The Things That Can Happen When You Don't Know Where You're Going

When I was still trying to figure out this next phase of my life I went to a book launch by a man I had never heard of before. The book was called World Wide Rave and the author was someone named David Meerman Scott. 

I was quite taken with David, his story and his perspective on what he referred to as the new rules of Marketing and PR. He had worked for large corporations and had been fired from them. So we had a lot in common. 

I started to follow him on the social networks and became a regular reader of his blog. I learned a lot from David. He has always impressed me as one of the few marketing gurus out there who actually walks the walk. He doesn't just preach engagement and sharing, he practices it. He has a no gobbledygook rule that I have adopted. To say his thinking helped to form my own on how to use digital tools to brand and sell is an understatement.

In one of those synchronistic twists of fate that first meeting was at the Kimmel Center at NYU - several years before I joined the adjunct faculty. 

When I first started to teach Digital Marketing  and was in search of a textbook, the only thing that I found that could come close to being a comprehensive overview of what marketing in a digital world looked like was his book, The New Rules of Marketing and PR.

I let him know and made both his book and his blog required reading. 

David has a new book.  As part of his research he solicited ideas on perspectives on selling from his readers. Needless to say, with twenty-five years in sales and sales management to my credit, I had a lot to say on the subject so I sent off an email.

David responded and said he wanted to do a phone interview.

That was a year ago in September. I remember hanging up the phone and trying not to get too attached to whether that interview would actually make it in the final draft. Instead I exercised extreme gratitude that a handful of years after first meeting someone whose work impressed me so, my story might even be considered for one of his books.

I guess my gratitude worked because I am honored to report back that I am in the book! 

I have no idea what I said - I'll be back to you after I get my copy - but David tells me my story is perfect. The official publication date of The New Rules of Sales and Service is September 2, 2014. 

In the meantime, David is practicing the marketing methods he preaches and offering this great slide presentation to give you a peek at what you will find in the book. 

When I started this part of my journey back in 2008 I had no idea where I was going. What I've discovered along the way is that as long as you're willing to put one foot in front of the other and keep yourself open, you will meet the people you need to meet, you'll learn what you need to know and you will never cease to be amazed at the synchronicity of it all and the delightful surprises that will occur. 

Like being quoted in The New Rules of Sales and Service!