Frankly Speaking
Before evolving into a marketing executive, R F Timberlake & Company's president began his award-winning media career as a broadcast and print journalist helping the news industry to gravitate towards more in-depth and investigative reporting. Frank Timberlake taught broadcast and advertising, managed numerous political campaigns and operated media outlets with Linda, his wife and business partner. He has never been shy about speaking his mind. Having limited Frank to the subject of marketing, we hope you will enjoy Frankly Speaking, a marcom blog.
HAPPY SPRING – NOW I CAN HELP, IN THIS, THE NEW ERA.
I love the way everyone tosses around the newer phrases about being engaged in this or that. But as professionals and as humans, are we really engaged now that we’re in a new era? FRANKLY SPEAKING, I see more movement on the “talk” channels and networks, more tweets and less true engagement. So, it’s time to do even more work and try to help!
That’s because this economic shakeup has done just that. It’s been a shakeup. We don’t have a map of how we are proceeding. We have all taken income hits. Our 401K’s are now 201K’s – that’s roughly half! Meanwhile, forget the world; the needs for just plain support are greater than ever in our own communities.
Spring has brought the leaves again just as it does every year. We’re assured of that occurrence. We need to have assurances that our world is going to continue, but it just doesn’t come, we have to commit to making a positive difference for the world and our world to continue. Knowing that, now I can help.
Linda and I have decided to do that. We’re really trying to be more engaged with people when we shop, dine or meet. I know what you’re thinking – if Frank Timberlake were any more engaging he’d have to be locked up. I’m talking about listening to people, finding out what they’re trying to do and helping them to do it.
With Spring in the air, what did we do Easter? We went to an Easter gathering and hid Easter Eggs for hundreds of kids we never met and may never see again. We’re hoping we got by the poison ivy. We didn’t have to join a club or a group and we didn’t have to get another password and pin number…we simply helped people trying to make life a little better for some other people.
With the, and I hate this cliché, economic downturn and uncertainty, there is one certainty and that is we have all had to tighten belts. But the amazing thing that is emerging is that we are finding we can actually do more. At R F Timberlake & Company, we are committed to doing just that. We’ve thrown the “pro bono” quota out the door and said the new rule is if we can squeeze it in we’ll help someone get the word out!
We didn’t have to look far to find some worthy public events…a Native American Festival and a park sponsored jazz festival – two events that lost their state funding for promotion. Thanks to our Web, Print & Social Media Director Matt Mullen for agreeing to help, too. We jumped on the events and will try our best to promote them.
The point is simple. We all have so many avenues and so many of them are new ways to talk, talk, talk, maybe just maybe, we’re spending too much time talking and when we need it the most, too little time doing. Let’s make a pledge to become engaged, to get back into the game and to help some people and worthy causes…and FRANKLY SPEAKING, not worry about the price tag!