OPENING WORDS FROM AN OLD FART

Hello: My name is Tom and I am an adman.

I've spent the last 29 years in the advertising industry as a writer and producer in the Phoenix, Arizona market.

Last September, after nine years at a business-to-business advertising agency with worldwide clients, I was shown the utmost appreciation for my time and input by being shown the door.

This led to seven months of unemployment, which ultimately led to an interview for a job in a whole new world.

I was hired as the writer of a new marketing department in a company that up to now had no marketing department.

"We're looking for people who don't understand our business, but who can promote it for us. Because we haven't been able to market ourselves very well," the owner said.

Ostensibly, I was being hired to write landing pages, a new service that the company wanted to offer to its customers. It required a marketer's mind and considerable creativity. That's me, all right.

I got the job. A marketing department formed around me. We do a lot more than Landing Pages. Internal marketing is a big part of what we do.

I still don't completely understand SEO, link building, etc. But I'm getting there. This blog will document the stuff I learn, the stuff I hear about, the stuff I go through and the stuff that I think you'll find interesting and helpful.

Off to a meeting now.