Eggs: All my life I’ve hated them. Unless they were cooked into a cake, I couldn’t stand the smell, sight or taste of them. But, as I grew older, I WANTED to eat them and like them. Every breakfast joint in the world serves them a plethora of ways. Frankly, I was tired of waffles and pancakes, and wanted something healthier. Then I learned of the 101 ways to cook them , and learned that no two tasted the same! Two years and a lot of recipes later, I found it.

Marketing is very similar to eggs. Each method is different, yet it’s still marketing. Depending on product, demographic, or a million other variables, the technique or delivery might change. But how often does a marketer pay attention to how that message is received and perceived by the client? Or, more importantly, how the message is received and perceived by the consumer. There are 101 ways to cook an egg. There are 101 ways  (more, obviously, but I’m making a point here so go with it) to deliver a message. But in the end, what matters most, is how it tastes. In a restaurant, the server asks you HOW you would like your eggs cooked. Don’t you wish that a consumer would tell you HOW they want your message delivered?  Guess what? They can.

Personally,  I like messages delivered to me in a timely manner (when I’m looking for a solution), and fast. I want a summation, not a detailed delivery of what’s being offered. Tease me. Let me process it between my ears. If I want more, I’ll ask. I’m 100% sure, you’re different.

Also, I like eggs hard boiled and cold, with salt and pepper. Preferably, I like them colored like Easter Eggs, year round.  

So, how do you deliver the message in a way that’s most advantageous for you by being most effective for your audience? Easy. Ask questions. Ask them HOW they want your message delivered. Find out what their personality is by asking questions. Use the 80/20 rule: talk 20% of the time, and listen 80% of the time. By the way, that 20% better be asking questions. If even once you offer a suggestion, you’ve lost them. Think about it- how annoyed would you be if a server came to your table, and instead of asking what you’d like, told you what you should order? Same thing.

It’s time to spend more time listening, and less time pushing your product on to people. Every single business or consumer NEEDS your product or service. Every. Single. One. Deliver it correctly, and the majority will buy. Trust me on this. It’s all about realizing that an egg is still, just an egg.

See this blog in the background?

It’s amazing how unimportant your life can become in a split second. This weekend was filled with success after success. Today is Monday and I’ve had four companies call ME and ask me to take them on as clients. And we’ve been in business for three weeks. One of my best negotiations of all time came on Friday. So as my head was expanding by the second, and my ego was being stroked, I focused on an initiative: The Meows and Mutts Pet Picnic! This is an event we’re hosting for PR and marketing purposes. But, upon coming up with the idea, I completely ignored the beneficiary. I focused on how WE could gain exposure. So, to find a beneficiary, I turned to Craigslist.

     After creating a very difficult application process, we still received over 40 applications. Through tedious deliberations, we chose an organization. Below is the letter I sent:

To Whom It May Concern:

     Thank you all so much for applying for the beneficiary opportunity we had posted for the last few weeks. We received SOOOO many amazing applications for the Mutts and Meows Pet Picnic (over 40)! Truthfully, in reviewing all of the applications, we came to realize how many amazing organizations run by awesome and awe inspiring individuals there are in Colorado. You are all so incredible to us. Moreover, we truly had an impossible time deciding between them all. But, to greater the impact, we’ve chosen to donate $25,000 of marketing/branding/advertising services to the winning organization, as well.

     We have chosen an organization as our beneficiary for the Mutts and Meows Pet Picnic: Homeward Bound Foundation. We realized that Homeward Bound Foundation worked with many other shelters, and thus by helping them, perhaps we could help everyone at the same time. We will keep everyone posted, and hope that you will attend our benefit. We are eagerly underway with the planning, and are in dire need of volunteers and silent auction donations. Please do let us know if you are able to help out in any way. We thank you all, again, for your interest, and for showing us that amazing people like yourselves exist and do great things.

     Cordially and eternally grateful,

     Christina Dillon

But here’s the kicker. Right this very second, I’m sitting on my computer watching a dog run up and down stairs whining… waiting for her momma to come back. I’ve never realized how much time a dog spends waiting for his or her human! I don’t know one human that cares this much or is this patient. And ESPECIALLY a child for his or her parent! And yet, we require organization after organization to beg for donations to help these creatures? What’s wrong with us? My dog, on the other hand, is asleep in the crook of my knee, as usual, as I type this blog.

I have spent more time thinking about pets and the things they do for us lately. My dear friend’s dog passed yesterday. Though the most difficult decision she’s ever made, it was evident that it was time. Nonetheless, nothing I do will ever be more than an adoring and loving animal. No business negotiation, no advertising campaign, nothing. As tacky as the saying is, “be the person your dog thinks you are” is truly my new mantra.

Thank you, Tulip, for making me a better person. I can only hope that I will live up to your love for just one second. And I hope that I provide you the love and home that your adoration deserves.

The ad for the Tappan Fantastic 400 from the '50's.

So, I’m on a kick. We’re building out the new office space and art gallery, and I was asked to help. Now, everyone who knows me knows I can’t decorate. Moreover, I can barely dress myself. Ultimately, I am far from an artist (unless you consider sales, marketing and business plans an art, which I do, but that’s another blog). So, when the call came in, here’s what happened: I was asked to outfit our kitchen with everything from cabinets to appliances. And thus, began the obsession.

I entered Craigslist. Within an hour I had set up appointments to see every vintage, 1950′s specifically, kitchen appliance, countertop, and cabinet within a 20 mile radius (figured cheap meets funky- so why not?). Within three hours, I was the proud owner of a 1954 Tappan Fabulous 400 double oven and 4 range cooktop. Why do we need a double oven a cooktop in an office? I’m a cook and baker. And when stressed, or simply needing to process an idea through  my head, I do it best while creating delicacies. (I had a tough week last week, and thus, made 51 tamales over an 8 hour period. But, I digress…)

 The 1950′s was the beginning of advertising as we know it. Not as far as graphic layout, or even as far as verbiage that’s used in a sales pitch (both of which have gone down in iconic history). Nope. It was the beginning of fear based sales, subliminal advertising/distrust of advertisers, and surveys showing the efficacy of ad campaigns.

 With the cold war at it’s height, bomb shelters were sold as kits. Here you have a CBS archive recording of a bomb shelter advertisement. http://archives.cbc.ca/war_conflict/cold_war/topics/274-1462/ The precursor to marketing if you think about it. The radio segment doesn’t necessarily sell you the shelter, but rather informs you that you actually need one. Better yet, it tells you why. Fear based sales were the beginning of marketing know-how. You could differentiate between the two so easily, because the need was explained. It’s not a happy purchase- it’s a necessary purchase.

 Subliminal advertising was also created during this time. Or so we think. Jim Vicary, an ad executive in the ’50′s said he’d gotten people to buy concessions during a movie by flashing “Eat Popcorn, Drink Coca-Cola” during it. Later he recounted saying he’d made it up, but the public never trusted ads again. All through the ’70′s, ads claimed to have used sexual images in their ads to imply that buying their product would result in your getting laid. Again, nobody can prove this. What’s interesting is that it’s not actually illegal for a ad company to USE subliminal advertising practices. (But with so many assuming it’s done, why bother? It’s hard getting you to buy when hitting you over the head with the product. I don’t have time to tap your unconscious.)

 Last but not least, the proof of advertising was born. A survey was done about beer. People told the surveyors they liked “light, dry” beer. But not one could explain what “dry” meant in this context. And with mass production at an all time high, instead of allowing product to build up in warehouses, advertisers made sure that every American knew they needed the product they were selling (uh, can you say: STIMULATE DEMAND?).

 So many of these simple ideas are now well explained and defined marketing and advertising methods. Only half a century ago they were accidentally being created by the American culture, and the happenings in the world at the time. So many movies have been made to dispel the ‘happy times’ image (Pleasantville, Mona Lisa’s Smile) yet we still have a want and desire to be part of this time in history. What is it about the ’50′s that have us entranced? Is it the change of culture? The growth in business and economy? The Cleaver household that we all still want (or think we want)?

 For me, it’s the super cool double oven, cute apron, and ability to serve you a piece of Bundt cake and coffee in the middle of an afternoon in our office. 

I am the sponsorship chair on a non-profit board. Though I have had less than an easy time on this board, and have attempted to quit many times over, I keep getting drawn back. The board is dominated by my social sphere, and thus makes it quite a bit of fun, but mostly, I find the job ridiculously easy and the accolades in abundance. It seems, I work for praise with this group. More importantly, it’s a quid pro quo situation. I find them sponsors (in my sleep in most cases) and they praise me. I love it. How do I find these sponsors? Simple– I go to my network and tell them all about quid pro quo. The non profit will scratch their back, in exchange, please scratch ours. I firmly believe my success in this category is in that I recripocate! I’m not asking for handouts, I’m asking “how can I help YOU”!

Since I’ve returned to the world of ‘deal making’ in business, I’m finding my daily mantra has returned to “what can I find that will be quid pro quo today”? Fortunately, I’ve found quite a bit. Last night, at a dinner with sponsors, clients, potential clients, and a random, I found myself scratching the back of one company, by actually scratching- on their behalf- the back of another. In turn, they’re scratching mine.

So here’s a bit of homework for those of you who read this: take a look at your contacts and say, “who’s back can I scratch today?” What you’ll find is that if you can scratch the back of an associate, they can almost always scratch yours ten times over. This is how you build a strong network. So, go out there and ask, “Do you understand quid pro quo?” If they don’t- explain it to them, and make a deal happen. You’ll be amazed at how fast your business will grow. And your back will feel great.

I made a mistake. Our company name is Massive. When talking about marketing, the name has a lot of implications, especially when combined with one of the five hundred tag lines we’ve come up with (all of which are incredible, by the way). No, here’s what I did wrong: I decided my name could be Massive Chic. As in, I’m the chic in Massive Creative. Instead- I’m implying that I’m grossly overweight– not my intention.

I’ve learned a few things from looking at competitors and listening to friends:

1. Always have a memorable and pronounceable name– check!

2. Always have a web presence when selling websites–check!

3. Always be on the bleeding edge, not behind the times on the cutting one–check!

4. Always work with the best people in the industry–check!

5. Never imply you’re fat when you’re not. Uh… check?

So, I showed up. They sent me away, telling me I had to have an appointment. Mind you the lobby was completely empty. Miraculously, there was an opening an hour later, so I could come back then. And you know what? I did. When I came back, the girl was upfront with me saying that they were going to do a number of tests on me, taking upwards of two hours. Did I have that kind of time? I sure did! A footballer told me they were the answer to my prayers! And so, for two hours, I did test after test (of which I believed was giving them all the answers as to why my feet hurt) and was reminded that after two hours I would be asked to make a significant $500 purchase. Knowing that purchase would end my pain and suffering. I agreed, continued on, and believed every word they said.

After it was all said and done, the girl went into the back room to bring me the answer to my prayers. It was then that I noticed these insoles weren’t custom, as I had simply assumed. I caught a glimpse into that backroom. That’s how I found out. They were one of five different, yet standard, shoe insoles. Right then I knew I knew I had not been had, but been sold.

Remember the restaurant Sizzler? They taught us the greatest sales lesson ever: nobody ever bought a steak from them because they didn’t sell steaks. They sold the sizzle! This company tried to sell me the sizzle– but I caught them at the last second. Ironically, they showed me enough value in those two hours that I still bought the insoles.

Today I got an email that said something like this: “We need to develop some sort of ad package to inform selected prospects of our product. Because the cost of this service is directed to a very high clientele it must be something that reaches them and not the trash. Ideas?”

These people have no idea what they’re in store for. They don’t know what they need, they don’t know what they want, and they sure don’t know what this is going to cost. But, thanks to a shoe insoles girl and Sizzler, I’m confident I have what it takes to show them all of the above. It’s time for me to figure out our own sizzle. Time for me to be that footballer and tell the world I know how to make their pain go away. Moreover, it’s time for me to set the expectation, create the value, make the promise, and deliver.

So, here it is. My first generic blog post. Everyone needs that first moment to establish their online ‘voice’. To get your readership something to read, and to garner what to expect in upcoming blogs. Thus- I write for you all.

First, some background. I am what is fondly known as a Serial Entrepreneur. Believe it or not, this phrase is actually registered with wikipedia- a shocking revelation for me when I found this out. It actually gave me a bit of credibility, in my own head mind you. But it means that I love starting companies, working my ass off, and then selling them or moving on. Only once did I ever say, “I will never sell this company”. Six months later, I did. It was a marketing and PR firm. I’ve regretted it ever since.

The beautiful thing was I made enough money from that transaction that I decided to do what everybody with some cash lying around does: invest. I became a real estate investor overnight. Over the period of four years, I would become a foreclosure expert, short sale innovator, and successful speaker. None of which gave me any satisfaction (though it did manage to build a pretty portofolio for me).

I woke morning after morning increasingly unmotivated to do anything. Then, the best offer landed in my lap. Undisputedly, Colorado’s best marketing company split and the talent asked me to come back into the industry and run the company.

Seeing as my short story is getting longer- I’ll cut to the chase. This blog is about not only my getting my feet back into the pool I belong in, but more importantly, my education of what’s changed in the last four years. With technological changes, social networking taking a lead, and many other innovations, I plan to educate myself (and thus you) with what’s hot, what’s going to stay, and what’s simply not. But more importantly– I’m going to rock this nation with the best marketing and advertising firm ever created. Nobody’s got anything on me… uh, hopefully.