Thanks, Obama...
Dear Mr. President,
Is it too much to ask that I get a bit more advance notice when you're planning something—like "A Week of Making"—that syncs so well with our theme for this year's B2B Marketing Forum? "Make Marketing Magic" and "A Week of Making." See the similarities?
I know your week kicks off today (June 12) and lasts through June 18. And I understand that it coincides with the National Maker Faire. But would it have killed you to pick up the phone (or to text-message, because—let's be honest—I'm not really a phone person) to share these important details in, say, February, when I'm in Q2 planning mode?
I get it; you're busy. You've got foreign policy decisions to make and legislation to worry about, not to mention raising two teenage daughters who, if I can be honest, look like they're growing into badass young feminists ready to conquer the world in their own right. That's a lot of important stuff on one person's plate, which makes me happy you've got a big staff of smart people and a budget in the trillions to help you cover the details.
But marketers are busy, too, and we don't always have large teams and a lot of money to make things happen. The good news is, regardless of our sometimes limited time and resources, we rock at pulling out the creativity and making things—big ideas, small changes, and all the in-between details—happen every day.
We make magic experiences for our companies and our customers, and that is a pretty big deal.
I like to think of marketers—really great marketers—as the unsung heroes of the business world. The misunderstood. We make our work look easy, not because it is easy (trust me, despite what some salespeople imply, marketing really is hard work), but through years of practice and an "always be learning" mindset. We are leaders that make change happen, make investments in new technologies, and make our companies money—lots of money.
All this while Twitter talks trash (I've spent endless work hours and spare time reading the hilarity—I'm sure you can empathize, but that's for another day) and our parents are still trying to figure out what it is we do with that educational investment.
So, as you see, we might not be slinging code or engineering solar-powered robots or building tiny houses (sorry, Ann, but I didn't see you with a circular saw or a belt sander during construction of your tiny house), but a marketer's work is vital—and it's all about making.
So go ahead and do your "Week of Making" this month, highlight our nation's makers, and encourage people to roll up their sleeves and get their hands dirty. We'll be celebrating our people—marketing people—all year long. Because, as our 2015 B2B Marketing Forum theme perfectly articulates, marketers MAKE Marketing Magic.
Don't forget to be awesome (that includes dropping the deets a bit earlier in the future, hint-hint).
Jo
P.S. While you're practicing those text-messaging skills, can you send one over to my boss encouraging her to give me a promotion? I do aspire to become CMO one day, and while I'm not sure you have much sway (not being a marketer and all), every little bit of endorsement can help. Amirite? It's the least you can do as a make-good.
