I learned years ago that no one will ever remember what I do for a living. I resigned myself to be the Chandler Bing of digital design sales and marketing.

The short answer is that I do sales and marketing for graphic design studios around the world specifically in the field of television design and marketing.

The long answer is a bit more complicated.

Here’s some of what I really do:

·• I manage a database of more than 1,000 broadcast executives, which is a job in itself.

• I handle all network sales and marketing efforts for the companies on my roster.

• I create relationships that I hope will turn into long-term relationships and return clients.

• I deal with the immense joy of winning and the excruciating pain of losing on a daily basis.

• I am the face of my companies, the front line and the first contact.

• I attempt to keep work coming in on a constant basis for the clients on my roster.

• I have to deal with problems once they come up. I have to fix those problems very quickly.

• I have to negotiate deals in the best interest of my companies, dealing with lower budgets, tight turnarounds, asking for overages when something wasn’t part of the original deliverables list.

• I am told “No” a lot.

• I am told yes sometimes.

I don’t need pats on the back. I am confident in my skills and realize that this is just the nature of the industry I’m in. In fact, I’ve made peace with a lot of things that I used to take personally.

I haven’t even gotten to what I do in dealing with the creatives I represent on a daily basis. Tending to the creative spirit is a balancing act, and takes a special talent to do successfully.

So, why am I telling you all of this?

Certainly not to complain. I’ve been doing my job for 18 years now, on my own for eight, so I obviously love what I do.

I just wanted to open the window and let you know some of the things a rep does for their companies. It’s a difficult job, made even more difficult by people who see reps as an annoyance, or as “used car salespeople.” A great rep has exact knowledge of what the companies he reps wants and what the clients on the network sides need. There is a lot of mediation that comes with the gig.

Reps are an invaluable part of our industry, and a lot of joy comes when I am treated with simple respect and acceptance.

So, those of you who have reps, try to keep in mind that they are in the trenches for you and deal with a lot of rejection and sometimes are treated very poorly by people they are trying to engage. Be kind and give your reps your full support.

Those of you who reps are trying to engage, remember that this is their job. Asking your assistant, if you have one, to let reps know that you accept links and that you’ll contact them if interested is a great way of seeing a lot of companies work without closing the door on what may be the next great design studio. It also makes a rep feel better than a quick “we’re not interested” and hanging up.

And to those brave reps with skin thick as an elephants, go nobly forth, be authentic, shake off the rejection, build relationships with people who get it and always do your job with the highest levels of intelligence, integrity and truth. Should we all do this, one day these negative images of “salespeople” will be history.

Brett Ashy is president of The Ashy Agency, which currently markets the motion graphic design, live action, interactive, print and visual effects talents of Anonymous Content, Big Block Design Group (BBDG), Big Star, Curious Pictures, Eloisa Iturbe, Engine Room, Eyeball, Forty Forty Agency, Monarchy, Monkeyhead and Sibling Rivalry.

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