RE: tracking progress on tight deadline? - Traffic

[Annamaria Profit <inteltek2 -at- earthlink -dot- net>]

I received several private e-mail requests for more information, so I'm 
responding publicly too, so that folks who would like to investigate this 
"traffic management" process can go on to the expert sources.  Traffic 
management is one facet of Project management in an agency.  Other facets 
include production and estimation.  The really successful ones managed both 
client and agency side trafficking.  Their jobs were at the heart of the 
agency's profitability.  They were hard working, outgoing, good managers, 
great negotiators, polished, extremely well organized, well liked, and 
given to spontaneous Friday afternoon parties.  In fact, an agency 
party/outing was their answer to stress generally.  When things heated up, 
they bought bagels, ordered pizza and beer, or funded a trip to a local 
watering hole. None of the ones I've known and loved over the years were 
traffic/project nazis.  I don't know why or how they managed all the 
deadlines without biting someone, but they did.  They had everyone's respect.

So here are some other urls, etc.
1. the 4A's--Amer Assoc of Adv Agencies has a Web site http://www.aaaa.org/
I know they sell pamphlets entitled "What every account exec needs to know 
about..." and one of them is a traffic manual--a how-to book, 
essentially.  However, I tried the site and it looks like they're locked up 
tight.  So give them a call and see if you can buy the publication, and if 
that doesn't work, find a friend in a member advertising agency and call in 
a favor.  It will be worth the modest cost.  Here are related adv 
associations--go digging there for more info.
http://www.aaaa.org/news/related_assoc.html

2. There's also a job web site 
http://www.wetfeet.com/asp/insiderguides.asp?category_pk=10 that sells an 
advertising careers guide, and traffic management will be one of them, 
however, the guide is about all the ad careers, so if it's worth the price 
of the e-book anyway, go for it.

 Ad agencies pay the second highest rates in the country for all 
positions--second only to IT companies. A good traffic manager can pull in 
$60,000+.  An ad exec pulls down mega bucks plus an annual percentage of 
the account's annual sales, dependent on performance and 
profitability!  You could buy a house with their Christmas 
bonuses.  Support staff gets a percentage of annual salary--still significant.
2001 Salary Survey: http://www.adage.com/page.cms?pageId=674

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