2 smart ways to impress your boss

I’ve worked in enough organizations and agencies to know that at the end of the day, a lot of your success is based on one single thing: how much you impress your boss. Whether you’re a media planner, content creator, brand marketing director, or VP of client services, an important piece of your job is making sure your boss (and his/her boss!) appreciates and acknowledges your contributions to the company.

Obvious? Yes. Easy to accomplish? Rarely.

Here are two smart ways to impress your boss:

1) Measurement, measurement, measurement!

Numbers tell a story that words simply can’t. No one can argue with hard data.When it comes to impressing your boss, showing him or her measurable results about a high performing campaign is always better than telling them. And the presentation of this information is almost as important as the data itself.

Whether your managing a social media campaign, overseeing a Facebook advertising campaign or executive producing a video influencer campaign, it’s important to tell your success story with numbers. Take advantage of Facebook’s robust ad reporting–it’s extremely thorough and arms you with enough data to wow your boss with detailed clickthrough and engagement numbers. Ditto with AdWords. Even Pinterest has decent reporting.

Influencer marketing has upped it’s reporting game too. Previously, reporting on influencer campaigns consisted of links to the content with no real data or metrics. Today, there’s great technology that tracks and captures traffic and engagement numbers across all platforms: blogs and social networks including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram,Vine, Tumblr, and YouTube.

But gathering the data is only half the battle. The presentation of the data is very important. Don’t just screenshot the reporting from each platform, throw on a cover sheet and send it over. Make it as cohesive and aesthetically appealing as possible. Best case scenario: get your graphic design person to create matching graphs and tables. Worst case: sign up for an online presentation app like Emaze, and use one of their templates to showcase your data. Either way: it’s got to look polished, sophisticated, and cohesive.

The final secret to a great report is knowing what to highlight–and what to omit. Find out which stats your boss (and his/her boss) care about. Make sure you highlight your biggest accomplishments first — unabashedly and in bold. Skip the mundane or unimportant. Don’t bury the lead for fear of appearing boastful. There’s no time for that when it comes to how well you’re doing your job. And remember, it’s the NUMBERS doing the boasting, not you.

2) Stay on Top of Technology

Nothing irked me more than when my boss told ME about a new website or app I had to check out. It should’ve been the other way around. You should be the one telling your boss about the new must-have technology or gadget. And you should also be telling them about the stuff they should skip.

Don’t just act like the most tech-savvy, BE the most tech-savvy. Buy new apps, test them out, and share your opinion. Sign up to beta test new platforms and websites. Stay on the pulse of what’s trending in your industry. Be the go-to tech person on your team and if possible, in your company. A great way to stay on top is keeping a daily eye on these publications: Adweek, Mashable, Techcrunch, Gizmodo, andEngadget.

Join a forum. Both LinkedIn and Facebook have great, engaged groups where members share cutting-edge ideas and their latest discoveries. Take ten minutes a day to check in and see what’s going on.

If you use online tools and one isn’t meeting all your needs, take the time to find something that does. Do research and price out options. This shows you’re forward thinking and eager to take the initiative. (And if your new solution is cheaper, you’re also helping the bottom line!)

What do these two tips have in common? They help you look good while also helping your boss look good. And there’s no better way to impress your boss than helping them impress THEIR boss.

This article is published in collaboration with LinkedIn. Publication does not imply endorsement of views by the World Economic Forum.

To keep up with the Agenda subscribe to our weekly newsletter.

Author: Tracey Harrington McCoy is a lifestyle, entertainment and pop culture writer. 

Image: Matteo Achilli works with one of his assistants in his office in Formello. REUTERS/Tony Gentile.