tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2421913838337434.post4808179121925487725..comments2023-11-05T07:37:16.624+00:00Comments on The Drayton Bird Blog: To Amanda, because I'm an idiotDrayton Birdhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06871107998046212949noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2421913838337434.post-89807817351935871992008-01-03T15:04:00.000+00:002008-01-03T15:04:00.000+00:00Dear DraytonAt the tender age of 37 i went to Uni ...Dear Drayton<BR/>At the tender age of 37 i went to Uni to get an HND in Marketing and then was persuaded to convert this into a BA(Hons), I wish I could say that before this i was earning huge salaries and my ideas were discussed by millions, but sadly that was not the case, instead as a women i was always asked what is your qualification and having no degree my ideas were passed over. It didnt worry but I did feel that I would like to be taken a little more seriously. so got the qualification and guess what they did listen to my ideas and i was paid better. <BR/>I might also add that if I had not gone to Uni then I would never have sat in a lecture theatre and heard your wonderful words on DM and experienced first hand your fantastic sense of wit. <BR/>GinnyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2421913838337434.post-60046831106119558162007-12-31T11:42:00.000+00:002007-12-31T11:42:00.000+00:00hi Drayton,Happy new year. If you remember, you he...hi Drayton,<BR/><BR/>Happy new year. <BR/><BR/>If you remember, you helped me get into my MBA course. I enjoyed it. I'll let you know in a few years if it was useful, beyond learning new stuff. <BR/><BR/>I know for certain that I've learned from you, your books and those you recommended to me. <BR/><BR/>Whenever new grads start with us, the first thing I do is buy them your 'Commonsense Direct Marketing' & 'Sales letters that sell', Hopkins' 'Scientific Advertising' and Caples' 'Tested Advertising Methods'.<BR/><BR/>They tell me they learned more in these four books about marketing than their four years in college. <BR/><BR/>Thanks again Drayton,<BR/><BR/>Paul DervanPaul Dervanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18094512742232736380noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2421913838337434.post-46584129532449095912007-12-31T01:44:00.000+00:002007-12-31T01:44:00.000+00:00Full marks, Drayton.May I make a few brief comment...Full marks, Drayton.<BR/><BR/>May I make a few brief comments as one who has a BA from an Ivy League university and an MBA from HBS?<BR/><BR/>You must first do an assessment of yourself: If you have family money and influence and are willing to work, a higher education is unneccessary, subject, of course, to your following Drayton's advice in re reading and learning for your own account.<BR/><BR/>An undergraduate experience may be valuable if you treat it as a wild holiday--go to a "party" school and make sure that you have enough funds to enjoy your youth.<BR/><BR/>Alternatively, if you are exceedingly charismatic and charming, a degree is likewise redundant. The same if you've *truly* mastered the twin arts of bootlicking and bullying that are required in successful corporate life.<BR/><BR/>Really good looks are a minor help, perhaps moreso if you are homosexual, or are willing to pretend to be for the sake of your career.<BR/><BR/>My degrees have gotten me admission to fields that are so competitive that the gatekeepers can require a Harvard MBA, for the same reason that dogs lick their genitals: because they can.<BR/><BR/>In addition, the MBA has gotten me investment funds--I was sort of verified by means of the degree.<BR/><BR/>To sum up, figure out your resources, and avoid university if possible.<BR/><BR/>Some may say I'm a cynic--but I'm not the only one.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2421913838337434.post-20801260578096827572007-12-30T20:10:00.000+00:002007-12-30T20:10:00.000+00:00MBA* is a good thing. It definitely helps. People ...MBA* is a good thing. It definitely helps. People who have MBA usually know more and are less nervous.<BR/><BR/><BR/>MBA = Massive Bank Account :)<BR/><BR/>I have also “normal” MBA and I do not thing it is such a huge disadvantage. :)Aleš Lisachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08796550561366641394noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2421913838337434.post-35796406954332284322007-12-30T16:43:00.000+00:002007-12-30T16:43:00.000+00:00Drayton,A few months ago, I had some yo-yo waving ...Drayton,<BR/><BR/>A few months ago, I had some yo-yo waving his "marketing" qualifications in my face.<BR/><BR/>(he'd been taught to do direct marketing - in the form of google adwords - by the non-DM tech-heads at google)<BR/><BR/>And that led me to the question: how many famous marketers have ever sat a marketing exam?<BR/><BR/>I'm pretty sure none of these people have: <BR/><BR/>Ogilvy, Hopkins, Makepeace, Carlton, Collier, Bird, Jay Abraham, Dan Kennedy<BR/><BR/>I don't know about this lot<BR/><BR/>Reeves, Schwab, Bencivenga, Caples, Halbert, Schwartz<BR/><BR/>But I'd guess that most of them didn't/haven't either.<BR/><BR/>So, I guess the question is: is this a reflection on marketing courses or does it say something about the sort of people who rise to the top in marketing/copywriting? <BR/><BR/>Steve Gibson<BR/><BR/>PS All the best for 2008.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com