A. Scott Gordon`s “BRAG BOOK”

A. Scott Gordon’s
“BRAG BOOK”
(248) 770-4057
[email protected]
www.GordoMarketing.com
Resume of:
A. SCOTT GORDON
Telephone: (248) 770-4057
E: [email protected]
Web: www.GordoMarketing.com
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Expert Witness & Consultant in Music Litigation, and Music Promotion
GORDO MARKETING.com
June 2006 – Present
Owner of this expert witness and consulting firm, specializing in music litigation, music
marketing, promotion, and branding. Also specialize in promotion of independent artist and major
label musical releases to popular radio, as well as general music consulting.
Team Leader / Web Center Trainer – Livonia, MI
Quicken Loans
January 2005 – June 2006
Managed Web/Call-Center, pre-scrubbed leads, credit analysis, trained personnel on multiple
equipment and software modalities for lead gathering and distribution for internal and external
customers. Implemented “Live Chat” initiative and trained all web-center staff, bankers, and
management on its use.
Mortgage Banker / Loan Consultant – Livonia, MI
QUICKEN LOANS
July 2004 – January 2005
Consultative retail mortgage sales, originating conventional and alternative mortgage products in
all 50 states, for this top 20 mortgage company. Conducted effective and complete interviews
and analyses to fully diagnose clients’ financial situation and offer a full range of mortgage
solutions.
Account Executive – Detroit
CBS Radio – WXYT AM
December 2003 – July 2004
Closed more accounts in first month than any other new account executive. Continually met and
exceeded sales goals and budget while focused on customer based selling and providing creative
marketing and advertising solutions.
Regional Manager; Internet, Marketing & Promotion – Detroit
Island Def Jam Music Group
January 2000 – October 2003
Responsible for all aspects of promotion and marketing to radio and retail in every popular format
throughout the Michigan and Ohio territory. Created ongoing campaigns to ensure airplay and
price and positioning for multi-platinum recording artists. Oversaw all tour promotion (radio and
retail) for entire roster including: Bon Jovi, Jay-Z, Melissa Etheridge, Ja Rule, Sum 41, PJ
Harvey, Shelby Lynne, Willie Nelson, among many more.
National Director, Promotion – Los Angeles
Phil Ramone’s label, N2K Encoded Music
January 1999 – January 2000
Responsible for all aspects of promotion and marketing west of the Mississippi river. Was
instrumental in founding the new concept of encoding additional, added value information onto
each CD, i.e. EPK’s, contesting, etc. Supervised 15 field staff engaging in everything from price
and positioning, to ensuring radio and video airplay for all artists on the roster.
Head of Promotion – New York (as Independent Contractor)
Gee Street Records, independent label
under Richard Branson’s V2 Umbrella
June 1998 – January 1999
In charge of all promotion and marketing efforts within the fifty United States.
Supervised entire promotion department. Designed and implemented campaigns for this
grass roots, street level recording label. Garnered radio and video airplay in the top 100
markets, ensuring exposure of our artist repertoire. This included leveraging all
marketing possibilities through concert tours, POP, retail and radio meet-and-greets, etc.
National Director of Promotion – Los Angeles
EMI Records Group, NA
January 1997 – June 1998
Responsible for all aspects of promotion to radio, covering every popular format for the West
Coast and every state west of the Mississippi river. Managed 30 promotion and support staff on a
daily basis. Received “National Promotion Person of the Year” award.
Local Promotion and Marketing Manager – Detroit and Los Angeles
EMI Records Group, NA
June 1993 – January 1997
Responsible for all phases of radio promotion and marketing in each popular format for:
Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Southern California, New Mexico, Arizona and Hawaii.
Received “Rookie of the Year” award.
Assistant Program Director / Music Director / On-Air Talent
WKBQ - St. Louis
WHYT - Detroit
KHTK - St. Louis
WDFX - Detroit
WCSX - Detroit
WMJC - Detroit
Education:
Radio, Television, Film – Wayne State University – Detroit, Michigan
Specs Howard School of Broadcasting – Southfield, Michigan
Roeper School for the Gifted – Birmingham, Michigan
A. Scott Gordon – Supplemental:
Sales and Promotion in the Recording Business: Face-to-face meetings with
A, B, and C level executives, as well as department heads at radio stations,
regional programming departments and VP’s of Programming, independent
promoters and trade magazines in the top 100 national markets. This
includes major broadcast groups (CBS, ABC, Entercom, Infinity, etc.) as
well as locally owned stations.
$75k expense account, not just for travel and entertainment, but also to
“make it happen.” Whether it’s flying an artist from Paris to NY on the
Concorde to honor a promotional concert for a major radio station; or an
$8,000 dinner building relationships with key decision makers; or $10
lunches with staff to build a groundswell of support; my job was to close-thedeal regardless of obstacles.
National and international travel to secure airplay for my artists via face-toface meetings with decision makers to secure airplay. These meetings are
highly competitive as I am up against 100+ new records each week for 3 to 4
open slots at any given radio station as well as the representatives from the
other record labels pitching their music (i.e. Columbia, Interscope, Universal,
RCA, Atlantic, etc.).
Stadium level concert touring: Liaising with tour personnel and all radio
stations in a given market to create on-stage promotions, meet and greets
with the artist, placement of live broadcasting in the venue for radio stations
in the market (lot’s of competition with this as each radio station wants to be
front and center, giving away the best prizes, being the co-promoter, etc.). I
handled all contesting, ticket give-a-ways, radio interviews with the artist,
front-row seats, etc.
Quantitative, qualitative and analytical problem-solving skills; planning and
organization skills (e.g.: set marketing and promotion priorities with over
100 radio stations in the top 100 markets simultaneously and/or designing
advertising and marketing solutions for advertisers).
Initiative, motivation and follow through with tasks and projects; build
productive working relationships with major artist managers, multiplatinum recording artists,
co-workers, media (especially radio), advertisers, agencies and the public.
A. Scott Gordon Supplemental, Page 2 of 2
By generating early airplay on artists, early sales were also generated in my
territory and “broke” single and album campaigns for areas of the country
that fell under my supervision. This stimulated airplay and sales in other
territories and eventually the entire country.
Constant interaction with sales department at recording labels on a
daily/hourly basis regarding: Airplay, P.O.P., Price and positioning, CD
single and full-length sales, and in-store appearances by artists, record
release parties, and stock checks.
Consistently conceived of new promotion and marketing ideas to make our
product stand out – ideas that translated into greater visibility and sales for
our artists. These ideas were ultimately utilized for national and
international recording campaigns.
Proficient in all technologies used in record promotion and radio dales: All
Microsoft products, Tapscan, Maximi$er, Qualitap, MediaMaster, Music
Information Systems, R&R On-Line, Etc.
In Broadcast Sales, I conducted the same kind of face-to-face meetings as
discussed above; except with local, regional and national advertisers
performing marketing, promotion and advertising solutions through
consultative, customer-based selling.
Sales, marketing, promotion and account management skills in every
position held.
Bottom-line results achieved through strategy and tactics, i.e., competitor
analysis, attention to detail and creative targeting to key market segments, all
of which includes cold-calling and managing over 50 simultaneous marketing
and advertising campaigns for direct, and agency advertising/marketing
campaigns.
Consistently closed the sale while competing against over 40 other broadcast
(radio) facilities, each with up to 20 account executives and multiple product,
promotional, and added value offerings.
Influenced the decision making process through pre-set appointments, cold
calls, lunch and learn presentations, attending conventions, providing
samples and offering timely communication with clients and the home office.
Routinely out-paced all sellers in my facility. Closed more sales in first
month than any other advertising executive in my facility.
REFERENCES for A. SCOTT GORDON
Ken Lane, Senior Vice President Atlantic Records
Ted Campbell, Director of Sales Quicken Loans/Rock Financial
David Lee, Regional Vice President Quicken Loans/Rock Financial
Dick Kernan, VP Media Relations Specs Howard School
Fred Disipio, Executive Consultant to the President and CEO of Universal Music
Bruce Eichner, Local Sales Manager Greater Media, WRIF Radio
Daniel Haddad, M.D., Laser Eye Institute
Sales and Marketing proposals from Scott
Gordon’s career in Advertising Sales:
Another accepted proposal for
advertising and marketing for Lawrence
Technological University:
Award for the successful launch of the
Island Def Jam Music Group, of which
Scott Gordon was heavily involved:
Award for “Rookie of the Year” when Scott
first started in the music business at EMI
Records:
Award for sales of more than 5 Million
copies of Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation”
CD:
Award for Scott’s contribution to Arista’s Dance
Department and the successful launch of “Lisa
Stansfield” and “Snap”
Plaque awarded to Scott for more than 3
Million copies sold of the single “Gonna
Make You Sweat” by C&C Music Factory:
:
Plaque awarded to Scott for sales of more
than 5 Million copies of “Rhythm Nation”
from Janet Jackson:
Signed “Thank-You” from Jon Secada to
Scott, for sales exceeding 2 Million copies of
his CD, “Global Warming.”
Gold Sales award presented to Scott for the sale
of over 500,000 copies of the single “Gypsy
Woman” from Crystal Waters:
Sales Award presented to Scott for Joshua
Kadison’s CD “Painted Desert Serenade”
which exceeded 500,000 copies sold,
achieving “Gold” status:
Platinum sales award to Scott for exceeding 2 million
units sold of the CD “Violator” by Depeche Mode:
Thank-you from Jon Bon Jovi to Scott for the
successful launch of his comeback album “Crush”
which sold in excess of 5 Million copies (5 Times
Platinum):
Commemoration of Lionel Richie signing
with Island Def Jam Records, and Scott’s
involvement with the success of the entire
project:
Commemoration of Milla Jovovich joining EMI
Records to release her very first album “The Divine
Comedy” which went on to become Gold, with over
500,000 units sold:
Commemoration of George Clinton becoming the
second most Sampled artist of all time:
Allergan Business/Action Plan: 90 Forward View:
Carpe Diem!! Make use of my well exercised background in successful
selling through hard work, enthusiasm, being a “go-getter,” and being
friendly and approachable. Make use of one of the most underutilized selling
musts: Listening!
Finish the beginning research on the basic eye medications:
Acular LS (NSAID indicated for reducing pain, burning and stinging
following corneal refractive surgery). Competition is Alcon’s
Nevanac (Alcon claims Nevanac has better penetration).
Restasis (cyclosporine emulsion, currently the only prescription eye
drop emulsion that actually helps increase your eyes own ability to
make tears when retarded by inflammation due to chronic dry eye).
NO competition, but higher price. Need to provide Doc’s a good
reason to write (i.e. post Lasik for dry eyes).
Zymar (Gatifloxacin, a fluoroquinolone indicated for the treatment of
bacterial conjunctivitis- Pink Eye). Zymar is also commonly used as a
prophylactic before and after eye surgery, i.e. Lasik and Cataract
surgery. The competition, Alcon, has Vigamox. Vigamox has no
preservatives but comes in smaller bottles- 3ml vs. 5 ml for Zymar, so
patients often need to make an extra trip to the pharmacy to purchase
a second bottle, costing double, while efficacy is similar.
Combigan (dual-drug solution that reduces IOP in patients with
ocular hypertension, or glaucoma), and the rest of the eye care
product line.
Complete further research on Allergan’s wider range of products like:
Neurosciences (Botox), Medical Aesthetics (Total Rejuvenation line- Breast
and Facial), Obesity Intervention (Lap-Band, BIB, etc.), Medical
Dermatology (Tazorac and Botox), Urologics for OAB (Sanctura XR and
Botox for idiopathic and neurologic dysfunction)
Successfully and accurately complete any Allergan training and always
exceed expectations.
Allergan Business Plan: Page 2 of 3
Product knowledge: Gain a more thorough knowledge of Allergan’s eye
products. Go beyond just the basics of the prescribing information and truly
start knowing the “small print” very well. Utilize my natural ability and
affinity for prescription medications to allow the details of the prescriber’s
information to really sink in.
Gain a complete and thorough understanding of the formulary, and as time
moves on, become expert in its intricacies by keeping it simple and nondaunting, and staying-on-top of my homework.
Meet and greet Doctors in my territory. Exactly who are those 20% of folks
that are going to give me 80% of my business?
Continue to gain broader knowledge of competitor’s medications.
Become familiar with the “ways and means” of Allergan. Understand
systems, understand and define territory, software, proprietary systems,
strategize with other “star” Reps, meet partners and managers. Get
organized! Samples, car-trunk organizing, etc. Are the dates accurate? Are
the meds accurate and up-to-date?
Dig Deep: Understand with thorough research the actual status of my
territory. What shape is it in? How was it left? Any re-building required?
Any Doc’s irritated? Who and what was neglected, if anyone? Find out who
are my “go-to” folks... those that can be counted-on in the physician
community to write my products. Find out who the tough Doc’s are that
don’t like Reps, or don’t like returning Rep’s calls, and then turn them
around. Learn what they and their staff are all about: Rapport building!
Go beyond rapport building and gain global knowledge of my overall
territory by understanding the actual status of my products in doctor’s
offices, hospitals, clinics and pharmacies.
Luncheons for Doctor’s and Staff. Gain in-roads to various practices in my
territory through more frequent visits, and deeper relationship building with
staff.
Receive commitments from Doctor’s to utilize our products.
Find out the details of my major client’s. Begin to know them as well as
possible: Find out birthdays, spouse’s and children’s names and birthdays,
interests, etc., so as to utilize all resources available. What do these Doc’s like
to do when they’re not being a Doc? What makes them tick?
Allergan Business Plan: Page 3 of 3
Again, know MY Doc’s. Utilize my long-term status as being from Detroit,
and my family’s long-term, media-status, patriarch to gain entrée with all the
Doc’s in my territory, especially those over 50 years of age who remember
my Father’s nationally syndicated television show, “The Lou Gordon
Program,” as-well-as my Father’s bi-weekly column in the Detroit News.
This could gain a lot of personal entree’. A couple Ophthalmologists’s come
to mind right away: Steve Dunn and David Heidemann, not to mention my
close friend, Dan Haddad.
Again, digging deep, but on an on-going, continuous basis: Understanding
my competitors AND my competing products through scheduled research
will keep me ahead. Keep the upper-hand on new and (potentially exciting)
changing products from Alcon and other competitors.
Continue working with my counterparts by joining them on meetings and
calls as much as possible to really understand how they’re doing things that I
may or may not be doing. LEARN from those that are successful and take
what works!
Continue to develop and fine-tune a strategic and tactical plan of action for
my daily sales calls, and not only set reasonable goals, but continue to exceed
those goals with an on-going program of scheduled visits to practices.
Take everything I’ve learned, especially all I’ve learned from Allergan, and
combine it with my historic, winning sales track record, and inject
everything I’ve gained from Allergan training and become the next number
one, top sales representative!
Utilize my previous career in music, which is very similar as it relates to
Pharmaceutical Sales, especially when it comes to pitching someone that may
or may not be interested in hearing about a new medication, and then bring
that client to the close!! By this time, I’ll know what makes her tick. I’ll
know what I need to deliver in terms of personality, homework, and
salesmanship to identify exactly what her needs as an Ophthalmologist are,
and exactly what she is or isn’t feeling as it relates to how or why she’s
leaning towards, or away from our product. Then I can properly re-orient
my pitch (if needed), to not only super-serve what she needs, but also deliver
it in a way in which she’s receptive.
Continue to learn, learn, learn and become the top producer at Allergan!
Scott’s essay on the similarities between
Pharmaceutical Reps and music business
Promotion Reps:
The difficult and intriguing business of getting music played on the radio is still the bread
and butter behind making a hit song. Radio, video, and internet airplay are the absolute
best forms of advertising that a recording company can get, in general because it’s free.
The Promotion Department’s job at any record company is to capitalize on that kind of
availability. However “free” doesn’t necessarily mean free. It means I send Program
Directors to London to see the advance show giving them an idea on how this group,
track, and overall project may fit the format of their particular station – all of which I
already know, because I thoroughly understand my market and my territory.
The exclusive reason the promotion department exists is to generate airplay and sell
music – by getting our artists on-the-air, instead of the other fifty to one hundred
competitor songs that are released by other, competing labels each and every week. That
is stiff competition, especially when one understands that the single largest line-item on
any multi-national record company’s spread sheet is “Promotion,” frequently exceeding
tens of millions of dollars. When one realizes that the main modus operandi for any
promotion department is “Do what it takes to get the job done” – to expose our artists to
as many ears as possible, so those ears, and those music consumers actually want to drop
almost $20 for a CD. At this point one can understand why there is an essentially
inexhaustible supply of resources made available to the Promotion Rep to get the music
played – because the Promotion Rep has an extreme amount of influence over the success
or failure or an artist’s entire career, in which the label may have spent close to $100
million dollars on before the record even hits the stores. The responsibility on a given
Promotion Rep is clearly paramount to the success or failure of not only the artist, but his
family, his creative outlet, and not to mention the label’s massive output of major
amounts of money that always need to be not only recouped, but also made into a serious
profit.
Obviously a promotion department operates within the context of moral, ethical, and
legal standards, but the attitude a successful promotion rep must take is we “do what it
takes.” We sell, build rapport, and close! And we stop at nothing. When we hear the
word “no,” it’s simply another place to start again.
Scott’s Essay on the similarities between Music Promotion and Pharmaceutical Sales Page 2 of 6
Doing “what it takes” involves all those contests you hear on the radio, all the “meet-andgreet’s,” front-row ticket giveaways, CD giveaways to the 10th caller, etc., all of those
things are a fraction of what the Promotion Rep has at his/her disposal to get the music
on-the-air; making it happen trough building rapport and closing-the-sale, which allows
the entirety of the label to continue to exist by finding new artists, developing new talent,
researching what type of music is going to be selling a year from now; two years from
now, etc. This allows us to create on an-going college program where we enlist college
representatives, who are generally more in-the-know about new trends and spotting them,
feedback this information to us in order that we can take that information and filter it to
the proper sources to make the music the best it can be.
The promotion representative is to the music business as the pharmaceutical sales
representative is to the pharmaceutical industry. The difference is the product, and the
client.
EXAMPLE OF TYPICAL PROMOTION POSITION IN THE RECORD BUSINESS:
Local Promotion and Marketing Manager, EMI Records.
Territory: Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky.
This position, as all promotion positions is the music business, involve building
relationships with key decision makers at FM radio stations that play popular music in
order to get my artists airtime (closing the deal). This includes all local radio station
staff, programming staff, national programming staff, VP’s of programming, and third
party consultants and independent promoters that have anything to do whatsoever, with
gaining airplay for my artists on that station, or group of stations (e.g. all of the owned
and operated radio stations that play any form of Pop music for ABC Radio, or any other
broadcast conglomerate). This is true at any one of 100 different stations, just in my
territory. This includes small markets like Lexington, Kentucky; to Detroit, Michigan,
and everywhere between. Building these relationships through rapport, in order to close
the deal, is the single most important job of any sales or promotion representative’s
position.
Each week a Program Director at a radio station (or group of stations) has to decide
which of approximately 100 different songs are going to be added to that station’s playlist
for that week. There are myriad research models, national airplay charts, local sales
charts, audience studies, auditorium tests, weekly call-out telephone research, etc., for the
Program Director to rely upon. Even with all that, it is still my job to “get it done.”
However, when it comes down to several songs having equal potential, it’s when the
Promotion Person really comes into his/her own. That’s when the relationship building
pays-off. That’s where those many road trips, bringing lunch, etc., makes the difference –
the difference being, what gets played and what doesn’t – or, which eye drop is
prescribed and which isn’t.
Scott’s Essay on the similarities between Music Promotion and Pharmaceutical Sales Page 3 of 6
In addition to relationships, there are many other initiatives that go into developing an
artist, song, prescription drug... you name it.
In music, a Promotion Rep can utilize concert tours. Here’s an example:
Bon Jovi releases a new album. On that album there are going to be at least three
separate singles released to radio. As the promotion rep I need to develop a number of
strategies to marry a given radio station to this new project. Leaving aside for the
moment, all the actual distribution of the music to retail, radio, etc., I will use the
following promotions to secure the long-term commitment of a radio station not only for
the success of our new release, but to our entire new project from Bon Jovi, which will
start with this first single release and then progress for potentially a year or more if the
album becomes a sustainable hit, and produces three, for, or more singles, this is known
as an album being “deep.”
Having already built relationships and rapport from going on the road presenting “lunchand-learns,” etc., and by talking-up other projects, acts, etc., I’m going to advance the
new Bon Jovi song and project by going on the road again; this time though, solely to
familiarize each decision maker with only the new Bon Jovi project. I am going to
physically be at each radio station spending quality time with the decision maker(s) and
playing the song and leaving several copies of both the single and the full-length CD.
This is done on average, with three separate road trips, ensuring the decision maker(s) has
heard the song at least three times, EACH TRIP throughout my entire territory, which
again, may mean seeing over 100 stations just on this one single. This is done through
the relationship building process, as I, the promotion rep, have been building a genuine
friendship with the decision maker(s) long before I am showing up asking them for
airplay on any given song or project. Further, a promotion rep never shows-up empty
handed! Bring lunch for the entire radio station. Bring music. Bring that old CD that the
receptionist mentioned to you last time you were there – it WILL make her day!
Not only am I building rapport with the obvious people that decide what songs get
airplay, I am also paying a lot of attention and respect to the receptionist, the general
manager and everyone in the building, but especially to the least important people in the
room! Those folks always count, and always work their way up the ladder. We all know
you can tell a lot about someone based on how they treat the least “important” person in
the room.
Each radio station, local spot of influence, and key influence/decision makers receives a
quantity (typically 30-60) of full-length copies of the CD for giveaways and on-air use.
They will also receive a quantity of the single. These are all in addition to any samples I
bring with me on my visits.
Scott’s Essay on the similarities between Music Promotion and Pharmaceutical Sales Page 4 of 6
Concert ticket giveaways will go to each station in a given market, not only for
giveaways to listeners, but also for all station staff to actually attend the concert and see,
feel and touch the impact a live show makes... very similar to an Ophthalmologist being
overwhelmed by what a potential can do (i.e. Restasis – no competition, and an eye drop
emulsion that does, in fact, help your eye’s own ability to increase tear production.
As the promotion itself develops, the Promotion Rep decides which of several competing
stations in a given market is going to be the lead station, guaranteeing me their
commitment upfront, on not only playing the first song from the CD, but also committing
on the follow-up releases (which could be as many as four singles from the same CD).
That radio station (or group of stations owned by the same company) is given the “copromotion” of the concert. That station becomes the official Bon Jovi concert station and
is allowed to introduce the act on stage, hang signage at the venue, broadcast live from
the show, re-locate concert goers that are seated in the “nose-bleed” section to the frontrow, and have a special meet-and-greet with the artist backstage after the concert. The
meet-and-greet will have in attendance select contest winners, key station personnel,
publicity guests, local and national writers, etc. During the meet-and-greet everyone
meets the artist, gets a photo taken, an autograph, and generally gets to spend some
quality time with the artist.
The Promotion Rep has already made sure that each show market has a place to hold the
meet-and-greet backstage, has obtained food, drink, security, etc. The Rep has also been
in communication with the road manager of that tour throughout, as the tour progresses
through the US, international, and of course, the Rep’s territory – on a city-by-city,
region-by-region basis.
As all of the above is taking place, there are still 10 – 20 other active titles (songs) being
actively promoted throughout the Rep’s territory to the other 100 radio, internet, and
video outlets. Additionally, there are other tours occurring in the Rep’s territory which
the Rep might also need to attend, or attend-to, by ensuring the right people have the right
credentials for backstage access, tickets, other artists needing attention, client stations
needing contest help, maintaining and increasing the current airplay on my 3-7 other
artists currently being aired on my other 100 stations throughout my three-state territory.
Further, there are usually one to three other tracks from different artists from my record
label playing on the same radio stations that are involved with the Bon Jovi promotion.
These other songs are either in development, working their way up, or peaking in their
own lifecycle. Not only are these other songs being played on the same stations involved
with the Bon Jovi promotion, they are also being played on potentially hundreds of other
radio, internet, and video outlets. These other songs need the same constant attention as it
relates to the amount of plays-per-day, gross audience impressions, how many plays-perdaypart, etc. Again, closing the deal and having the relationship with the decision maker
is what brings all of this to fruition.
Scott’s Essay on the similarities between Music Promotion and Pharmaceutical Sales Page 5 of 6
So in music promotion, you are constantly dealing with dozens of different songs
(samples), on dozens of slightly different radio stations (Doctor’s Offices’), all with
decision makers that have their own way of doing things (Doctors). Further you are
juggling as many as 15 – 20 artists that may be on the road, preparing to start their label
approved marketing plan, possibly in the middle of a product management campaign, or
could be coming off the charts – and 100 other potential variables in which the Promotion
Rep has to be absolutely 100% on on-top-of. These would be the samples in your trunk,
what’s coming, and what you’re going to have to be prepared for, in its entirety,
yesterday.
If you are a “closer,” can listen, and build real rapport while selling, you’re off to a great
start.
As a child I became interested in medicine at an early age. I began reading the PDR as
entertainment... I was also one of those kids that read the dictionary for fun too, which
my mother didn’t know what to think of back in the 1970’s. After having spent some
time with the PDR, I found that I was interested in more of the pharmacologic side of
medicine rather than clinical practice as an M.D.
I’ve had a close association with Ophthalmology my entire life as I found Amblyopia in
my left eye at age 5. I had 20/200 vision in that eye and 20/15 in my right eye. So, I
became familiar with The Kresge Eye Institute and many eye testing procedures (which
were performed on me) at an early age. Over the years I was a patient of Al Rudeman’s,
Steve Dunn, and David Heidemann, until I met Dr. Dan Haddad under social
circumstances, and we became fast friends. After that, Dan became my Ophthalmologist
from then on.
One of the main reasons I’m so interested in being a Pharmaceutical Rep. is that it’s so
similar to what I did as a Regional Promotion person in the music business – but with a
different product and different clients. It is also similar to the other sales positions I’ve
had during my career, such as: National Mortgage Sales, Broadcasting sales, and
Computer Back-Up Solution sales. All of this is in addition to my almost 20 year career
in sales in the music industry.
In the close to twenty years in the music business, I was privileged to work with close to
100 different artists on very small record labels to multi-platinum giants on multinational, giant recording labels , totaling close to 125 different singles and albums. Just a
few of those artist’s include:
Jimmy Buffett “Beach House on the Moon”
Ja Rule “Venni Vetti Vecci”
Elton John and Tim Rice’s “Aida”
Jay-Z “Volume 3... Life and Times of S. Carter”
Sum 41 “Half Hour of Power”
Scott’s Essay on the similarities between Music Promotion and Pharmaceutical Sales Page 6 of 6
EPMD “Out of Business”
Sinead O’Connor “Universal Mother”
Bob Marley “Chant Down Babylon”
Melissa Etheridge “Breakdown”
Queensryche “Promised Land”
Montell Jordan “This is How We Do It”
Def Leppard “Euphoria”
Janet Jackson “Rhythm Nation 1814”
Joshua Kadison “Painted Desert Serenade”
Crystal Waters “Gypsy Woman (She’s Homeless)”
Insane Clown Posse “The Amazing Jeckle Brother’s”
The Source “Hip Hop Hits Volume 3”
Sisqo “Thong Song”
Method Man Red Man “Blackout”
Foxy Brown “Chyna Doll”
Notting Hill – The Soundtrack to the Motion Picture
Richie Hawtin All albums
Kevin Saunderson Detroit Techno projects – Producer and Remixer Album Credits
Producer and Editor credits on multiple “Express Records” releases
West Bam “Essential Club Albums” Remixer on “The Roof is on Fire”
The above are just some of the samples of not only the albums I’ve worked on and the
artists I’ve worked with; they are also simply one-line on a page that represents many
years of work. Those lines encompass and represent: Multiple tracks and songs, concerts,
tours, sound checks, promotions-for-airplay, giveaways, meet-and-greet’s, trips on “The
Concorde,” Gulfstream V business jets, multiple helicopters in dozens of cities, and the
list goes on and on and on.
Notwithstanding the advent of the internet and all the illegal downloading and piracy of
music; the business of music is a business that really shouldn’t work. Very often, the
intersection of art and commerce is a place that neither the art, nor the commerce do well
sharing one comfortable space and have all things unfold in a happy fashion treating all
with fairness. But when it does... oh when it does, it’s nothing less than magical.
I believe that I can achieve that “magic” as a Pharmaceutical Rep, but at a greater level:
When it comes to delivering a product that can literally save someone from great pain, or
better their eyesight, or even save their eyesight completely; that is truly a feeling of
magic, accomplishment, and satisfaction.
I absolutely know that I would hit the ground running and become a star performer in a
short period of time.