Off the Tee, Into Reality | Chris Theisen
When I got into digital marketing I didn’t have a formal marketing background. While that would seem to many as a detriment, it’s served me well over my 10+ year career.
I try to approach things as a user.
When I write, it’s normally from the perspective of the person on the other side of the screen who has a problem. Maybe in this case your problem is that you clicked through to read more about me. How do I guide you down the path to solving that problem?
In all seriousness, helping solve problems is something I’ve always enjoyed doing, even before getting into marketing. My first passion and career was as a golf professional. No, not the people that play golf for money on TV. They are professional golfers. The biggest difference you get when switching these two words? The zeroes on the paychecks. While I truly love the game, it can be a good walk, spoiled. A golfer never solves the puzzle that is golf. When they’re having a number of problems they seek out a lesson with their golf professional. I got lots of practice solving problems in that career.
Shifting Gears
It’s said that people use “the internet” for only two things: entertaining themselves or to solve a problem. When I started I thought that was all my job was. Create entertaining content or problem-solving content. Listening and being a resource. Over the years my thinking has shifted. I still approach marketing content and campaigns around solving the users problems, but the end goal is a bit different. In the end, marketing should be about driving revenue. Your employer isn’t paying you in Monopoly money. Your clients can’t keep their businesses open with likes, views, comments, and nice-looking assets.
This is why I was excited after my initial discussion with Jarred, Lori, and Brandon about joining the 1909 DIGITAL team. Jarred and I have been connected for almost as many years as I’ve been in the space. He and I would commiserate over coffee or lunch about how we think it should be done. The timing and the team were right for me to sign on. Most of us have sat on the brand side and had to prove our worth to the company. Many of us have worked on the agency side and needed to show real value to keep clients bringing in revenue and re-signing contracts. And we’ve all seen the pitfalls when you don’t operate with revenue (or at least measurable brand growth) as the ultimate goal.
That’s not to say we’re a cold, calculating bunch. Far from it. Our team was formed by bringing together a multitude of skill sets. We have a breadth of experience and a depth of expertise. We don’t shy away from hard discussions about how digital marketing drives business results.
I’m not the typical marketer and 1909 isn’t the typical agency. What goals can I smash for you?
