Low-brow humor? Shameless self-promotion? MAYBE. Good Advice? Yes.
I know. You think the title of this book is funny because you have a cynical sense of humor. But you also think it's a little [insert adjective: crass, sophomoric, sophomoronic] for the rest of people in the human capital software and services market segment. That's cool. But before you go flaming us in your favorite social network, telling everyone we are a flash-in-the-pan marketing firm that just doesn't get it (and mostly so you can continue the charade that you're as normal as everyone else), I offer the following numbers for your consideration:
- 150 - The number of clients Starr Tincup has worked with in the human capital software and services market segment at time of publication.
- 121 - The number of human capital software and services clients for whom Starr Tincup has served as agency of record.
- 150 - The number of companies who pretend not to know Starr Tincup because of confidentiality agreements.
- 98 percent - Starr Tincup's 2009 client delight rating.
- 36 - The number of total rebrands Starr Tincup has executed in this market segment (company name, color palette, logo, paper system, website, all the good stuff ....)
- 15.3lbs - The weight of Starr Tincup's public-domain portfolio.
- 1,750,000 - The number of leads Starr Tincup has generated for our clients.
- 7 - The number of companies in this market segment Starr Tincup has supported through a merger or acquisition.
- 3 - The average number of years Starr Tincup retains a client.
- 2 - The number of times Starr Tincup has won Best Places to Work.
- 5 - The number of years Starr Tincup has earned distinction as one of the highest-grossing marketing firms in Dallas / Fort Worth (and in case you're wondering, we prefer the Fort Worth part of that equation).
- 7 - Creative design awards.
- 19 - Copywriting awards.
- 15,583 - Pages of human-capital content written by Starr Tincup.
- 1 - Pulitzer finalist.
- 2 - 40 under 40 award.
- 1 - Top 100 most influential people in HR award.
- Countless - The number of times someone has told us that we just don't get it before taking the time to ask us about our experience. Too bad for them.
So now we know a little more about each other. Well... at least you know a little more about us. But, hey, it is our book. So with great authority, I say, "Lighten up." A little bit of humor and edge is just what this industry needs. It's either that, or condemn ourselves to another 10 years of stock photography and white papers about the War for Talent. We're sick of it. You're sick of it. And the buyer is sick of it (I promise - I have the research to back it up).
Here's the deal: This is the field manual for marketers in the human capital software and services market segment. It is the distillation of tens of thousands of hours of marketing exclusively in this industry. Rather than offer general marketing platitudes that might work well for consumer brands or larger companies in different market segments, we offer tips and techniques for the typical company in this market segment.
You can trust this content because we know what we're talking about. If that statement makes you uncomfortable, you're probably not used to working with people who know what they're talking about. Give it a try.
For a moment, let’s all dispense with the illusion that this book is anything other than shameless self-promotion aimed at landing more clients. It is. That being said, we do offer some pretty good advice on more than 30 marketing initiatives. Try not to f**k it up. And if you do, call us.
— Bret Starr