“Spot ate Cameron’s homework” and other useful stuff

I’m down here in Delray Beach, Florida – and don’t feel envious. The weather is crap – though somewhat better than the first time I came this way.


That was quite a few years ago, and I had the terrifying experience of being bang slap in the eye of Hurricane Andrew. This time it’s just grey and miserable.

I’m here to do a speech at the Early-to-Rise event about one secret of success which almost every marketer ignores – and to get an award for spending so many years in this business without going to jail.

So what is this jamboree like? Having been to God knows how many, I can tell you I am no fan of these affairs. But I am impressed.

The whole thing was kicked off yesterday with a two hour talk from Michael Masterson which was really full of commonsense, simple advice. Now I know where I’m going wrong.

At drinks last night I spent much of my time with MaryEllen Tribby, a very clever lady indeed who was CEO of Early-to-Rise until she started http://workingmomsonly.com just a few months ago.

I thought it was such a bright idea I wrote to her when she started saying so – and being efficient, she remembered me doing so.

Today she did a talk with Michael Masterson called Perception versus Reality – an excellent guide to starting a business, which started with wonderful demolition of all the get rich quick rubbish I get every day.

I made a lot of notes – but saw many people took none. Fools.

She listed five things you need to get started – and gave ten tips, which I’m listing below. They are all simple, and widely ignored

  • Know something personal about someone you want to deal with
  • Be sincere
  • Respond to people quickly
  • Be on time
  • Don’t use your family as an excuse if you’re late (she’s obviously keen on timeliness!) (Great line: “Spot ate Cameron’s homework”
  • Be positive
  • Do your research about someone’s business if you want to deal with them
  • Don’t gossip
  • Give more than you get
  • Just say no if you can’t do something
I guess I get about 3 out of 10

She also talked about humble-isation. Good advice to people who start to feel arrogant because they’ve had a little success

About the Author

In 2003, the Chartered Institute of Marketing named Drayton one of 50 living individuals who have shaped today’s marketing.

He has worked in 55 countries with many of the world’s greatest brands. These include American Express, Audi, Bentley, British Airways, Cisco, Columbia Business School, Deutsche Post, Ford, IBM, McKinsey, Mercedes, Microsoft, Nestle, Philips, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Unilever, Visa and Volkswagen.

Drayton has helped sell everything from Airbus planes to Peppa Pig. His book, Commonsense Direct and Digital Marketing, out in 17 languages, has been the UK’s best seller on the subject every year since 1982. He has also run his own businesses in the U.K., Portugal and Malaysia.

He was a main board member of the Ogilvy Group, a founding member of the Superbrands Organisation, one of the first eight Honorary Fellows of the Institute of Direct Marketing and one of the first three people named to the Hall of Fame of the Direct Marketing Association of India. He has also been given Lifetime Achievement Awards by the Caples Organisation in New York and Early To Rise in Florida.

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