How To Make Your Brand Stand Out with Rick Buie

To stand out online, being creative and knowing your audience will set you apart. Rick Buie joins Stewart Hillhouse to share his thoughts on advertising, creativity, and how to work well with an agency.

Who's The Guest?

👤 Name: Rick Buie

💪 What They Do: Rick is the Head of Brand Advertising at Amazon Business and an Adweek Executive Mentee

🌐 Rick on the web: LinkedIn | Twitter

🧠 Best Advice: Take ownership of projects. See them through from start to end. It will serve you well early in your career.

Episode Takeaways

The Biggest Mistake Brands Make When Working With An Agency

As someone who started their career working for a marketing agency, Rick understands the delicate dance they do.

But at the end of the day, if things go poorly the blame usually lands on the lap of the agency.

Here's his tips on how to not be a bad client:

• Be Clear – Provide a detailed brief and layout exactly what constraints exist.
• Set Expectations – Share deadlines, feedback, and any other detail that will help the agency know exactly what you're looking for.
• Be Open To Recommended Ideas – You're paying an agency for their brain power. Use it!
• Provide Clear Feedback – Don't be the client that doesn't say what they're thinking.

Advice For Marketers Early In Their Career

Rick recommends new marketers master these two foundational skills: Ownership and Attention To Detail.

"Ownership is really big at Amazon" says Rick. "Own the project from start to finish."

Small things like how you send an email or submit a project are indicators of how much you sweat the small stuff.

Why You Should Be An Authentic Brand

People have a thirst for missions and authenticity. For doing the right thing. For standing for something. And, I think nowadays that more and more companies and brands should start doing more of that.

Rick's Recipe to Standing Out

1. Have quality advertising – Do this by connecting with someone on an emotional level
2. Own the space – Online advertising is crowded. Pick a channel and do it really, really well. Don't spread yourself too thin across all the platforms.