Insights from Nebo

If you’re a project manager, account executive or manage any client services-related job in an agency, you are often tasked with making sure your clients are “happy.” Of course, customer service and satisfaction are an important part of this role, but this begs the question, what exactly does making your client happy mean? 

At Nebo, I tell our project management team that our clients must have a positive experience working with us. This means that we keep our word. We are responsive and communicate, and most importantly, we care — A LOT. This also means we should be honest, creating a partnership built from mutual respect and transparency, even when it means you need to have difficult conversations with your clients. 

Copy then design? Design then copy? I was first posed with this dilemma in college, as a freshman journalism major working on the plan for the semester’s inaugural newspaper. My goal was to be a writer, but as a student reporter, we had to learn print layout, too. 

This is where I was introduced to InDesign, discovered what kerning was and learned that a pica was a legitimate unit of measurement. Newspaper layout was not my calling, but it did give me an appreciation for design and how it brought copy to life. 

Which brings me to the age-old agency question asked of both copywriters and designers alike — what comes first: copy or design? It’s an important question because it gives you an idea of workflow, but it also lets you know what is valued in any given project. Has the client gotten excited about a particular design element or functionality? Then there’s a chance copy will have to be adjusted to make it work. Is there a quick turnaround time? Copy and design will probably have to work in conjunction to make the date.  

How many times has "Just Do It" crossed your mind as you've laced up for a workout, even if you're not wearing anything made by Nike?

As a copywriter, I understand the power of words. They can shape how people perceive a company or product. Beyond that, they can impact our beliefs and self-image. And they can even transform how we view our world and experience our culture. 

Words influence. Inspire. Motivate.

The last year has been a heavy one, to say the least. And while we’re starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, we’re still in need of something to make our days a little brighter. That’s where the little things come in. 

We’ve got a lot of little things to celebrate here at Nebo — good food, great people, homemade margs, and of course, puppies, kittens and babies. Here’s what’s been keeping us going this month as we continue working apart.

On the surface, the history of Juneteenth appears to be a simple one: On June 19, 1865, Union soldiers made it to Galveston, Texas to deliver the proclamation that all slaves were to be freed, and a year later freedmen celebrated Jubilee Day to commemorate the day they became free. 

But like with most of Black history in America, it’s a more complex story than that. The freedom former slaves celebrated came full two and a half years later than it should have — two and half years after the Emancipation Proclamation stated slaves “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.” 

Working at an agency, you learn many things — how to work quickly and efficiently, how to survive on coffee and (free) snacks, how to adapt to changing priorities. I could keep going, but you get the gist. More specifically, the best project managers become proficient in knowing how their team and their client operate in order to drive a project forward successfully. 

At the same time, it’s also our job as project managers to learn that what a client asks for or wants isn’t always what they need. A vital part of the job is deciphering this, picking up on certain clues to ensure that what is delivered will help them reach their ultimate goal, whatever it may be.