If you’re a regular One Woman Marketing reader, you may recall that I left my freelance life at the beginning of the month to join a marketing agency.

First, THANK YOU for sticking with me while I adjust to my new lifestyle! I plan to resume posting once or twice a week, but I wanted to get acclimated first.

I’ve worked alongside marketing agencies for four years now, so joining one felt like peeling back the curtain of the Wizard of Oz. Finally I could see how the other side operates! Finally I could experience marketing the way it was supposed to be experienced – with big budgets and dedicated teams to brainstorm brilliant ideas ’round the clock!

The reality surprised me. Working at an agency, I’ve learned, is a lot like working as a freelancer. Sure, there  are bigger budgets and more people. But there’s no magic bullet.

There’s no super secret software that makes it all easier. There’s no guaranteed five-step sales process. It’s just a bunch of people working with same timeless knowledge to create good marketing.

That same knowledge,  I’ve realized, is what’s key. Know your audience. Use their language. Be creative. Take risks once in awhile.

In a world flooded with ever-changing technology, these principals are so easy to overlook. They’re not shiny or sexy or new. But they’re at the root of every successful marketing campaign, and they’re missing from every flop.

Three weeks ago, I might have been surprised. You mean the wizard is just an ordinary guy with a microphone and some levers? Now, though, I find it refreshing. I was on the right path all along.

You are, too.