Converted

Among the 10 books I ghostwrote between 2019 and 2023, Converted stands out. The author, Neil Hoyne, was a joy to work with—a colorful, unconventional storyteller who saw the world of digital marketing in an unconventional way. He found a major publisher and achieved considerable success; the book was translated into several languages. I helped bring his words to life on the page—including, notably, this short breakout in the book's Introduction.

A Digital Marketer Walks Into a Bar ...

... and asks the first person they see to marry them. Crazy, right? But that's what companies do. That's digital marketing. And if the marketing team asks enough strangers the question—maybe it's a hundred, maybe a thousand—eventually someone will say yes. The marketers give themselves one moment, one opportunity to drive a result, and they treat every interaction the same. They can change only so much—what they wear, what bar they walk into, maybe a word or two in what they say. And then the CEO asks: Why aren't more people saying yes?

Because others are playing a different game. They say hello, they start a conversation. They ask questions, actually listen to the answers, and let things develop. They begin to build relationships, one step at a time, and then they ask themselves, "Is this going anywhere?" Their data tells them the answer—and they act on it.

(What now? You can jump to the top of this page, go back to the My Stories index—or go Home. You've reached the end of the line!)