Beth Williams Account Relationship Coordinator

What I like most about working at The Bloom Agency is the fact that I learn something new every day (probably every minute!). As an Account Relationship Coordinator, I primarily manage development and timing for specific projects, as well as communicate directly with our clients. However, it is not unusual for me to veer into the realm of another job description by gathering media research, writing copy, or requesting production quotes. Besides keeping me on my toes and making every day different than the last, I feel that this is also preparing me for a strong future in this industry. I am able to touch on whatever part of the process that I want to, and become familiar with all aspects. Having this "big picture" view helps me think through strategies and project details from beginning to end to ensure quality end results for clients.

In my opinion, the most important thing that The Bloom Agency can provide is support. We provide support for our clients through strategic marketing initiatives that will help further their businesses. But we also support each other to meet deadlines, solve problems, and by encouraging success. I discovered early on that support was one of the most important aspects of the agency. Whenever I am working on a project, I think to myself, "How can I make this easier for the person who is responsible for the next step?" Having this kind of thought process and attitude can help an entire project to go more smoothly. Likewise, you never know when you will be on the receiving end of that kind of support. During the first staff meeting that I led, I wanted to make a point of thanking those who offer support to others in the agency, so I created an award to be passed on to a different member of the agency each week. I hand crafted it myself, in classic Bloom colors of course, and called it the "Bloom Circle of Support Award." At the time, I wasn't sure how long it would continue to be passed along, but each week since then, a new member of the agency has received the award for their willingness to go the extra mile to support the team in an effort to provide our clients with the best work possible. I think this exemplifies the attitude that we have in supporting each other, and our clients.

The most challenging part of my job is the potential for overload. Trying to get involved in several parts of a project takes time, and it can often become overwhelming. But my perfectionist side wants everything I do to be extraordinary. I have to remind myself to take one task at a time and devote my thoughts completely to that one task.

A Quote I Like:
"Only undertake what you can do in an excellent fashion. There are no prizes for an average performance." – Brian Tracy

During my first week at The Bloom Agency, I was asked to help with a few tasks for one of our pro bono clients, Piedmont Craftsmen. One of my tasks was to assist in the organization and distribution of invitations to a preview party for the 44th annual Piedmont Craftsmen's Fair. As I began stuffing envelopes, I was blown away by the invitation that Linda had designed for the event. The colors, the unique format, the graphics -- everything impressed me. I was so excited that I had come to an agency where I could be a part of the development of these kinds of pieces. A couple of weeks later, I attended the Piedmont Craftsmen's Fair Preview Party with all of my new co-workers. I fell in love with the unique craft pieces on display and wished I could have bought one of everything! Being an amateur crafter myself (and by amateur I mean nothing compared to the talent at this show!), I was fascinated by the talent that these craftsmen possessed and how they created such quality items.

Little did I know at the time, but one year later I would be designated as the Relationship Manager for the materials development for the 45th annual Piedmont Craftsmen's Fair campaign.

The goal of the campaign was to create awareness of the Fair through memorable, engaging advertising and promotional materials that conveyed Piedmont Craftsmen's personality, reinforced their existing branding and identity through messaging and graphic elements, and increased appeal to a variety of audiences. Janet took the lead by developing two concepts for the client to consider. One was a "Bag Something..." concept in which audiences are invited to "Bag Something Groovy," "Bag Something Rockin'," and other such phrases that used retro adjectives and trendy terms. The other concept used a "Time for Something..." approach to reinforce the idea that the fair is a regular, recurring event that everyone looks forward to each year. The headlines provided different reasons for purchasing these pieces of art – to enhance your décor, to make an investment, to be more expansive in how you express yourself, and so on. Graphics and messages were chosen to increase appeal to additional audiences. For example, we used a knife as the graphic for one ad to appeal to male audiences, and used the "Bag Something Rockin'" line with a wooden rocking chair image to appeal to both younger audiences and older adults.

I enjoyed working on the 2008 campaign and especially liked the creative work that we produced. Keith, who also was working on the campaign for the first time, did a wonderful job picking images and developing layouts that were rich in color, conveyed the Piedmont Craftsmen personality, and could be appealing to all audiences regardless of gender, age, and income level. Janet's ability to tie those chosen images with creative and eye-catching headlines really brought everything together. I was able to contribute my own talents to this project during the overall development through keeping all of the pieces organized and on-schedule and keeping our client up-to-date. For a campaign with so many pieces, each with its own deadline and process, it was important from the beginning to have a plan and let everyone know what they are responsible for and when. Working directly with Piedmont Craftsmen allowed me to develop a great relationship with Deb Britton, our contact. My favorite part of the entire process was to see her excitement and enthusiasm when I shared the work with her, and to know that I was part of that satisfaction.