David Ogilvy, also known as “The Father of Advertising'”, knows what it is like to be the best in his field. He founded Ogilvy & Mather and built it into one of the most revolutionary advertising firms in history. He is one of the greatest ad copy writers ever in the history of the world. So, when he gives advice on how to become the best in your field as an entrepreneur, it's always good to listen. You can read all about David Ogilvy's life and accomplishments here.
“In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative, original thinker unless you can also sell what you create.“ -David Ogilvy
Here's The Top 5 David Ogilvy Tips For Becoming The Best In Your Field
1. Make work your hobby.
Another well-known advertising pioneer, Claude Hopkins once said, “I have always been an addict to work. I love work as other men love play.” David Ogilvy was also big believer in making your work something you love to do all the time as if it were a hobby.
If you work for a company, he would recommend you do some homework outside of your regular work hours on the subjects that pertains to your job. For example, if you worked for a company in the gasoline industry, you would want to research things like geology, chemistry and the distribution of petroleum products.
You may also want to learn more about the research reports and trade journals. After showing this kind of dedication to working outside of regular hours, like your hobby, would eventually know more than your boss and be able to position yourself to take their position.
This also works in entrepreneurship. When you start a business, a lot of times you want to be in an industry you already know about and have a passion for. This way you turn your hobby of learning more about this industry into a career by spending as much time as possible developing your knowledge of it.
That being said, you also want to avoid treating it like it is nothing but a hobby. What David Ogilvy means by this, is to make it a hobby on top of it already being your career. He doesn't mean treat your business like it's just another hobby and don't take it seriously.
He means you should treat it like your serious career and instead of making a lot of extra time for other meaningless hobbies, make your work your hobby so you'll want to spend more time mastering it. Basically to sum it up, just love what you do and work hard at it as much as possible.
2. Work twice the number of hours as everyone else.
Ogilvy was a big believer in working harder than everyone else to get where you want to go. While this may contradict what some other entrepreneurs have said, like when the founders of Google, Larry Page and Sergey Brin think workweeks could be shortened, they still probably work more hours than almost anyone else could ever imagine.
Working longer hours can really multiply your results substantially. This being said, it's not like every entrepreneur who is successful has to work 80-100 hours a week. Especially on the internet side of business, you can create systems and leverage technology to automate a lot of your daily processes. You could even outsource.
There are scientists who have actually determined that to master any given subject you need to work at it for around 10,000 total hours. This will make you an expert and therefore allow you to make the most possible money.
Related: Getting Past The Grind Phase
3. Start out as a specialist.
David Ogilvy mentioned that back in 1963, young people who would get hired by ad agencies were all worth about the same because they had all been taught the same things in business school. But, the heads of these agencies were all some kinds of specialists.
You don't get to the top by being barely above average a lot of different things. You get to the top by my mastering one or two things and being better than almost everyone else at them. This keeps your expertise in high demand, allowing you to make the most money.
“I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced the same kick 10,000 times.”
– Bruce Lee
4. Committees don't lay the “golden eggs”.
In 1963, Ogilvy made talked about how it was becoming more and more popular for people to believe that no one person is responsible for the success of campaigns. It was all about teamwork where everyone had equal contributions.
David Ogilvy emphasized that this was a belief for the “mediocre majority” and that most top managements secretly know this as well, saying they “secretly keep their eyes open for those rare individuals who lay golden eggs.” He's a firm believer that creativity comes from the mind of the individual.
This is just another example of him suggesting that you should set yourself apart, play to your talents and master one or two valuable skills that set you apart. Never give up your creativity and never feel like you can't create your dreams without a lot of help.
There are countless individuals who leverage technology with their strengths to create empires.
5. Make your vacations effective.
David Ogilvy is a believer in taking vacations every now and then to recharge your batteries and get away from your work. But, he isn't a believer in wasting time or not doing something productive, even on vacation. He also stresses that you shouldn't allow yourself to get overly exhausted doing too many things and coming home no more recharged than when you left.
One thing he recommends you do on vacation is read a book a day. He says people reveal their true potential by what they do on vacation. Reading a book a day that educates you effectively and sharpens your skills or understanding could make your vacation the most productive part of the entire year for you.
He also recommends to take it easy, but don't be too lazy. Get some exercise, sleep well, and get plenty of fresh air. You want to come back rejuvenated and fresh, ready to make big things happen.
Conclusion
As the “Father of Advertising” and one of the most influential marketers in history, you definitely want to take David Ogilvy's tips into account and apply them to your life. Whether you are an entrepreneur or trying to work your way up the corporate ladder, you can use his valuable lessons to get you to the top.