My name is William Whitlow and this is the first chance i’ve had to work on something I am passionate about. Marketing. From the first time I was introduced to it, I fell in love. I’ve owned businesses both on line and off line where I have been fortunate to experiment, and learn a lot working with the experts across the United States. I will be updating my audience via text, podcast, and video blogs. People will be able to ask questions and I will be able to really help them with their marketing. I’ve attached my resume, which starts with my ownership of my two businesses. I want everyone to get a complete breakdown of who I am, and what I am capable of. Thank you for visiting my website. I plan on helping people the best I can, and providing a service that few can provide. My rules of thumb are to help enough people get what they want, or need, and evetything comes full circle. See me at http://www.williamwhitlow.com William Whitlow’s Complete Corporate Background With His Underground Marketing Experience!!
02/2002 to Present: Cinnabar Nightclub, and Blush Cabaret Owner Operator
50% Owner Operator, 50% Owned by Attorney General Representing The State Of Arizona.
Responsibilities: Run the daily operations of Cinnabar Nightclub, And Blush Cabaret. Both businesses are run completely different.
Cinnabar Nightclub is a neighborhood bar. Locals and college kids, are the main customer database. Tourists are a bonus. There are times of the year where people are not on vacation, and can have a dramatic impact on your business, if consistent customers are not coming through the door.
Cinnabar Nightclub has theme nights, and live entertainment three to four times a week. This involved a lot of marketing. Various promotions were used such as voice blasts, text blasts, direct mail, radio, and partnerships with businesses around town.
The live entertainment usually involves someone relatively famous. Some of the familiar names you might know are, “Bone Thugs N Harmony”, “Breathe Carolina”, “DJ Quick”, “ Bizzy Bone”, “Kurupt”, “Digital Summer”, “Wu-Tang Clang” members, Etc.
I usually deal with big contracts like $2,000 to $3,000 guarantees for the headliner. Me and another promoter have worked out a system. The system drives traffic to the bar for the show, and also takes care of all the opening bands, with a very profitable night for the nightclub.
Cinnabar is the key to staying in contact with our customers for both businesses. Since you can’t really advertise Blush Cabaret, with your customers through direct mail, or newsletters, I would do it with Cinnabar.
Both businesses are in the same Commercial Building, with separate entrances and exits. Everyone in town knew they were right next to each other, so I could direct mail letters, and 8 page Newsletters, to the home, without other possible wives or
Girlfriends, seeing the “Blush Advertisement”, addressed to the Man, because they were “Cinnabar Advertisements” addressed to the Man.
If it was a women customer, then of course it really was a “Cinnabar Advertisement”.
You can’t cause personal problems within your customer’s home life or you will lose them forever. Or until the customer files for divorce, or breaks up with their girlfriend. This is why I’ve used this approach all these years, and it works.
So without losing one single customer, I decided to use direct advertising with Cinnabar Nightclub, and blanket advertising for Blush Cabaret.
Blanket advertisements would include Radio, Newspaper, Money In The Mail, Hotels, Cabs, Box Moving Van With Topless On The Top, and Pink and Purple Flames, with a
Silhouette of a stripper, address, and phone number. There were other types of various marketing I used, but it was always different than Cinnabar Nightclub.
I was in control of payroll, schedules, bills, taxes, inventory, and other various tasks involved in running the bars.
In addition to running the businesses, it was also my responsibility as a business owner to network.
Five years ago I involved myself in “The Sheriff’s Posse”, the biggest charity organization in town. On January 1, I was voted in as “The Captain”, and now I am in control of $200,000, which we distribute monthly, to those in need. A title I am very proud of.
Other types of networking I was involved in was meeting Mayor Sarah Pressler. My best friend Shan, is kind of an internet marketing guru, trained by me, and helped campaign for the Mayor. The Social Credibility she was able to achieve through the internet, and other types of media was amazing. Her campaigning can be compared to that of, Obama.
Sarah is an amazing woman, and has brought Flagstaff, in my opinion, out of the ice age. This mayor broke up any kind of “Old School” thinking Flagstaff previously had, and modernized it. As a result, opening businesses, and allowing corporations to open, without any hassle, are examples of the great job she has done while in office.
While running a business, many people begin to understand the principles of working for something, and not receiving immediate gratification. I can name many times over the years, I was working for something that was going to have a return in time. I learned these types of principles working for The Bank, where I was forced to maintain a customer database, that I constantly had to stay in touch with. The end result would be selling them a product, down the road, that I receive a very nice commission for.
There were other types of networking I had to do like The Police Department, Southside Improvement Neighborhood Meetings, events around town, and Sheriff Posse Volunteer Events. There are a lot of people that know me.
I learned customer service through all the years working for corporations, but I was able to really provide it from a personal level, owning a business. Customer service expands beyond just the business doors, because you will see people around town. Every time you see someone you know, it is your job to say hi, and maybe give them a little conversation. Developing these kinds of relationships, and caring about the customer, is what kept my business going strong all these years.
My businesses involved P.O.S. (Point Of Sale) touch screens that could capture the customers information. The types of drinks they like, address, phone number, email, everything you need. The P.O.S. are technically designed for selling your products, and inventory. The customer information and marketing is something the Creator added.
The creator of my Touch Screen systems, created them back in the mid 90’s, and owns 2 Restaurants. So marketing and selling products, were both of equal importance to the creator. He is a good personal friend of mine, and his POS systems, are far better than others. He also provides classes to train you how to use the system, and market. A service like this isn’t provided anywhere I’m aware of.
I purchased the business on contract with money down. The person I was paying off, was raided by the police, and “The Governor”, now owns 50% of my business. I meet with The Attorney General on a monthly basis, review the numbers with him, let him know how the business is doing, and give “The State”, their share of the monthly profits.
In all my years of College, and Working, I never assumed I would be meeting with Political Figures that run our State on a regular basis. I’ve enjoyed the experience, and have developed some great relationships in the process.
Five of my friends and I purchased this business 10 years ago. My share of the business was to run it every weekend. Since I was still employed with the bank, I always worked my overtime before Friday at 2:00 pm. Then, leave from Phoenix to Flagstaff, and work all weekend, and come home on Sunday night so I could be at work Monday. I did this for 7 years.
Many times, the bank required we work 60-70 hours. I would do that in a period of 5 days, and still be in the 1-3% of top performers. Ironically I still work out 5 days a week too.
My schedule started at 4:00 a.m. I would workout 1st thing in the morning for an hour. Next work 11-13 hours, typically eating lunch at my desk to get more work done. Then I would go home.
Planning helped me handle this schedule. I would cook all my food for the week on Sunday Night. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Protein, Vitamin Supplements, carried with me to work every day. This way, I have everything I need to work, and not leave.
Twice a week, at night, I also did Submission Grappling MMA from 2001-2006, from 7pm to 9pm.
When I reflect, it amazes me how much I was able to get done, and still drive to Flagstaff every weekend for 7 years. This is part of the reason I was left with the business, Desire.
Like any business during the mortgage boom, we did an absolutely amazing job. Our best month was $90,000 Gross Revenue, with consistent $75,000 to $85,000 every month.
Last month I did the figures, and they were close to $40,000 with only Blush Cabaret. Cinnabar was in the middle of building a Kitchen, so we were not fully open. With Cinnabar open my numbers would have been between $50,000 to $55,000.
The reason I am not running the business anymore is because I am in the middle of a new lease, and better location. The person that owns the commercial structure I am in, did not renew my lease. I’m actually happy about it. We have been in the wrong place for a long time. There is a homeless shelter just two buildings away from mine, and a second homeless shelter 1 street over. This is right in the center of Downtown Flagstaff.
In addition, college kids are always walking by, but they are broke college kids. They pay the six dollar cover charge, then the bouncers have to force the two drink minimum. Again, the wrong traffic.
Cinnabar Nightclub has less problems because the drinks are cheaper and there’s no cover charge, because topless girls aren’t walking around. The homeless are always floating in though, and we have to escort them to the door.
The best way to describe my location is like having a business on Mill Ave, next to ASU. But, homeless people are roaming all over Mill Ave, constantly asking for money, constantly trying to get in your bar, or hanging around the front. It’s horrible.
The new location is next to Wal-Mart, Cracker Barrel, Outback Steakhouse, Two other Bars, Ten Hotels, Diesel Filling Station, and Trucker Parking Location to Park Your Diesel And Sleep. Yes, this location will make me a lot more money.
I have a General Manager who has run Both of my Clubs for 10 years. She does a phenomenal job running it. I plan on letting her run the Club, while I watch it from the internet.
Now that I’ve described the business, and what my responsibilities are, I can explain why I am looking to enter the job market.
Serving people alcoholic beverages, and watching people get drunk all the time, are unfortunately not the relationships or career I desire. I was very happy working at Chase Bank for 11 years. I’ve had a chance to step away, and develop some real leadership skills.
I’ve been in control of a corporation that has generated well over $1,000,000 dollars a year, for multiple years. The marketing skills I’ve acquired takes real mentorship, and testing, to develop those skills. The customer service skills I’ve acquired, are something you can’t learn being a cahier, because I have to have my happy face on all the time, even outside the business.
These are some of the real reasons I want to re-enter the workforce, possibly even a corporation.
As reading through the rest of my resume, I will reveal all the skills I have. Since I’ve worked for Corporations for most of my life, And have the experience of owning two businesses, I know both sides of the fence. I believe this was the last step in rounding out my business personality, and will be a huge asset to the company that I have the pleasure of working with.
01/08 to 08/08 Chase Bank
Phoenix, Arizona
1st Mortgage Lending
Title: Universal Mortgage Loan Officer/ 1st Mortgage Loan Officer Combined With 2nd Mortgage Loan Officer
Responsibilities: Generate new 1st Mortgage applications through a phone lead generation database, created by Chase.
Two lead generating sources were used.
The main lead generating system was created to make outbound dialed calls, to Chase customers, with homes. The system was amazing and showed all the chase products they had, like checking, savings, mutual funds, credit cards, unsecured installment loans, car loans, etc.
The second lead generating system used was a database, purchased from Chase bank. The dialer called people with 1st or 2nd mortgages with other companies. The information available to us, showed who their mortgages were with, and the rate, payments, balance, credit score, address, outstanding debts, and multiple other pieces of information to help us make the sale.
The third lead generating source were those applicants we brought to the bank, through our own lead generating techniques.
The commission was structured so employees were paid a higher bonus, on leads we generated ourselves.
The bank used an auto dialer for Non-Chase customers, and Chase customers. We were put on the auto dialer for a period of 2-4 hours a day.
The second level bonus paid employees that closed a mortgage, for customers that had No Chase products, and a mortgage with another company.
The third level bonus paid employees that closed a mortgage, for customers that had Chase products.
The team that created this system, did a phenomenal job. We had 2 different times of day, the dialer would dial Non-Chase, or Chase customers. The jobs were separated, so we weren’t confused when the auto dialer was making the calls.
In our ear we would hear the phone ring, and “The Customer Information Screen” would show on our computer, so we could familiarize yourself with the customer.
If a customer was a Chase customer, we could see all the products they had with us, along with credit score, income, rate on their current mortgage, even if it wasn’t with us.
If a customer was a Non-Chase customer, we could see their credit score, income, debts, who mortgage was with, rate, payment, and multiple other pieces of valuable information.
The system was incredible, and allowed us the ability to identify with the customer. Terms like “Preferred Customer Credit Score”, and “Special Refinance Deals For Customers with Long Standing Relationships”.
Another example: “With the mortgage crisis, rates have dropped phenomenally low, and because you have multiple products with Chase, you qualify as one of our “premier” clients, which waives all closing costs in addition to your special rate”.
Opening the phone call with creative hooks helped me make the sale. It was relatively easy because I had been in customer service my whole life.
When I was in the 2nd mortgage business, all the loan officer did was answer the phone and take the application for approximately 30 minutes. The next day I received the application, called the customer, and worked with them until the signing day. It was approximately a seven to fourteen day process.
Through reviewing my phone calls, the new “Universal 1st and 2nd mortgage team approached me for a position with the team.
The commission structure made sense and both teams were very happy with the system. The exact quote I receive was, “You Made $75,000 last year, you’ll easily make over $100,000. We can tell with your performance, and sales skills, which are better than most”.
I was very happy with my new position. I closed plenty of mortgages as well as my team members. The members of my team were even closing 2nd Mortgages, when the opportunity presented itself, and we couldn’t do a 1st mortgage.
Months went by and the commission we all agreed to did not come. It didn’t make any sense, because the bank was making money off the mortgages, just not paying the commission.
After nine months of living off $1,500 a month, I was forced into early retirement in October 2008. I left the business to run both of my businesses full time. A career choice I was not happy with, but a wise financial decision.
06/05-07/12 Dan Kennedy Marketing, Dotcomsecrets Marketing, Stompernet MarketingMike Choma, Mark Weiser, Todd Falcone,
Phoenix, AZ
Direct Marketing Mentorship:
Responsibilities: Take direction from my mentors, and apply the marketing knowledge I learn, to make money in my own business.
Mentorship started with Mike Choma, who owns a commercial equipment lease finance company. Mike also runs a business marketing on line.
Mark Weiser is another mentor who used to work for Corporate America, but now makes money on line, with marketing companies, information products, and books he’s written.
Todd Falcone is another mentor who not only has a degree in marketing, bus speaks all over the world professionally about marketing. Todd has written books, articles, Information CD’s, and DVD’s on marketing, prospecting, and sales, a real marketing guru if you will.
When my mentors first started guiding me, they had me reading books, listening to MP3 recordings on the computer, playing information CD’s in my truck, learning while driving. They realized I needed to have my mindset change, so I could begin learning.
The three companies, Dan Kennedy, Dotcomsecrets, and Stompernet, are three monthly publications I paid for monthly to study their underground marketing information. Dan Kennedy actually had 2 publications I was a monthly member of. Four monthly magazines, 2 DVD’s, and 2CD’s total. It was required that I go through this information monthly, and apply the knowledge learned.
In addition to the learning, my mentors required I make cold phone call sales. It was rough, but nothing will teach you sales like cold calling. When I had a live prospect on the phone, they would be available for me to make a three-way phone call, where I would bring them on the line to help close the sale.
Dan Kennedy teaches a lot of Direct Marketing, Advertising, Customer Rewards Programs, Customer Tracking, Developing Relationships With Your Customer, and multiple other marketing methods, from every different kind of business you can think of.
Dotcomsecrets teaches every kind of on-line marketing you can think of. From building customer lists, videos, podcasts, product creation, relationship building, up sells, and multiple other marketing tips, it’s really quite incredible. The owner Russell Brunson makes over 10 million a year on line. He only has about 15 people in his marketing office.
Stompernet is another publication that teaches on line marketing along with other types of direct marketing. Both publications are similar, but teach different marketing strategies, so I use them both. The employees are also available to answer any questions, via email or phone. A side note I want to mention is that every employee is an expert that contributes a monthly article to the publication. A partner in the company goes by the name of Brad Fallon, and since 2005, he’s had the number 1 wedding website in the world. The capital generated from this website alone is amazing.
The marketing taught in these publications is underground. I learn marketing techniques, that aren’t taught in any School or University in the U.S. These are tried, tested, and proven techniques from entrepreneurs, and business owners around the nation. The results of the marketing campaigns are shown, so you don’t have to make the same mistakes.
The publications also come with gold or platinum memberships. The memberships connect you with other business owners in the same business as you. This allows you to schedule group phone or video web conferences, so everyone can mastermind together. This kind of networking with the right people, causes business owners sales to skyrocket. It just makes sense. Applying marketing techniques proven to work in mom and pop businesses all across the nation. The marketing also works for big corporations too, not just small businesses.
Another point I’d like to reveal is how these mastermind groups, teach you how to run your business correctly. It’s not always about marketing. You learn so much when you’re involved, it sets you years ahead, by avoiding the trial and error part of the business. The best way to describe the learning that occurs is, to always have your mind open to new and creative ideas, and your success will follow.
06/00 to 01/08 Bank One
Tempe, Arizona
Retail Lending, Dept#AZ1-2561
Title: Home Equity Loan Processor
Responsibilities: Monitor Que throughout the day for new applications and loans that may be ready to close. Take incoming calls from banking center employees, and customers. Resolve lien issues, name variances, trust issues, any problems that may arise and hold up loan signing. Coordinate closings with customers and banking centers. Prepare documents to go out to banking centers. Complete daily Que, and meet monthly goal, of eighty to one hundred loans booked.
06/99 to 06/00 Bank One
Tempe, Arizona
Retail Lending, Dept #AZ1-2561
Title: R.E.L.P. Real Estate Loan Processing, Processor
Responsibilities: Review full Appraisals (URAR), Trust Agreements, and complex tax return income verification.
I reviewed incoming loans and reviewed title reports, flood reports, flood reports and credit bureaus to either approve or decline customers contingent upon these factors. This area was eliminated and the processors were all turned into loan officers handling all the responsibilities including calling clients.
06/97 to 06/99 Bank One Tempe, Arizona
Recovery Unit, Dept #AZ1-2517
Title: Loss Recovery Specialist
Responsibilities: Call customers on charged off loans. Take financial statements and set them up on new payment plans. Skiptrace to locate people. Track vehicles I assign for reposession, hire private investigators and bluebook units. Monitor checking accounts to debit. Reassign accounts in bankruptcy or in process of going to agency. Complete daily portfolio, and meet end of the month goal.
09/95 to 06/97 Wells Fargo Bank
Tempe, Arizona
Consumer Loan Collection Operations, Dept #4015-016
Title: Loan Adjuster
Responsibilities: Review past due loans from start of delinquency to charge off. Call customers for payments both manually and automated on mosaix system. Audit loans to make sure payment schedule reads correctly. Give extensions and in some cases refinance loan. Blue book vehicles and assign for repossession. Complete daily portfolio and meet end of the month goal.
03/06 to 02/97 Primerica Financial: Travelers Group, Smith Barney
Mesa, AZ
Title: Life Insurance Agent
Responsibilities: Generate leads that have a need for life insurance. Restructure their finances, so they have money to invest in their retirement.
Primerica Financial had a goal of licensing every independent contractor in Life Insurance, Property and Casualty Insurance, and a 6 & 63 license.
The goal was to review the clients Car Insurance, and Monthly Debts, and lower the monthly payment. Next we reviewed the client’s life insurance, and educated them on the differences between Whole Life Insurance, Universal Life Insurance, Term Insurance and multiple others. After educating the client, we peach “Buy Term And Invest The Difference”. Which meant to buy “Term Insurance”, and invest the money you save eliminating “Whole Life Insurance”, into a Mutual Fund.
If we weren’t licensed in Property and Casualty Insurance, or 6 & 63 License, we would bring an agent with us to the meeting, and close the deal. Once we achieved those licenses, we could transfer the sales to our name.
Eventually I left Primerica, as I was still trying to finish school, and a job as a collector at Wells Fargo, so I had to leave the company. Their assets were solid, as they preached mutual funds, which were more conservative, and higher returns. We quoted an average return of 14%. I cashed out a mutual fund last year for $12,000 from Primerica Financial. The monthly investment was only $25. I loved working for the company, and was happy to be selling solid investments, since I was personal proof of long term safe investing.
The rest of my resume can be seen at http://www.williamwhitlow.com
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Do not limit yourself to these approaches. Keep windows of your brain open so that you can think creatively and execute proactively. Lastly, as I always say the only limits you have are the ones which you put on yourself, so set huge goals, break free, let go, work hard and stand in the hall of fame! What creative link building ideas do you have to share with us in the comment section? Tagged as: