However, (insert ominous soundtrack here) the book (which I have read – honest!) and it’s ilk mostly repeat aphorisms which, to the uninitiated, appear magical, but which, to the tired veterans like me, appear like so much dissolute tripe.

Please don’t get me wrong; there’s much to admire about the tenets put forth in this book. It’s just that, after living the reality of marketing leadership for 20 years (which I still love), it is clear that one must practice a careful separation between idealism and productivity.

Yeah, yeah, make sure you differentiate yourself during the last five minutes of a presentation. Great. Ultimately, though, many sales people will be utterly unable to accomplish this simple task, ending up instead drooling on their shoes, devulging corporate secrets, and making witty remarks about the client’s decor. Sad, but true.

Operational marketing – that process by which one ultimately achieves long-term success – is less glamorous, but, in a way, more fun.

PS – Sooooo many congrats on the impending progeny, continuing success of your site, etc. Plus, much jealousy (Damn you, Mighty Girl!).

Cowabunga.

PS – Oooh, Oooh, by the way: listened to the NPR piece and you sound just like I though you would.

Thank God.

It would have been intolerable to have found out that your sound like, oh, say… Fran Drescher.

Happy Holidays!

“Those last five minutes make it easy for your customers to find the difference between you and everyone else.”

I think we concentrate so much on first impressions, that many times we forget to concentrate on sustaining that impression.

In movies, awesomeness only seems to really count if you’re a boy, and that makes me want to punch something.

Maggie, I heart you.