THE VIEW VS THE VISION: A MARKETING ANALOGY

It would be easy to feel intimidated while sitting in the office of a network executive at NBC/Universal. Today, as I looked out this executive’s 8th floor window and over vast amounts of  Hollywood, I tried to keep my perspective. I was not a lowly mom trying to convince a wealthy big wig that he needs me and the team I work with to sell his movies. I am a human, with ideas on how to help another human reach his goals. My experiences are not any less than those of the man who sits before me. Yes, he makes a lot of money. He has a fantastic office with a view that not too many people in Hollywood can boast about. He is in charge of making very critical decisions for one of the entertainment industry’s largest networks. He has to find the most cost effective way of marketing. I was there with my peers to show him that our team can offer him a way to meet and exceed that goal. All four of us in the room were experts in our respective fields. Salaries and lifestyles aside…we are equals. We are flesh and bone. We have hopes and fears. It’s a small world after all…and all that jazz. So what does it all boil down to?

I find it extremely helpful to remind myself that people in his position need us as much as we need them. It is not a matter of power. It is not a matter of what we can get from a relationship, or what he can get from us. Every deal, every relationship whether it be business or personal, is about what you can offer each other. It is in giving and figuring out how to work together in meaningful, symbiotic ways that both parties really profit. There are many companies who enter that executives office on  a daily basis, hoping to win his favor, convince him to hire them to handle the marketing of Universal movies. They all have great things to offer, I’m sure. At the end of the day, however, I hope that we exited his office, leaving behind a good impression. Not just an impression that we are capable of marketing his movies, but that we seek a mutually beneficial relationship. The kind we hold with our other team members. The kind I pride myself on creating with the people I know and work with online. At the end of that day, we all go home and leave our roles behind us. I hope that he was able to see not only the amazing business capabilities, but also see the kind of people we are and our true intentions for seeking out a relationship with Universal. If he did, then I envision the beginning of a wonderful relationship, where we all use our gifts to reach a common goal and shared success.

The view from his office was beautiful…but the vision was absolutely breathtaking.