere and a job that constantly challenges me. It’s a far cry from the rubber mat I once stood on scanning frozen peas, but I’m OK with that.

Today is one of those days when you find yourself grasping for every minute. One moment you glance at the clock and it’s 9am, the next it’s 3pm and your left pondering where did the time go? These days happen more often than not here at Dynamic Digital Advertising. As a full-service advertising agency that handles all things digital, a single staffer may be juggling multiple projects, client correspondences, and a plethora of other tasks at a single time. To an outside observer, the magnitude of work may seem overwhelming, but to a DDA staffer, the careful balance of projects and the workload comes second nature.

Effective organization is key. Each day we compile our Daily Task list, ensuring no projects have fallen to the way-side and all client concerns have been resolved. To further ensure productivity and thoroughness, a Project Coordinator oversees each project.  With this system of checks and balances we do our best to carry out every project in a timely an efficient manner. 

The programmers, graphic designers, creative and online copywriters, videogrpahers, and Project Coordinators are extremely time conscious. In fact, we track every minute of every day with our very own programming application. This way clients know how time was spent and where it was spent. When you are dealing with tight deadlines and budgets, efficiency is paramount and we continually work to improve our already streamlined production process.

Working with clients from project inception to completion as a Project Coordinator helps me establish an overall understanding of the needs of particular clients, their direction, and their intentions for the outcome of the projects at hand and those of the future. It is my hope that every project ends on a positive note for the client and DDA. I work closely with staff members, such as programmers, search engine optimization (SEO) specialists, graphic designers, copywriters, photographers, videographers, animators, and the AR/AP department to ensure that every “i” gets dotted and “t” crossed. Working in this manner also helps me to understand the intricacies, responsibilities, and tasts involved with every DDA employee.

In the past few weeks, we’ve managed to complete and close a variety of different projects from copywriting services to logo design, and much more. I’m pleased to say that we were able to meet each project’s deadline and every client was satisfied with a job well done. But with the completion of one project means the inception of another and the same goal… to meet and exceed client expectations so that he or she returns to our full-service advertising agency for any and all of their advertising and marketing needs.

It’s a Thursday, which for me means wrap-up day. All of the tasks that we have been working on for the week, or proposals that need to be sent out, inquiry e-mails that have follow-up questions, or any other general loose ends that need some tying have to be complete, addressed, or otherwise handled.

As a writer at DDA, a large portion of my job is in communicating with clients, prospective or existing, as I know I have mentioned so many times before. This holds true in project coordination, New Business Development, or in my writing tasks. What this ultimately means is that it is my responsibility, as it is for the three other degreed writers on-staff, to make sure that each client is fully aware of what’s going with his or her project or inquiry at all times.

We take this very seriously. We try not to have too much time lapse between an e-mail or phone call sent and our response. This often means running (in my case sometimes literally) around to get the answers I need from those assigned to the project — animators, videographers, graphic designers, programmers, etc. That’s one of the coolest things about this company — the fact that we are full service and do offer everything needed for a marketing and advertising campaign under roof, so oftentimes there are multiple people involved one project, bridging the gap between departments — programming, design, video, websites, search engine marketing and optimization.

It’s not always keeping track of everyone and everything. People make fun of my handwritten list which I tape to my monitor. It might look a little archaic in this age of spreadsheets, software to keep you organized, and Blackberrys. But it works for me.

Like right now I am looking at the list of nearly 20 items, with only four crossed out, and I am thinking it’s time to get a move on on wrapping it all up.

My 3-year old is in the throws of the “why?” stage. He’s also going through some other stages as well, but I’ll save those for another time. “Why do we have tears?” Why do I have a mommy?” “Why is he a giant?”(said to a rather tall McDonald’s customer). We should all be so curious and observant. 

Graphic Designers need to be especially observant and ask many “Why’s” before, during, and after a project. In fact, it’s a great habit to ask Who, What, and Where as well. For example: Who is my target audience? What type of paper is this brochure being printed on? What resolution and color mode should I set up for this trade show graphic? Where is your literature being distributed? Where will people be viewing your website? Why am I using this font, these colors, and why will this layout be most effective for the client?

While it can be draining to answer rapid fire ”Why’s” throughout the day, I know that my 3-year old’s curiosity is something that we should all, as artists, graphic designers, videographers, programmers, animators, illustrators, and writers adopt on a daily basis.

Yesterday, a Robin flew into the front window of our building. With a very large thud, he knocked himself out cold and was passed out near a bush at the front door. I giggled a little when I saw him as he reminded me of some parties from my youth, but then remembered the headache that also came with it and I felt sorry for him. I looked at the beauty of that little creature as he slowly started to move and look around. The feathers were fine and detailed, with a beautiful red breast. Even his eyes were dark and shiny like little buttons. It’s not often that we can have the opportunity to see such detail up close to appreciate its beauty. Not all might appreciate the same things that I do. They might be too busy or just be scared of this wild animal so close to them- and not want to look, but beauty is in the eye of the beholder. At DDA, our graphic designers and  animation artists and videographers incorporate the most beautiful details into every graphic and web design. And the intricate details don’t stop at just aesthetic pleasure, the intricate code programming is a work of art unto itself as it works behind the scenes along with search engine optimization to enhance every website.In our busy lives, stop a moment and take a closer look to appreciate the beauty of the details in life.

The Nike slogan, “JUST DO IT” reminds me of our team because at Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA), we share a set of core values that adhere to the concept of doing.  We arrive on time ready to tackle projects, we enjoy a quick cup of coffee or tea or hot chocolate, and on Mondays there can be a scramble for the asiago bagels, which the bagel place makes in very limited quantities. Then we settle down, find our groove, and work. 

It is vital to our success as a team of writers, web developers, videographers, programmers, and graphic designers that we embrace our tasks with efficiency, flexibility, and above all creativity. When I read one of the programmers blogs, I am sometimes met with what I call IT graffiti which even I, realize without understanding it, requires ingenious creativity to assemble. Same thing is true of the hoops our web developers often jump through to get the right balance between design, architecture, and usability for the client’s website.  

We make every attempt to understand our clients’ needs, and are confident that we can deliver the results they are looking for. To be the reliable advertising agency that clients think of when they have a project, we have to continuously push the envelope and be ahead of the technology and creative curve. We have become the GO TO advertising agency for many clients, and it is not unusual for clients to depend on DDA for all their print and graphic design and production, and their interactive media, which includes shooting video to add to their websites as well. Yes, day in and day out, at Dynamic Digital Advertising, we just do it! 

Moving an office with 21 people and not disrupting the work flow takes organization and juggling. As an experience, it is both traumatic and cathartic. It seems that at the old Dynamic Digital office, we saved everything that had to do with advertising. We filled a big dumpster with our throwaways.  I saved proofs of all our projects, as well as samples of brochures, postcards, and posters of companies - even those that are no longer in business. But most of all, we saved every marketing and promotional item about our digital services.

I came across one of our first letterhead designs that we used to sell our services to local businesses. It had seven thumbnail images stacked down the left margin and included digital photography (with a Lumina scanning camera) which today is obsolete. Since it scanned in three passes (RGB) the resulting image was a photograph. Today, if you go into our video and photography studio, the sophistication of digital cameras from that first clumsy Lumina is dramatic. The images our photographers and videographers produce with our up-to-date equipment are crisp, the color is very accurate, and the results are akin to film output.   

Since those early days, we have pushed the envelope constantly in all the areas of our services. Our clients, new and old, discover over and over again that there is nothing we cannot do at Dynamic Digital Advertising. We chose the road of complexity and steep learning curves so we could become a truly full-service shop. And we are proudly that, and pushing some more. Stay tuned. 

One of my favorite poets said it best, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I…I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference.” 

Some days the thought of facing that yellow pad with a long to do list is mentally unacceptable. You would rather do something fun and distracting, something mindless, but you are at work, so you shift gears, and…in my case, revert to my student days when one of my most admired teachers instilled in her class the concept of discipline. As a child, I thought that meant staying out of trouble so you would not get your behind walloped. Fast forward to senior year in high school, and I slowly started to understand from daily contact with my special teachers that discipline REALLY means being self aware, studying hard, finishing voluminous homework without excuse, not feigning a stomachache to skip class, trying hard every day to be better. Believe me there were rebellious periods my senior year, but the persistent example from dedicated teachers who believed in me obviously worked.

Entering the work force in college was not traumatic because I did not feel entitled but rather privileged to participate and learn from more experienced coworkers as I completed my studies.  My career development finally led to what I have done for over a decade, helping to run an advertising company. Today, Dynamic Digital Advertising is not a dream on paper, but a thriving, growing entity pushing the envelope of digital technologies in unique ways. We are where we are because of the determination to go on, to build from two people to a cohesive group of graphic designers, writers, videographers, programmers, seo specialists, and production support staff all based in house. We stress that everything we do is done here, our vendors are local, we do not outsource creative work, we are 100% made in the USA. 

Companies who come to us for any of our digital services realize after the initial conference call they are hiring an advertising agency with real depth… an agency they can rely on for all their marketing and promotional needs… an agency where, though often unspoken, the work force is imbued with passion and self-discipline… an agency that delivers what it promises, and never promises something it cannot deliver. My teacher was right when she said, “The more you discipline yourself, the less you’ll be disciplined by others.” Being hands on managers, working closely with clients and staff, David and I know we are truly part of a unique company, a place where you look forward to coming to work because everyone is focused on getting things done. And I promise, as we grow things will only get more exciting! 

Writing search engine optimized copy or content for a brochure or video script can often times be like riding a bike for the first time. Your initial attempt may result in a crash and some bumps and bruises but eventually you’ll find your rhythm and continue on your way. For every project, whether it be a brochure that our graphic designers have developed and our copywriters have written, or a custom medical video, several revisions may be needed before the perfect variation is achieved. The graphics must convey the proper message, the content must speak to the appropriate audience, and the marketing themes must be fresh and effective. At DDA’s full-service advertising agency, we aim to please and that is why we continually work to deliver an end product our clients can be proud to display.

From the initial kick-off meeting to the subsequent correspondences, our goal is to seek your input and assess your needs in order to deliver the results you crave. And like a determined child set on conquering his bike riding blunders, the DDA team will quickly adapt to your desires and deliver the website, brochure, or video you’ve envisioned.

As a Project Coordinator, I have overseen the completion of many a project and have been witness to the videographers’, animators’, graphic designers’, and copywriters’ ability to adapt to clients and projects. Our initial copy or designs may be close to what you have envisioned, but a minor adjustment may be needed here and there.  This is why the DDA streamlined approach to production is so effective. We seek client input and approval every step of the way. We do not move forward unless the client is comfortable, therefore the end product is guaranteed to be exactly what was initially sought after. In the beginning their may be a few wobbles, but balance and progress will certainly be achieved.