By Tom Crawford
Recently we recieved the chance to sit down with Tim Woodcox from Media Place Partners to get an inside look at what it’s like working for the Grand Rapids agency. Tim has been in the business for a number of years doing everything from speaking, founding businesses, and training sales teams. While his background is expansive, for this interview we decided to focus on his current business development position which includes a myriad of different jobs at Media Place Partners.
How did he get here?
Tim started his career as an independent sales rep for a nutritional supplements company and became a keynote speaker & trainer for regional industry conferences and seminars. During this time, Tim opened and operated several wellness centers and sales offices throughout the Midwest while developing and training national sales teams. After several successful years, he decided to lay down roots in Grand Rapids when he took a job as an Account Executive at MLive Media Group. During his time at MLive, Tim regularly met with business owners and local companies to develop custom marketing solutions to improve ROI on advertising investments.
What made him want to work here?
“The company culture and leadership.”
About 2 years ago Tim joined the forces at Media Place Partners (MPP) as an Account Executive. He quickly transitioned into his current role of Business Development, which entails aspects of an account executive as well as many other things, some of which include prospecting potential clients and finding new business.
What are the skills needed for Business Development?
Self-motivation, empathy, having interpersonal and people skills, being able to see the big picture, outgoing personality, and soft skills (being able to interact effectively and harmoniously with other people.)
What does a typical day look like for Business Development at MPP?
For Tim, a typical day consists of checking up on the MPP social media channels, looking for new business opportunities, touching base with the account executives, and following up with current clients and prospects. As you can imagine, not all days are the same, but there are certain aspects that are part of the daily routine.
What do you like most about advertising?
Being able to identify opportunities to improve a business and helping people grow their company. Maintaining a growth mindset is at the base of the advertising industry.
What is something you may not necessarily enjoy about advertising?
“The challenge with advertising is educating people, and when communication isn’t there it can be extremely difficult.”
What advice do you have for students entering the workforce?
Time management and money management are two of the most important skills to develop in the real world. “Stay in a growth mindset, don’t burn bridges, and keep making connections. Don’t be afraid to ask, people want to help.”
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