Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
JERRY KOU
Best Advertising Manager
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Letters
of
Recommendations
January 29, 2014 To whom To whom it may concern: Jerry Kou is a talented student who has distinguished himself at Cal State Fullerton by having been appointed the Director of Advertising for the Daily Titan Newspaper. This is his second semester as Advertising Director. As a professor and student publication’s adviser, I have been impressed by Jerry’s dedication to his work. He displays maturity beyond his years. Jerry has been willing to tackle difficult projects under tight deadlines, and never complains. Jerry is a self-starter who cares about being the consummate professional. His leadership skills, and especially his ability to train new students have been very impressive. Jerry will be an asset in any activity he chooses. He has a strong career ahead of him. His eagerness to learn and willingness to accept criticism make him an ideal candidate. He has the talent and skills to excel. On a personal level, Jerry is upbeat, has an infectious personality, and is fun to be around. He’s one of the good people! If I can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact me. Sincerely,
Robert Sage Professor, Communications Department Faculty Advisor--Business Manager, Daily Titan
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
January 14, 2014 To: CNBAM Selection Committee From: Blanca Navarro Production: Graphic Designer California State University, Fullerton Daily Titan Natural born leaders are difficult to encounter, and very rarely do they live up to the unattainable expectations people portray them as. However, Jerry Kou is an outlier, and the expectations and goals that are unattainable to most, are always in his hands. Therefore, for his never-ending guidance, his well deserved respect, and most importantly his dedication and genuine commitment to the Daily Titan, its employees, and the university as a whole, I nominate Jerry Kou for CNBAM Advertising Manager of the Year. With the right amount of charisma and authority, Jerry embraces the perfect balance of a friendly yet effective leader which inevitably led to a dramatic increase in sales, a better and more comfortable work environment for all of the Daily Titan’s employees, and a better sense of direction on how a professional newspaper and advertising agency should be lead. The start of Jerry’s first semester as the Advertising Director for the Daily Titan was by no means easy. Out of a total of 11 staff members, five were completely new to the office and joined with little to absolutely no experience in pitching and selling advertisements to clients. That makes almost half of the office completely inexperienced. Nevertheless, Jerry and the Assistant Director hired them because they showed a strong interest in the paper and advertising in general. Over the summer of 2013, Jerry implemented a new training program he created himself to ensure that the new Account Executives were more than ready to make calls and lock sales and contracts with both new and existing businesses. From overhearing the training and speaking with the executives after every training day, my assumptions of Jerry’s training tactics were confirmed and pleasantly excelled. Beginning with a tour of both the advertising office and the editorial newsroom, Jerry introduced each employee to the Daily Titan, its goals, and how it operates. Therefore, each new employee earned a respect for every position held in both the office and the newsroom. By providing the new employees with breakfast, and giving them time to eat together, Jerry created a comfortable and open environment for the executives to bond and become excited to work for the Daily Titan.
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton During the four-day training, Jerry gave the executives real world situations and examples, and often played Devil’s Advocate with them to prepare them for every and any situation clients might put them in. With a positive and optimistic attitude, Jerry prepared each Executive for the worst of situations. Day by day, Account Executives were given documents as tools to put in their Daily Titan binders as useful resources. One example of preparing them for real world situation truly stands out from the rest. During the training, Jerry would set up a mock call where one Executive would play their role and Jerry would play a stubborn client by asking for other options than the ones offered or trying to negotiate prices. Each mock call was kept very professional and taken very seriously by each Executive. Not only did this method of teaching teach executives how to sell, it also created an important sense of teamwork in the office. Inevitably, Jerry’s effective training methods and tactics proved successful. After only four days of training the new and inexperienced employees, began selling for the first Special Section of the year: New Student Orientation Guide. Never been done before by the Daily Titan, the Orientation Guide was a tremendous success and well worth the risk. As aforementioned, it gave the executives the perfect encouragement and opportunity to sell right after training – diving into what they had just learned. However, it also allowed Production to begin designing right away, and encouraged Editorial to begin writing stories and taking photographs. In essence, the Orientation Guide provided the Daily Titan, both advertising and editorial, with a great way to start the semester on the right foot. Not only did it get everyone working together and allowed the office and the newsroom to use their time wisely and productively, it also brought in over ten thousand dollars of revenue that would have not been achieved without Jerry’s innovative and wise idea of the Orientation Guide. This was not just “beginners luck,” because Jerry led the rest of the staff into a successful and unforgettable semester. One of our most remarkable successes was excelling our semester goal. In comparison to the semester before Jerry’s position as Advertising Director, Jerry surpassed what the past Advertising Director had achieved. Even with experienced staff members, under the past director’s direction, in the Spring of 2013, their office goal was embarrassingly not met. In contrast, with Jerry as a director, and with six new and inexperienced members, not only did the office meet their goal, they surpassed it significantly. There is absolutely no doubt in me that without Jerry’s leadership, this would not have been accomplished. I am confident in his teaching abilities and his graceful patience, and therefore know that he will succeed in any workplace he puts himself in while simultaneously making his colleagues enjoy and take pride in every task they are given. Jerry Kou is not only the perfect candidate for CNBAM Advertising Manager of the Year, he embraces its qualities every day, and is incredibly deserving of the title. Sincerely, Blanca Navarro Production: Graphic Designer
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Management Philosophy I have been at the Daily Titan for over two years and have worked with dozens of students. I started at the bottom of the work ladder and climbed my way up, proving that I can lead a team of twelve. As I stepped into the role of a director, I knew I didn’t just want to manage people; I wanted to inspire and challenge them as a leader. When hiring new staff, one of the qualities I looked for was their passion and motivation. I believe that in order for an office and all its members to function smoothly and effortlessly, there needs to be communication, dedication, and respect. I have been at the Daily Titan for over two years. Since my first day in the office, I wanted to be the Director of Advertising. I didn’t have a career plan at the time but I wanted to get my foot in the advertising industry. I now have come to cherish this paper as my own creation and I nurture it to the best of my abilities. I’ve learned to trust my advisor, Robert Sage, and I’ve learned to have faith in the staff. I feel at home when I’m in the newsroom. Over time, I’ve learned how I can best help my staff achieve their goals. As a leader and a manager, I acknowledge that people make mistakes; that is a fact of life. For the benefit of the staff, I would rather them make a mistake at the Daily Titan than make a mistake in their future full-time positions, where their jobs are at stake. They need to learn from these mistakes to avoid any repetition. I encourage them to ask as many questions as they need. They are genuinely good people and are extremely smart. They are critical thinkers that are creative and wild at heart. As Director, I do not sell ads on a local level as I have in the past, but rather sell to on-campus clients. I must encourage and express faith in the sales staff’s abilities to help clients on their own. I have observed personal growth throughout my years at the Daily Titan, as I have learned from the best advisor I could have ever known. I want to give others the opportunity to grow as much as I have by showing them the correct path without holding their hands. I want them to gain confidence in themselves to learn to speak clearly and enunciate their words. These are just a few qualities I have gained over the years from working at the Titan. I choose to lead the staff by example. During training, we perform mock phone calls; I personally make a call to show them what to do and say. If any staff member needs help going on a walk-up with a client, I go with them to help them gain confidence. However, I let them do the majority of the talking. I am solely present for help and am their assistant for the walk up. I believe that a hands-on approach is the best way to learn, and it has proven to be successful with this staff. Our staff operates with amazing dedication and service, which has carried over to our clients and the newspaper overall. The clients see our genuine concern and care for their business. We want to help them succeed as much as they do; it brings us great joy when they tell us about all of the students that show up with a coupon they placed in our paper that lead to increased sales. One of the most important qualities I’ve learned from working at the Daily Titan is how to brand myself. That is the one trait that will benefit me for the rest of my life. Personal branding is not an easy task. However, it is a lesson I want to pass on to the staff. How they present themselves to their clients represents the Daily Titan as well as the person as an individual, It is imperative that they present themselves effectively and honestly.
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton HELPING LIGHT A PATH FOR THE STAFF’S CAREERS I have learned so many important lessons from past Advertising Directors; not only from what they did show me but also from what they did not show me. When I was brand new to the advertising world and the Daily Titan, I had a difficult time seeing a future career for myself in the field. I did not see a potential career from working at the school newspaper; I began working because I needed real-world experience. This is what past directors have failed to show me: the kind of future that can come from working at an excellent school newspaper. I decided to take the staff on two advertising agency tours. With our school’s advertising club, we toured Wunderman in Irvine and DGWB in Santa Ana. We took a Friday to meet with the human resources representatives and spoke with their staff members to better understand what it was like to work at an advertising agency. The agencies gave us in-depth information about what clients they serve and how their agency functions. They explained to us how everyone works together to create advertisements and explained the different departments, such as management, creative, media, and production; it gave the staff a better understanding of the different fields they could one day enter. To further help the staff with their career choices, I had a past employee come in and speak with them. I had the 2012 - 2013 Assistant Director of Advertising speak with us on a Friday during one of our weekly meetings to explain her job as Account Coordinator RPA. This was the first time the Daily Titan management set up the agency tours and had a past employee come in to speak. I wanted to help the staff get a better idea of what field in advertising they would like to go into or even not go into, and I wanted to show them that this isn’t just any ordinary job. This job has meaning and value and their success here will determine their success in the future.
WORKING WITH EDITORIAL There’s a stereotype in the newspaper industry: that the advertising and editorial departments do not get along. I am proud to say that is no longer the case at the Daily Titan. In the past, major tension existed between the two departments. It got to a point where editorial would remove an advertisement just to bother the advertising department. Thankfully, that has stayed in the past. I have been working very closely with the Editor-in-Chief to create a more peaceful atmosphere, where people can feel safe when walking into the other room. Some of the staff members on both sides know each other very well and talk on a daily basis. That barrier between the two sides has finally been broken and the communication between management in advertising and editorial has improved tremendously. We respect and value each other and acknowledge that without the other, we could not exist. Every few months, we will hold a mixer or a get-together for the staffs to mingle. This past semester, we had a bowling and billiards party where we mixed teams to compete for the top spot. We had another mixer at one of the staff member’s house in which we made it a point to meet the other staff. I hope that this peaceful and efficient relationship between advertising and editorial only improves over the next year.
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Appendix I. Resume II. Advertising Manager Responsibilities III. Staff Recognitions IV. New Revenue Opportunities V. Staff Productivity Records (Sales Numbers & Goals) VI. Examples of Work
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
J erry K ou p rofessional e xperience daily titan newSpaper
Director of Advertising
May 2013 - Present • Hired, trained, and managed new staff on media sales and marketing techniques including handling customer service issues • Implemented new sales initiatives, promotions, special sections, and marketing campaigns
Account Executive
January 2013 - May 2013 • Built new clientele and managed existing accounts • Prepared and managed campaigns for the duration of clients advertising needs and arranged client consultation meetings • Acted as liason between clients and production team when creating advertisements
National Sales Executive & Promotions Manager
January 2012 - January 2013 • Managed social networking sites • Maintained relations with national advertising agencies • Coordinated all promotional efforts such as events, contests, and giveaways • Branded company • Successfully raised over $1,000 in revenue from a one-day event
jerrykou14@gmail.com (949) 300-0891 29 Ashbrook, Irvine, CA 92604
e ducation
California State UniverSity, fUllerton Bachelors of Arts, Communications, 2014 Emphasis in Advertising Minor in Radio/TV/Film
c ommunity i nvolvement QUeer Straight allianCe
Student Member, 2010 - Present Events Coordinator, 2012 - 2013
advertiSing ClUb
Student Member, 2012 - Present
v olunteer e xperience
• Bunk Wurth’s St. Patrick’s Day Golf Tournament • LA AIDS Walk • Irvine Animal Care Center • Front & Center
a wards & r ecognitions • 2012 CNBAM - Best Marketing And Promotions Plan - 3rd Place • 2013 - Account Manager for the CSUF American Advertising Federation
r eferences robert Sage, daily titan Faculty Advisor
rlsage@fullerton.edu
(657) 278-4275
blanCa navarro, daily titan Graphic Designer
hello@blancanavarro.com
(714) 507-8984
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Advertising Manager Responsibilities Responsibilities primarily include managing the Daily Titan Account Executives, act as liaison between various departments of the office, conduct weekly Friday meetings, and handle any problems that arise on a day-to-day basis. BASIC FUNCTIONS • Lead weekly Friday meetings. Review past week, discuss any goals attempting to reach, conduct teambuilding exercises, and motivate the staff. • Inspire account executives to maximize selling potential. • Build and maintain on-campus clients via face-to-face meetings, follow-up calls, and help them reach their advertising objectives through our many platforms. • Constantly train and re-train staff to assure maximum retention and top performance. • Conduct monthly review with staff to pick up those who are falling behind. • Create an open and inviting atmosphere for the Daily Titan office. Maintain an open communication relationship between staff. • Build and maintain the relationship with our editorial staff. • Meet and exceed personal, sales staff, and office goals. • Maintain recognition programs for sales staff.
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Staff Recognitions Recognition is essential to boosting morale between the sales staff. Rather than have a printed out piece of paper recognizing individuals for the hard work, we had two acrylic awards made: employee of the week and employee of the month. We want the staff to recognize each other for their dedication so throughout the week, staff members vote to give the Employee of the Week award to one of their peers. Every month, I give out a “Director’s Pick of the Month” award to one person whom I feel has been extraordinary during that month. This can range from attaining a perceivably unattainable client, exceeding their semesterly goal, or selling an enormous amount in a short period of time.
Top: Employee of the Month trophy Bottom Right: Employee of the Week plaque Bottom Right: Employee of the Month decorations
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
New Revenue Opportunities The New Student Orientation Guide was a new idea I had to generate new sales. This has not been done in the past and I wanted to give the idea a try. Orientation was for freshmen right out of high school and for transfer students, with nearly 5,000 students attending. This was a great opportunity for our clients to be a part of because these 5,000 students were new to the area and was a great chance to expose their business. This was a huge success, as we brought in $10,015 in new revenue.
The Daily TiTan
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New Student Orientation Guide Rate Card
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Orientation Guide 2013
CALIF OR
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LERTON
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Profile T
his orientation edition will include information essential to incoming freshmen and transfer students, ranging from historical & current facts about Cal State Fullerton to locations on-campus and off-campus great for studying or grabbing a bite to eat.
format
PublicaTion: 8/12
DeaDline: 8/7
Advertising OptiOns: AD Size* Full Page
Dimensions
Price
10.25” x 12”
$1,500.00
1/2 Page (Horizontal)
10.25” x 6”
$750.00
1/2 Page (Vertical)
6.075” x 10”
$750.00
1/4 Page (Horizontal)
8.1625” x 3.75”
$500.00
1/4 Page (Vertical)
3.9875” x 7.5”
$500.00
1/8 Page (Horizontal)
4.9” x 1.875”
$250.00
1/8 Page (Vertical)
1.9” x 7.5”
$250.00
1/8 Page (Square)
3.9875” x 3.75”
$250.00
4/C BACK COVER
10.25” x 12”
$2,000.00
T
he actual vehicle will be an 11” x 14” tabloid-sized newspaper. This collector’s edition will be printed in four-color on electrobrite paper, which will result in the best production values.
Print run & Distribution
DAILY TITAN
T
he print run will be 10,500. 4,500 guides will be persoanlly distributed by the Daily Titan staff to the incoming freshman and transfer students. 6,000 issues will be places in the 1st week long issue of the semester.
* Add $300.00 for 4/color
15% discount in Back-to-School Guide if 1/4 page or more is purchased.
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Goals • Personal Goal Fall 2013: $15,500 • Actual Fall 2013 Sales: $19,872.11 • Percentage Reached: 128.21%
and
Sales
• Office Goal Fall 2013: $113,000 • Actual Fall 2013 Sales: $113,022.41 • Percentage Reached: 100.02%
Compared to the last Fall 2012 semester, we surpassed our sales and goals, putting us in the green. The Spring 2013 sales goal is set at $143,000.
Daily Titan California State University, Fullerton
Examples
of
Work
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