I had received a phone call from my son's college, Iona, (well, the college didn't call but a woman, named Dolores Patterson from it did.) She asked if I would be attending the "Student Fundraising Dinner". I said, "Yes", but instead of bringing a home cooked meal (since any one who has read my blogs just knows how much I Iove cooking!), I offered to donate a basket of my books for the silent auction instead.

One thing lead to another and Dolores suggested that maybe I'd get up and say a few fast words at the dinner or speak at the college at a later date. I told her that motivational speaking is one of the things I do for a living and that I'm sure something could be worked out.

Phone call #2 came from Pat Riches, the PR lady from John Basedow's office, better known at the PR ninja in our reality show.

You see John and I are also doing a series of speaking engagements together called, "Success Made Simple." We get booked at different schools and corporations as a "dynamic duo" talking to students and clients about how they can achieve their dreams in life on their own terms. As I was talking to Pat about one of our bookings she asked, "Just out of curiosity Fran, at your son's college who is the contact person for hiring speakers?" I said, "Geez, Pat, I don't know but one call and I can find out."

So naturally with two phone calls prompting me on, I called the college. One person lead to another and I found out that each department books its own speakers. So for the heck of it I choose to call the Hagen School of Business, since my son plans on being a business major. Figured might as well start close to home and find out their procedure.

I wound up speaking to a wonderful woman by the name of Dr. Fredrica Rudell. Turns out she's the chair for Marketing and International Business.

Frederica told me that it just so happened that the "marketing club" hires speakers and she believes they have one more spot open this semester. She would send an email out to Susan Rozensher who is advisor of the club and we can take it from there.

Well the one thing I gotta say is, No moss grows under these teachers' feet! Within an hour I was booked as a speaker for the following Tuesday to talk to the club. Nothing like a quick turn around and going with the flow.

I laughed to myself. "You never know what a phone call can bring." As soon as I got off the phone I called out to Spencer…"So Spence, looks like I'm speaking at your school next week." He just smiled, "Why am I not surprised. You do everything as quick as you talk."

That Tuesday I arrived with Spencer, my books, press articles and other show and tell items. I waited in the lounge a few minutes before speaking time as I was requested to do by Susan.

As I'm waiting I notice, two people sitting there. So I say, "Hi".
They say they are from the Wall Street Journal. Sooooo, naturally always wanting to practice what I preach, I start telling them why I'm there, asking them why they are there etc. I figured, how cool would it be to get an article in the Wall Street Journal about me teaching the business kids my creative marketing methods two minutes before I'm about to give the speech. That would be a perfect example for the kids of marketing in the moment.

While I'm talking, Susan arrives. I introduce them all to each other. She is amused that she walked in while I was trying to market myself to the Wall Street Journal. Turns out however they were not journalists, but were trying to sell subscriptions to the various business departments as an educational tool. But hey, you never know unless you try. We exchanged business cards anyway, wished each other good luck and they even offered us some donuts as a parting gift…not a bad way to start the day.

We walk out of the lounge and into a nearby classroom. About twenty kids were there. Tuesday is not their normal day to meet so a lot of kids had classes during this time. Hey not a bad turnout for one day's advertisement and a few flyers!

I get introduced by the club president, Shaun. Spencer is sitting up front with my books. Shaun hands out my brochures.

I start out by telling them how I broke the fast talking world record on the Larry King Live Show and then quickly move into some of my crazy marketing stories, like The time I got Mayor Koch to declare Comedy Day for New York City, or the time I sold Pet Fleas at a flea market, or how I headed a parade down Pennsylvania avenue in D.C. with a banner, "Put a Comedian in Space" to promote "Laugh Factory Magazine", a magazine that I was then the NY editor of, or how I did a comedy rap record called "Rappin' Mae" dressed as my made up character, "June East" (Mae West's long lost sister) while I worked at WBLS-FM.

And of course I told my stories on my world record book signings that occurred at the top of Kilimanjaro and by the wreck site of the Titanic. For good measure I also told stories about Spencer, without embarrassing him too much, of how I promoted him as the "World's Youngest Comic" and how he got written up in the New York Times, Daily News, Newsday and wound up on the Today Show. Spencer smiled and shook his head. (He's so used to it now.)

I showed press articles, sample products, and copies of my books.

Meanwhile while this was all going on…since this was also the students lunch/free break, they were eating pizza as I was doing my talk. This of course was a first for me, but it was casual and I liked it and besides I figured "hey go with the flow". Actually what I figured was, "Damn I'd like a piece of that pie…but I thought that even with my fast talking, chewing and talking might not be the best combo." I felt as if I were at a family function.

I had only 50 minutes to get key ideas across to them. Ideas like the fact that humor sells and stands out in people's mind for a long time after; that you can have the greatest product in the world but if you don't market it correctly it will sit on a shelf; and that no matter how crazy the idea if your gut says it's right go, with your instincts despite what others may say.

The bottom line is traditional methods yield traditional results. If you want to stand out you have to be innovative in your marketing techniques.

At the conclusion of my speech I did a sample of my fast talking and got a really nice round of applause. Then Shaun came up to me and I thought was just going to shake my hand but instead he presented me with a certificate in appreciation for talking. I thought that was the sweetest thing! So of course instead of just taking it I had to stop to and catch the moment on film.

We had to take the picture twice since my battery died in between, but I had spares (Girl Scout training dies hard!) Then I was also given a huge IONA mug. I was really enjoying all of this attention.

Of course, this was short lived when the next professor came into the room and got upset that we were in there. Obviously someone had put sour milk on his Wheaties. We cleaned up as quickly as possible, but not before he expressed his distaste. Someone needs to tell that man to lighten up. I would have but wasn't quite sure if Spencer had him as a professor, so I didn't want to turn a positive into a future potential negative. So thinking on my feet instead I said, "This was a marketing seminar sir…all I can say to you is, "Create a good day sir."
He gave me the strangest look. I think that threw him off which of course made me smile.

Anyway, after that, two students, Gina and Katie took me and Spencer back to the lounge area. There Susan thanked us but had to dart out to teach a class. The two Wall Street Journal people were still there so we talked some more.

Two students waited with us, while Frederica and the Associate Dean, Charles Cante, greeted Spencer and I and thanked me for speaking.

Dean Cante only stayed for a quick hello and a snap shot in between meetings, but in that short time he told me of his fascinating career prior to teaching in which he was an engineer at a food plant. He got to work on Jello, Shake and Bake and some other really cool everyday food products. I don't know why but I just thought that the fact that someone's job was to make the food more sticky, or wiggly was really cool. What can I say…unique things like that amaze me!

After he left, there was another nice surprise. Gina, Katie, and Frederica took Spencer and me to lunch. We got to sample the student's lounge entrees and then went to a private conference room where we could chat.

We talked, joked about a lot of things, and then I came up with an idea on the spot. "Hey guys, I just though of something. I have this new CD that came out called "The Science of Getting Rich", it's a CD based on a 1910 classic, that basically explains "The Law of Attraction" and how it works in the universe. It explains in very simple terms about how you get all your dreams not only from a scientific but also spiritual perspective. (It's almost like the predecessor to the hot movie out now, "The Secret") It's the law that all great leaders in every field, know about and follow. Now here's my proposal to you. If you guys can come up with a unique way to market it, I will give you a percentage of profits that your club can use. It would be a win-win situation. We can make it a contest, or we can just do something very media savvy. I'm going to do it anyway, but if you guys want to throw your creative juices into it, it would give you a chance to market a real item, put something on your resume and make some money as well for the club. What do you think?"

They all loved the idea. Right away we started talking about ways to market it. They agreed to go back to the group and present the idea. In the midst of this I caught Spencer smirking at the corner of the table. Before we left the meeting he handed them his business cards and told them about a night club he was thinking of opening as well.

After we left I asked him what that smirk was all about. "It's just you Mom. You have a way of just coming up with ideas on the spot and making them into reality…it's just funny to always watch it come into play."

"Hey Spencer…that is what life is all about! Turning your dreams into reality, being creative and making things happen. And from the looks of it with you handing your cards and all…it seems the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

We walked to the car and I thought…boy life is great. Here's to marketing and impromptu phone calls! May they always take us to unexpected places.