Although he may be better known as the voice of the The Band of the Hour, University of Miami School of Communication alumnus Jason Mizrachi stopped by the campus in early December to discuss digital TV sales and dispense valuable career advice to members of the Media Management Association. Mizrachi has done it all, working in sales and marketing for over 22 years. He sold yellow pages, operated his own business, and eventually ended up in his current job as digital sales manager for CBS-owned WFOR and WBFS.
Mizrachi mentioned that to many he is “that guy.” He is perceived as the one person who can do everything himself and can help others with their tasks as well. Mizrachi explained to students that, for competitive reasons, it is important to be resourceful in whatever situation because there are many people trying to do the same thing. He argued that going above and beyond expectations is a key to success in the workplace.
After showing a sample long-format video sponsored by the University of Miami Health System, Mizrachi did not hide his pride about the content and the form of this and other videos, which air every Tuesday. For him, this type of native advertising addresses different subjects each week and looks like actual news stories. Mizrachi stressed the importance of online advertising as an important vehicle to get a message across. He added that “you pay for it once and it sits on the web forever.”
Mizrachi also noted that working in digital sales requires a broad skill set. One must know the competition and how to be everything for everyone. He gave the example of Snapchat. Even though he does not have his own account, he knows the ins and outs of the app and could sell it well. Mizrachi surmised that video advertising is becoming more popular than printed advertising because people like to watch rather than read.
Mizrachi told students to “learn all aspects of the business. This [approach] requires being a one-man band, a person who gets his or her hands dirty and makes it all happen.” He argued that it is important to be a people person who wants to tell a story or get a point across. Mizrachi went on to explain that there are peaks and valleys in every job, but dealing with them in a mature and aggressive way demonstrates that the individual is committed and dedicated to the job.
Finally, Mizrachi reminded students to learn how to network and use all possible resources to meet people and promote themselves. He stressed the importance of using the career advising services provided by the university and to use sites, such as LinkedIn, to connect with all types of people. Most importantly, Mizrachi urged students to seize any opportunity that arises and give it 100 percent.
