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.

Back in the day, when someone asked what I did for a living, well, it was an easy answer, reporter.

Since joining Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA), however, it’s not so easy.  To say that I am a writer doesn’t exactly encompass everything I do and to say that I work for a digital advertising agency doesn’t either.

The truth is DDA isn’t that easy to explain in just a few words. I can describe us as a web development company, a video production studio, graphic design, programming, illustration, you name it. If it relates to anything design, digital, or technical, chances are, we can probably claim that name as well.

And then you have to consider our approach to projects. It’s not typically what you think of when you hear the words advertising or marketing. We take an entirely different approach than any other agency, or search engine marketing company, or marketing firm out there.

Ours is a holistic approach, a full-bodied solution in an age where our industry still remains so fragmented. A look at our Executive Summary gives a glimpse at what makes us different but it’s our work that speaks volumes. In all that we do, whether it’s website design and development, integrated video, search engine optimization, or even copywriting, DDA strives to bring innovative and unique solutions to fully meet the needs of our clients.

As expected, when you work for a company that is on the cutting-edge, you’re job is going to be a bit different as well. Working with so many services under one roof, I am constantly learning about different mediums and technologies and learning how to explain and describe those to my clients.

But perhaps my favorite part is in New Business Development where I get to see the ideas for this innovation just starting to form.

There’s a lot of complexities to DDA and in my job, but  that’s OK. Now, I’ve learned that answering the “What do you do for a living?” question will require four more words than before, “Well, let me tell you.”

It’s been said before. Ugh.

Funny, how when trying to write a post about not using cliches in writing, the only opener I can come up with is, well a cliche.

But it happens. As a writer, I try to steer clear from those well-worn phrases, the ones that have been around the block a few times. Dang, did it again.

Every time I embark on a writing project, regardless of the medium — video script, website content, brochure, and so on — I really try to go about it from a fresh perspective, look at it from an angle that, possibly, others haven’t before.

It’s easy to churn out canned phrases and wording, to repeat what has been said before, but to do that would be doing our clients a disservice. Myself and the other writers here at DDA, really work hard to create engaging copy that attracts attention and will draw the reader in.

With clients from so many different industries and as a full-service company with projects from programming to graphic design, we need to switch it up a lot, writing to physicians one day writing to the buyers of alloy plate products the next. And naturally it’s tempting to plop down whatever trite phrases, or overused cliches may relate to that particular field. But we don’t.

As professional writers, we know what good writing is, and it’s not a cliche.  Now that you can take to the bank. Dang it.

Over the last few weeks, I have become a bit of a conference call connoisseur and thanks to our live video feed, I’ve also been sharpening my on-camera skills.

What I’ve learned more than anything, is that the majority of projects — regardless if it’s video,website, animation or illustration — all begin in similar ways, an idea, a need, a void to be filled. Once that is discovered, it’s flushed out, mulled over, and eventually a way to fix, enhance, or fill it is discovered.

But what’s next? You have a project that you’re ready to take to the next level. Which steps will best help you go from concept to reality?

There’s a number of factors to consider — budget, timeframe, what you’re looking to achieve, the audience you are attempting to reach, the multiple options that exist within the medium you chose. It’s not an easy task and one that calls for significant consideration. Because what you are looking for and what you put as your top priorities will determine the company you choose.

At DDA, we get a lot of inquiries, some we know aren’t the right match for us from the beginning, others take a conference call or further e-mails to figure out. But that’s exactly what it is when you are looking for any kind of company, whether it’s full-service like ourselves, marketing or advertising agencies, or web development and design companies — a match.

During our initial conference call, we walk through the details of the project. If it’s video we discuss length, actors needed, animation, editing, etc. Brochures or other print work we go through dimensions, specs, illustrations, and so on. If a project is not right for us or vice versa, David will let the prospective client know.

So make sure when you are ready to take get your project started that you not only know what you would like to do –3D Modeling, Search Engine Optimization, Webcasting — but what it is you want to accomplish. Determine your goals, what’s of the utmost importance to you, whether you’re money, timeline, or detail driven and that will lead you to the company that’s best for you.

Today officially marks one year that I have been at Dynamic Digital Advertising.  It’s hard to believe. Looking at my bulging file cabinet, however, it seems a little more believable.

As a writer, working at a full-service company like DDA has expanded my knowledge on so many different topics and mediums. Like the  three fellow professional writers who also act as Project Coordinators and in New Business Development, I am constantly running back and forth between departments, which often means some quick education.

Admittedly, I did not know much about programming. But with a team of highly-experienced programmers, I always have back up.  Thanks to our transfer to a new and advanced server system, I got a quick lesson in domain names, DNS, and hosting overall. I now have a working knowledge and can answer questions if needed. Who would’ve thought.

I also got to know more about Video Production by assisting with  development of the DDA Video Actors’ Network.

I tweaked scripts, prepared them for teleprompter, and gave brief overviews to the actors coming in. With so much video integration that we do for website development, I also got a lot of experience in video shoots, helping clients to find the right talent, working with our Casting Director to schedule and order necessary props and clothing, and making sure everything was running smoothly.

Then there’s website development in general, learning the mechanics of development and the techniques unique to DDA.

I know I have written it before, but I am always amazed by the talent that exists under one roof — the illustrators, graphic designers, animators, programmers, videographers, website developers, and, maybe I am a bit biased, most notably, my fellow writers.

I can recall in my last days in college, way back when, thanking the stars above that soon I would say adieu to the formidable research paper and all tasks like it, the most hated by me being the position paper.

How naive I was. Within just a few days of my internship at an arts and entertainment newspaper, it became quite clear that I was no where near done with the research — one of the most critical aspects  of good writing.

Now at DDA, those handy research skills are still put to good use. In writing for websites, video scripts, brochures, etc., I am continuously switching topics and audiences.  The only way to make my writing as effective as possible, is to know my topic and my audience.

Big words, flowery descriptions, and lots of professional jargon is not going to impress the real client or consumer. Attention spans are short these days, and if you don’t have the exact information they are looking for written clearly and concisely, regardless if they are reading it on your website or at your tradeshow booth, they are going to move on.

So as a writer, that means a little bit of research and orientation to familiarize myself. Luckily, my reporting skills allow me to do this in the quickest, most efficient way possible.

I am constantly impressed on  a daily basis what the writing department is capable of. After receiving a request mid afternoon for editing and expanding upon copy on a very complicated medical condition and treatment for an interactive CD, Laura, the Head Writer, had the text complete within two hours. Not only complete, but well written, professional, and knowledgeable.

Taking just a small amount of time to take a step back and really think about to whom you are writing and what they would be most interested in hearing, and really knowing what it is you are writing on, is what allows us to switch gears and produce high-quality copy as quickly as we do.

As evidenced by the pollen caked on the back window of my car, spring is officially here. Though with the sloppy weather of the last couple days it feels more like fall.

Regardless, it’s suddenly seems like everything is waking up around us, and in terms of New Business Development, everyone.

After a very brief lull, proposals have kicked backed up again with a vengeance. This means the majority of my days at DDA are now being spent on conference calls, e-mails, preparing proposals, internal meetings and discussions, and returning calls.

It is a very time consuming and involved part of my job. A large reason for this is the way DDA handles inquiries and every job it does — whether it’s web development, video, animation, graphic design, etc. — as I know I’ve written about before, in a very customized way.

There’s a process to determining what the best strategy for any project is — and it almost always begins with a conference call. This is where we connect with the client and really flush out what it is he or she is looking for.

From that, one of the department heads — website, video, graphic design, or programming — will prepare a time estimate. As we pride ourselves on being as cost efficient as possible and always staying as close to possible within the perimeters of the estimate, this can be tricky, and often requires several revisions and changes.

As one of four professional writers on staff, it is my job, as well as that of the other writers, to take the time estimate and turn it into a quote.

As you can imagine, with so many inquires flooding in as of late, this little process takes up quite a deal of time. But it’s a critical piece to retaining the customized and detail-oriented approach that makes us DDA.

Here at Dynamic Digital Advertising (DDA), we do something that makes others jealous — work four 10-hour days. Maybe that in itself doesn’t cause envy, but the three-day weekend does.

I’ll admit it was a transition that was easy to get used to and one that would be hard to let go of, but even with that extra time, we haven’t forgotten the most important thing — our clients.

This past Friday sitting in a car dealership, negotiating a trade-in, the salesman came back to find me talking to my own perspective client. A call had come in from a company interested in our services. I suppose we could have waited until Monday to return the call, but as a full-service advertising and marketing company whose first concern is the clients, that’s just not our style.

Being accessible to clients, even on days we are closed, isn’t only important when it comes to New Business Development. We are on-call to all of our clients, whether it’s a website, video, print production project, or more, in case of urgent situations or questions.

This past fall, we completed several tradeshow items for a dental practice — we also created a DVD and website. They were at the show to recruit new dentists and specialists. As a growing practice, it was very important to them. We took care of everything from beginning to end, including all of the necessary paperwork for the tradeshow.

But the most important piece, and the one that could’ve avoided a minor disaster or catastrophe, was a list of cell phone numbers of all of the people at DDA who were directly involved in the project. There was a number for the website, the DVD, the tradeshow material, and one in case anything went wrong administratively.

Our client knew that they were covered, not only in terms of presentation, but for any of those unexpected issues that pop up from time to time.

I like my Fridays, most definitely. But when it comes to making sure our clients needs are met, I don’t mind taking the time.

The kick-off meeting I had yesterday went well. We have done work for this client before and they are well aware of our capabilities.

Since this website will be highly search-engine optimized, the first step is keyword research. This is a very intricate, and sometimes painstaking process, where thousands of keywords are searched in an effort to determine search patterns and to prioritize keywords.

This research will set the tone for the entire content plan to follow. It will determine which keywords we  reference in every page and also which keywords will be used for the pages on individual services. This is the foundation of SEO writing. We want to identify the most relevant and common keywords that people use to search for the particular services our client provides.

We will then integrate these keywords into original, interesting, and informative writing that will be entertaining to visitors to the site, while helping our client achieve high search engine rankings.

We have a lot of clients who come to us with misinformed ideas about search engine optimized writing. They assume that all you have to do is pepper in a few dozen keywords and you’ll be able to reap results.  In reality, it’s a very systematic and calculated approach, with multiple steps toward achieving the end result.

This morning we have a kick-off meeting for a website we will be developing. It will be a highly-optimized site, with 35 pages of new content developed by DDA’s writers, specifically crafted to reach top rankings on search engines like Google.

It’s a common affair here at DDA — not just website development, or developing optimized copy, but a kick-off meeting.

For nearly every project we undertake, the first step is a meeting with the client to determine their goals and the direction of the project. It’s the first taste of a what will be a long string of client involvement.

Regardless if it’s a video, website, animation, brochure, or trade show booth, we are developing the product for our clients, which means their opinion and feedback is vital. We don’t move forward during any stage of development without approval.

This approach is indicative of so much of what DDA is and does — the fact that we were created with the needs of the marketing or advertising executive in mind; that each project is customized specifically to that client no matter how many times we have developed something in that medium; that we have a strong sense of pride in the work we create.

The other week we had a conference call with an existing client. Before finding DDA, this client had signed on with another company to do website development. We had undertaken a completely separate project for this client, but during the course of working together, it was apparent on both sides that there was a strong working relationship. As it turns out, the company this client signed up with for website development, did not treat them well, or more like not at all. After the initial meeting, this client barely heard a word again and had no clue as to what stage the project was on.

While we of course were more than happy to take on the website project, it was bitter sweet. They should have never had to go through that in the first place. There are so many companies out there that care little about the work they produce or their clients.

I am glad I work for a company that respects its clients and values their business. And as for my kick-off meeting this morning, I know that it’s just the start of what will be a long relationship.