I am hanging my head in shame. Did I really only post one blog in 2013? Pretty sad folks. Pretty sad. That's OK, the new year is to bring upon new beginnings, right?

Let's get Rachel's blog issues in the open.

I use my notebooks ~~a lot~~ always. I tried to go digital and write notes on my iPad, then I tried typing them all, but I love good ol' paper. And unfortunately, good ol' paper doesn't copy/paste. I blame this for the lack of digital transfer of all my good ideas.

The truth is, I think about marketing every day. It's not a sickness, it's been a revelation over the last year that everything we do can be related in marketing in some way. I believe marketing is more of a science than pretty pictures and slogans. Good marketing can be perfectly calibrated, and it can be accidental genius. If marketing is made up of sloppy gimmicks and unplanned verbiage - you will fail. Miserably.

I believe I can help others who are over-thinking what marketing is, or under-providing what marketing should be. So my new blog will have new focus. Every day I learn something new. Each week I will post what I learned in the "real world" that is actually helpful in the "marketing world".

For instance, I went to see Blue October last week in Houston. Great band - former crazy lead singer who has dropped his drug habit, turned to his faith, and stopped drinking. I was a little afraid I'd like him better crazy... but at his concert, he did a fantastic job of balancing his crazy and his new life so his old fans, and new fans would love him just the same. And I'm thinking at this concert - isn't that what corporations should do? If companies want to evolve, they can't upset current customers, and they can't miss out on new ones... they have to find a way to reach both sets of people. Let people see a little of your crazy, and let them know there is something even better headed their way.

I realize this is a stretch, and I realize it may seem weird to think of marketing while I'm squished on the bottom floor of the Houston House of Blues. But for me, it's not. This is the way I'm wired, and this is my crazy that I'm willing to share with the world.

To me, everyone is marketing all the time. It's when you don't know you're being courted, is when it works best. Let's explore together how awesome marketing is. Shall we?

Me and my daughters at Blue October.
Feel free to comment on what a cool mom I am.