A major news outlet called me, Dave, last week and wanted to ask me some questions. I said “No.”
Before you call me a wacko and say that I should have said yes because it would have been TREMENDOUS positioning for me, Area 224 and our Real SMM launch, here’s the backstory.
Back in the day — circa 2006 until early 2009, ages ago in Internet speak — I ran a business called U Sphere. We were in the college admissions portal business; it was a great learning experience, we made a little noise, blah blah blah.
As part and parcel of that business, I got out there as an expert on college admissions: the process, how families can navigate through it, what schools are up-and-coming, all those fun things.
Well, a reporter with Smart Money got ahold of my name, gave me a call, explained what she was working on. Could I help? She was on deadline and it had to happen like, this morning.
I said no…but it was a qualified no…and that’s what’s good for business.
My qualified no was pretty simple — U Sphere was no longer operating, and I know someone who would be dynamite for her interview.
So I gave her the name and number of my friend in the admissions world, Paul Lloyd Hemphill, and said that he’s the right guy, he’d be happy to help her, go ahead and give him a call, and say that you know me.
The result? Well, here’s a link to the full college admission article from SmartMoney.com.
Could I have done the interview? Absolutely, operating under the theory of having forgotten more than most people will ever know about that subject. But that would have been a bad idea, and pretty arrogant of me. So here’s why the next step was GOOD for business.
- It scored points with the reporter. Reporters like helpful people, even if you are not their eventual interview subject. Your honesty will help big time — “I’m not the right person, but [so and so] is.”
- It allowed someone else to be positioned as an expert — good for him, good for the reporter, good for the story.
- It did NOT take Area 224 off the 8-ball. We don’t play in the college admissions game; why waste everyone’s valuable time?
- It solidified a working relationship — Paul now knows for a fact that we have him “on the shelf of the mind” when anyone needs college admissions advice. We are now his go-to for PR and marketing advice and counsel.
So, peanut gallery — did Dave from Area 224 do the right thing?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
I really can’t add much, Dave. You did the right thing … and your four reasons for acting as you did are the same explanations I would cite for doing so.
And even if you did remember a fair amount about the admissions industry, I’d like to think that you would’ve turned down the interview anyway, particularly considering reason No. 3 AND the fact that you could offer a viable back-up option to the reporter.
BTW, I guess you could add a No. 5 to the list: It’s just good karma.
Great work, as always.
While I like karma, this really was a gut reaction. Seriously: While I’d love to put Smart Money down as a place I’ve appeared, my gut told me that Paul was a better fit and more likely to be a “win-win.”
Appreciate the comment!
Dave, Dave, Dave. You’re never gonna get to be a Master Of The Universe with that kind of go-giver, pay it forward nonsense! Where is the old “one call & they’re closed” Dave?
Of course you did the right thing for both yours and Lindsay’s reasons. Further, by resisting lizard brain impulses you avoid the very real negative aspects those 5 reasons represent in the opposite.
Give a little away and you get more than a little back. Sound & ethical business practice for sure.
Yeah, I know. I know…IMHO, this is a great “payoff of integrated marketing” exercise, too, for Paul, the quotee.
Dave,
I was impressed that you gave SmartMoney Magazine my name. It only validates my long-standing impression of you as a stand-up guy who knows “when to hold ‘em, when to fold ‘em.” In other words, I can trust you, which already makes me look pretty naive in this cyberworld of fast relationships and quick fixes that fix nothing and leaves everyone frustrated. Of course I was right at home with the reporter, and when I told my clients about the article, it validated their reasons for doing business with me. You, my kind sir, made everybody win in this scenario. And thank you…I’m doing a video for you today! = your fault completely!
Paul, your comments make me blush. Thanks!