For the past year, I’ve been working at MindFire and have had the joy of being called a Marketing Arsonist. While the job title (and matchbook business card) is sure to get some attention and positive reactions, it also raises a few questions.
“Marketing Arsonist…what does that mean?” “What do you even do all day?” “Do you like lighting things on fire?” (That last one is my personal fav, by the way.)
So, in honor of the curious minds out there, I’ve compiled a quick summary of a day in the life of a 🔥 marketing arsonist – although we all know that no day is the same as the next. 😉
8:00 a.m. – Another day, another opportunity to light some fires – marketing fires, that is. Time to get settled, grab a cup of coffee and take on the day. Will I ever be a morning person? Probably not. Until then, I open my planner, check my calendar and pretend I have my life together.
8:04 a.m. – Watch the flood of emails from the night before (and early risers) begin to load. Some are internal, while some are directly from the client. I begin a mental “order of attack list” and start reading, filing and responding as needed. If there’s one thing I’ve learned about being a project manager, it’s that you’ve got to be organized.
8:22 a.m. – Finally realize that whoever has control of the office speakers is playing 80s music. Throw on my headphones to focus. Today’s music of choice? Throwback Maroon 5. Always boppin’.
8:46 a.m. – Check on clients’ social media accounts. Engage with various active Facebook audiences, so the client can focus on running their business rather than spend valuable time online. Encounter the occasional social media “troll” because, as we’ve said before, haters gonna hate, trolls gonna troll. Good thing we know what to do when they arise from under the bridge.
9:00 a.m. – Call in to my first client meeting of the day. Discuss this week’s projects and add a few projects to my personal list. Today? Write a few social ads and events to promote some upcoming activities. I’ll get to those this afternoon, I promise.
9:33 a.m. – Sixteen-page proposal comin’ in hot for proofing. Devoting an hour or two to getting that in tip-top shape.
11:24 a.m. – Proposal is done, but my neglected email inbox is calling my name. You’d be amazed how many emails can come through in such a short amount of time. It’s been less than two hours and you’re saying I have how many?
11:52 a.m. – Send a few deliverables, meeting requests, updates, etc. to clients. Update our online task list with the current status of projects. This helps our client deliverables stay on-track and keeps my account executive in the loop while she’s away at client meetings. It’s amazing how fast projects can move around in an agency!
12:04 p.m. – Lunch! I was a slacker last night and didn’t pack a lunch for today. Thankfully, neither did a few coworkers, so off to a local favorite we go. A soft pretzel with beer cheese? Count me in.
1:01 p.m. – Back at the desk. Back to reading, filing and responding to emails. Organization. Is. Everything.
1:32 p.m. – Time to crank out those Facebook ads and events copy. Trying my best to make the copy engaging and fresh while staying within the client’s brand and voice. Updating the client’s task list after sending the proofed copy out for approval. Once again, organization is everything, regardless of the client or business.
2:33 p.m. – My favorite part of the afternoon – my afternoon cup of coffee. I find it best if I start it before 3 p.m., but some days can be more of a struggle, so you just never know.
2:35 p.m. –Time to start working on a client’s editorial calendar that’s due later this week. I take a look at their website and photos and start crafting some appealing social posts that also work well with our overall strategy for the organization.
3:43 p.m. – Fell behind on emails again. Reading, filing and responding as needed.
4:05 p.m. – I’ve noticed a few projects shooting through the agency – from both copywriting and design. Updating task lists to reflect the changes and checking in with members of the team on deadlines and timeline changes.
4:24 p.m. – Checking in on clients’ social pages again – responding to any new comments or messages.
4:32 p.m. – Have I mentioned it’s Friday? Time to unplug my laptop, bring it up to the bar and have a drink. Happy hour (well, happy half hour) is officially underway! Agency life can be great.
4:46 p.m. – Final updates to client drives, task lists and email needs. Scheduling any last-minute meetings for early next week. The end is near!
4:52 p.m. – Play “Friday” by Rebecca Black on the office speakers. Coworkers claim to hate it, but it sure gets everyone in weekend mode (and it has become my signature bop).
5:02 p.m. – Say goodbye to fellow Arsonists. It’s weekend time. 🔥
Interested in becoming an arsonist, yourself? We’re always looking for talented firecrackers to join our team. If you think you’ve got what it takes to be a MindFire Arsonist, check out our current openings or follow us on Facebook to stay up-to-date on any additional job openings that might pop up.
