This is an OPEN INVITATION to ALL of my friends, colleagues and extended network!

(please read all of this post…  kinda long, but VERY important.)

I wanted to make sure I invited all of you to this amazing event, the 2012 Business Growth Summit coming up on the 31st of January!

It’s put on by a group started by some associates and myself about 2 months ago called Above The Line America. We’re a networking group like no other – (no fees, no forced referrals, no stupid clapping – unless you feel like clapping…  ).

Above The Line America is focused on building and supporting community first and fostering “Above The Line” business relationships second. It’s geared to bring like-minded leaders and business owners together to change the conversation from “below the line” (blame, denial and irresponsibility) back “Above The Line” (Accountability, Ownership, Respect).

The event is an ALL DAY Business Summit, focused on YOUR business and connecting you with some of the most innovative thought leaders in business and emerging business today.

Tony Brigmon (formerly with Southwest Airlines)
Geoff Wood (Silicon Prairie News)
Jordan Lampe (Dwolla)
Major Sean Quinlan (US Marines Bronze Star recipient)
Angela Maiers (Maiers Education Services) and more!

Learn the process and allow yourself to Dream, Set Goals, Make Plans, and Take Action! Leave the day armed with your overall 2012 Plan and next steps for the first 90 days. Have FUN and connect with 400 of your AboveTheLineAmerica™ partners for success! Eat, drink, plan and CONNECT with the BEST and BRIGHTEST in Business!

Let’s get this out of the way…  1/2 PRICE TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE. GO TO REGISTER AND USE THE DISCOUNT CODE “VIP.” (no quotes, of course)

I know this invitation doesn’t give much time to decide and some of you may not be in Des Moines, Iowa for the 31st, but I wanted to send out invites to everyone I thought would be able to get value from this amazing event.

If you can’t attend, PLEASE let me know your thoughts and if you’d be willing to attend another event like this on a regularly scheduled basis. And if you know of someone that SHOULD attend that I haven’t reached, PLEASE forward this on to them!

This is a group and an event that is VERY close to my heart. If you can attend, or are interested in Above The Line America membership (go to www.abovethelineamerica.com for more info on that), I’d be MORE than happy to welcome you with OPEN ARMS!

Thanks for your time!

Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

(originally posted at: http://TheBrandChef.tumblr.com )

Jonathan Fields is an author…

That’s where it all started for me.

I read his book, Uncertainty, Turning Fear and Doubt Into Fuel for Brilliance. And for those that know me, I NEEDED it. I can’t say it changed my life. I’ve personally understood what he wrote in the book for 20 years, but it revealed a path on which I could take the first step.  Read it today, I highly encourage it…

So, this morning, as I traveled on that path with meetings for a new venture, creating an outline for new campaigns, dreaming of the future and my plans for personal growth and “World Domination,”  I looked through my email and was shown just another hint of the brilliance that Jonathan Fields was willing to share with us.  It was a notification from Slideshare that Jonathan had posted a new slide deck.

Big deal, right? I get that notification as people I follow in SlideShare post new decks and videos daily. But this one stood out. It simply showed Jonathan Field’s portrait and the title “Annual Report 2011: Serve | Aspire | Transcend” 

I had to click.

What I saw was inspiring. What I read was engaging. What I felt was motivated to make 2012 the start of MY future to Serve, Aspire and Transcend.  I had my start with his book, but Jonathan’s slide deck (a look back for him), which I humbly share here, has become the blueprint for TheBrandChef (Andrew B. Clark) and how I choose to move through my life moving forward.

View…

Annual Report 2011: Serve | Aspire | Transcend

OOOOOOH are things heating up the TheBrandChef’s kitchen this morning? Thanks Jonathan Fields (@jonathanfields) for the permission to dream and act on my dreams.

NOW…  you go do the same!

Keep Cooking!
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

I joined Kosama Downtown (check out their program here) a few weeks ago, and with my busy schedule, I “wisely” set the time for my workouts for 5 AM.  Needless to say, 5 am comes pretty early these days, so forgetfulness is usually forgiven. For those that have done these kinds of wacko workout schedules, you know that forgetting something is a common occurrence. Sure, some times it’s shampoo or a razor – that you can most likely get on with your day and recover from. But today, I had the unique pleasure of FORGETTING MY PANTS!

I packed them in my bag. I remember it. But after the workout was done. The shower was complete. My teeth were brushed – sure, I remembered that. I reached into the bag for my pants and … nothing – a sweaty wrist wrap, a baggie of baby carrots, and some duffel goo, but no pants.

A wave of panic rushed over me as I dug through every pocket of my bag. No. No. Nope, not there, either… WHAT THE HELL? I REMEMBER PACKING THEM! Soon, other guys in the locker room were noticing my stress / panic.

“I think I forgot my pants.” I said to no one – just trying to explain why I was rustling around in my bag of sweaty clothes like a freak. “I swear I packed ‘em.” And I laughed a feeble laugh. “heh..uhhe…” keeping my eyes on the search.

Quickly, my mind raced back to 8th grade swim practice where at this moment, the Seniors would pick me up and throw me into the hall wearing nothing but my shiny braces – quickly locking the door behind me. So, calmly and as graciously as possible, I’d cover my genitals and wave a single salute at Jenny Tripp and her squealing gaggle of girlfriends.

Ah, but this is 30 years later and I was in no threat of utter embarrassment. And anyway, who would want to throw a sweaty 43-year old out into a hallway wearing nothing but blue dress socks and a tee-shirt?!?

“I’ll laugh my ASS off if you have to walk to your car like that!” a voice echoed from behind me.

Aw shit, I thought. Not now. Not here.

Then, from 4 lockers down a gentleman held out a pair of sweat pants. “You can wear these if you want.” he held them up, “They’re clean.” and took a sniff as if to assure me they didn’t stink.

“Thanks.” I laughed. ” I think I’ll be okay from here to my car in my own sweatpants.” although the idea of putting my post-workout rags back on was horrifying. Out of disciplined honor to “the Dude’s Code,” I just couldn’t borrow another man’s pants - clean or not.

SO, the embarrassing chaos ended as the other men cleared the locker room and I got half dressed. I put away my toothbrush and razor. I put away my hair brush and face towel. I zipped them all safely away for the day’s journey to the back of my Jeep. I put on my shirt and took my sweater off the hanger and …

Oh, my pants.

Keep Cooking & Happy Thanksgiving… Whatever state of dress you may be in.
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

Telemarketing is not dead.  I have proof. Well, I have proof people are still trying it at least.

Of course there are still common sense uses for telemarketing, but with the onset of digital messaging, I see its use and utility becoming a little like that of the FAX machine. I still have a FAX number on my business card, but really couldn’t pinpoint the last time it was used.

So, that brings me to today’s little post. While I was at lunch with some close friends, I saw a call come in on my cell phone that I didn’t recognize. Generally, and I’m sorry to those I’ve screened, I don’t answer calls from numbers I don’t readily identify as “friendly.” That may be due to the fact that I used to be the director of a loan collection telemarketing center, or it may simply be that I live in Iowa, where every 4-years-or-so, we become the political solicitation call capital of the world. In any case, if you’ve gone my to voice-mail once and left a “friendly” message, I can guarantee you probably won’t again (unless I’m too busy for real.)

So, I finished lunch and got back to the office to check my messages and I’m assaulted with the following:

Yeah, right?

So, let me smack this poor guy around a little…

1. The company (or guy) did a Google search for “Social Media” — maybe even as specific as “Social Media Marketing, Des Moines” and found my Website. BIG DEAL
2. He’s reading from a poorly written script. YAWN
3. His pitch was vague, broad and unappealing. CLICK
4. There was no tangible call-to-action. FAIL
5. There was no research or qualification to the call. DUH And
6. HE SURE AS HELL KNEW MY NAME IS ANDREW…  (he said it 9 times in less than 90 seconds! GOOD LORD! I’m vain, but that’s uncalled for!)

So, what are my takeaways from this little solicitation? Telemarketing can work if you approach it logically.

1. Don’t be a robot.  If I were to answer, I can only assume this guy would have, without taking a breath, given me the :90 seconds you just heard without engaging me for a second. If you’re going from a script, memorize it and interject sales points and benefits as the conversation progresses. Don’t read to me!
2. Be prepared. Sure a Google search and some skimming of a company website may give you the gist of who you’re calling, but with a little deeper dive (LinkedIn, Twitter search, etc.) he could have personalized some of the pitch to make me feel more comfortable that he was stalking me.
3. Don’t bury your lead. It took well over :50 seconds (of :90 total) for the “Hook” to be presented. If you want to get someone’s attention, you don’t have time for chit-chat, especially in this day of “Immediate Gratification.” I’ve seen his business model as a start-up happen in less time than it took him to tell me about it. TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE!
4. Finally, Leave ‘Em Hangin’… Don’t reveal the hook when leaving a voice-mail… Even when I was collecting student loans, I would leave messages that would make people think they should call back. Not by being deceptive or dishonest, but by feeding enough information to them that calling for the “punch line” seems logical.

Like I said, telemarketing can work, but it has to be used the right way.

Let me know your thoughts. Would YOU have taken this call? Would you have even listened to the enitre message before hitting DELETE?

Food for thought.

Keep Cooking,
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef

“When one door closes another door opens; but we so often look so long and so regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us.”

— Alexander Graham Bell

This is for those of you out there that dwell just a little too long on the word “No.” (And this includes yours truly) Yeah, it sucks, BAD, but after the initial sting of the response, there are two simple decisions you can make:

1) Stand there with your heart in your hand and stare longingly, wishing you could bury your head in a bucket of cement, OR

2) Brush the dirt from the poor scuffed up little blob and put it back from whence it came, vowing to learn from the experience.

I’m not the Motivational Marketing Tooth-fairy or some kind of Communications Cheerleader that’s here to give you a shot to the arm when you’re feeling down. On the contrary, I’ve been there more times than I can count. I’ve been slapped down my defeat. I’ve wallowed with the best of the “wallowers,” and I’ll tell you one thing…

IT’S VERY UNPRODUCTIVE.

While unproductive as “Feeling Defeated” is, it does more than just give you the blues. “Defeatism” is a psychological sand trap that not even Arnold Palmer has the right club to get out of. Swing as you may, without taking the experience objectively and learning from it, you’d simply dig and dig deeper into the hell that is the blues bogey monster.

Defeatism, depression, insecurity, fear… whatever you want to call it, it’s a powerful foe. You can’t fight it alone. You can’t focus on “it” solely. It’s the bully of the psychological playground and will kick your ass as soon as look at you.

I write this today, because I had someone say “no” to me – a proposal for work. I was pissed. I was despondent, but, instead of bowing my head and accepting defeat, I decided to fight back.  I asked the prospect this simple question:

“What was it that made your decision NOT to use our services?”

His answer?

“Well, while your proposal was very thorough and addressed our questions, we’ve just decided to go another direction.”

Loosely interpreted, “It’s not you, it’s me.” 

I was never going to win that fight, so I thanked him for his time, reminded him of the services we offer and graciously hung up the phone.

Was I still pissed? Yes, but I had another meeting to go to and didn’t have time to focus on the “no-ish” explanation.

I packed up my bag and went on to my meeting where I was GIVEN the entire marketing and communications strategy for 2012 (easily 3x the previous proposal) of a client that I didn’t expect to get more than some simple WordPress updates and FaceBook monitoring.

KER-SMACK…  Another door opened.

Had I been focused on the previous door, would I have seen the cues in the meeting that lead to this new business? Probably not. I would have been sullen and retracted my marketing and sales arms. But without hesitation, I noticed the opportunity and walked through the door, SLAMMING IT RIGHT IN THE FACE OF DEFEAT!

BOOO-YAH …  I JUST GAVE THE SMACK DOWN TO DEFEAT.

So, next time you get “No” for an answer, and we ALL will, take a step back, try to derive a lesson from it, and move on. If you have an opportunity to learn from your mistakes, then you can never consider them actual mistakes.

Rah-Rah-SIS-BOOM-BAH…  That’s as much cheer leading I do. I’d rather keep cooking… 

How do you handle rejection and the feelings that accompany it? Is there a process? Is there a plan to learn from it?  I’d LOVE to hear your stories about kicking “Defeat” in its ARSE!

Until next time…

Keep Cooking (positive mental momentum)
Andrew B. Clark
The Brand Chef