Adam Cassandra is our Creative Director at Lawrence Direct Marketing, Inc. Recently, he was featured in the Direct Marketing Association of Washington (DMAW) monthly newsletter Marketing AdVents. The piece is a short profile of Adam that discusses how he got involved in direct marketing, the importance of challenging yourself as a writer, and more.
Check out the interview from the June 2017 Marketing AdVents below:
DMAW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Adam Cassandra is an international spy. Or, at least, that’s what you might expect based on his espionage thriller name and his background in national security and international affairs.
In reality, Cassandra isn’t cavorting around the world 007-style, but he is in the business of changing it. He worked directly for nonprofits in communications roles for several years before signing on this year as creative director for Lawrence Direct Marketing, Inc. And his various positions in direct marketing have allowed him to work with real heroes.
“I love having the opportunity to help amazing clients who are literally saving lives in some cases, and are all working to make our world a better place to live,” he says.
After graduate school, Cassandra took some positions in journalism and communications. In those roles, he learned to craft and tell interesting stories, and enjoyed the writing so much he began considering a career in direct marketing. When he got a job as communications manager for an international nonprofit editing direct mail fundraising copy, he was hooked.
“I was tasked with editing our direct mail fundraising copy, and after a few months of heavy edits, I thought, ‘Maybe I should try writing these myself,” he says. “I started testing my packages in the mail, and they were outperforming those developed by a more experienced copywriter. This led to a new position at the organization as the primary direct mail and online fundraising copywriter.”
Here, Cassandra talks about his background and the lessons he’s learned in direct marketing. But, sorry, no spy stuff — that’s classified.
Location: I currently live in Warrenton, Va., with my beautiful wife Amy and our 2-year-old daughter Magdalena.
Education: I received a B.A. in Interdisciplinary Studies from the University of South Carolina Upstate in Spartanburg, S.C., and an M.A. in Statecraft and National Security Affairs from the Institute of World Politics in Washington, D.C.
DMAW Member Since: 2017
What advice would you offer a novice who wants to move up in direct marketing?
Don’t be afraid to try out new ideas and test them against the old pros and industry standards.
What is the most helpful step you took to advance your direct marketing career?
Consuming as much information from industry experts as I could and volunteering to test myself against an old pro in direct mail.
Tell us about your volunteer experiences.
I haven’t had the chance to volunteer with DMAW yet, but I’m looking forward to helping out.
Describe yourself in three words.
Diligent, dedicated, resourceful.
Describe your life in six words.
Thankful for God’s blessings every day.
Adam’s Favorites
Restaurant
Chick-fil-A.
Films
All the “Rocky” films (except “Rocky V”), “The Fifth Element,” “Galaxy Quest.”
Books
“The Lord of the Rings” by J.R.R. Tolkien, “The Dresden Files” by Jim Butcher.
Music
Zac Brown Band, Foo Fighters.
Websites
NewAdvent.org, RealClearPolitics Video.
Leisure Interests
Reading, watching movies and shows, going on adventures with my family.
Quote
“But it ain’t about how hard you hit. It’s about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s how winning is done!” — Rocky Balboa.
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Follow Adam on Twitter: @adamcassandra.
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