By Donna Marrin
Sally Hogshead
My company, Fascinate, helps companies become more fascinating. For instance, we help brands develop messages that fascinate consumers. We teach leaders how to persuade employees. We show marketers how to create more influential messages.
How did you start out?
I began as a copywriter in advertising and rose to a creative director. When I was 27, I opened my first advertising agency. I’ve always loved writing—passionately, wildly love it. I love when a brand needs to figure out who it is, what it stands for, why people should care. Nothing gets me more revved up than developing thoughts that leave the world an ever-so-slightly more interesting place than before those thoughts were thought.
Was there a time when you reached a ‘fork in the road’ where you chose the path that took you to where you are today?
In 2003, during a pregnancy, doctors ordered me to quit my job and stay in bed until the baby was born. Let me tell you, bed rest is less fun than it sounds. I went from being at the top of my field to being unemployed, unable to even walk out the front door. It humbled me. It crushed me. To get through that time, I propped my laptop on my growing belly and began to write. Months passed. The pregnancy progressed well, and so did I. The baby grew big enough to jiggle my laptop when she kicked. Two things came out of this process. One was my first book, named RADICAL CAREERING. It was published in 2005, and you can download it free at. The other thing that came out of this process? My amazing and hilarious daughter, Azalea. (Oh, and for the record: delivering a baby requires less pain medication than birthing a book.)
Did you have any doubts, and if so, how did you overcome them?
I have doubts every single day! How do I overcome them? Big goals, strong caffeine, and a sharp kick in the ass.
In advertising, how much emphasis do you put on following instincts over going with the formula?
Formulas are intellectual, rational and predictable. Ads that follow formulas are easy to create and easy for a committee to approve, because they don’t require any original thought. The problem? Formulas lead to ads that are forgotten— or worse, ignored. Luckily, formulas can be tweaked. By understanding universal human behaviors, you can create messages that captivate consumers. In my book, FASCINATE, I explain how people and companies can influence behavior by applying the seven fascination triggers, which include mystique, lust, power, and trust.
What has your biggest learning curve been in terms of marketing your business?
Paperwork. (Fortunately, I have excellent delegation skills.)
Describe a day in the life…
Coffee at 6 am. Wake up at 6:15. Craziness ensues for the next twelve hours, during which time I’ll probably write a blog post, respond to emails, plan a speech, connect with my team on our latest project, have a call with my agent, reheat something in the fridge and scrounge for cookies or something sugary. Then dinnertime, after which my brain hits “off” whether I want it to or not. Around 11 pm, I make coffee to get me up the next morning.
You’re also a mom—how do you balance business and family?
I don’t have this one figured out yet. Every day is a work in progress. I find that it’s hard to be great at anything when you’re 50/50. I pick times to unplug, then I focus totally and blissfully on my kids.
Do you have a favorite business tool or resource?
Yes: social media, especially Twitter. (My Twitter username is @SallyHogshead, by the way, if you’d like to connect.) By following a wide range of authors and marketers and journalists and pop culture junkies, I can peek inside their minds, and learn how they think and work.
What is the one piece of advice you would like to give to others thinking about starting a business?
Aspire to be the dumbest person in the room.
By that I mean, surround yourself with people who are smarter than you—people who can challenge you and inspire you and push you to the next level. Working with smart people is the mack daddy. The be-all and end-all. It’s the single most important criteria for evaluating your current or potential job.
What is the key to your success?
Sheer refusal of mediocrity.
What inspires you?
My kids. Daily.
ABOUT SALLY HOGSHEAD Growing up with the last name Hogshead would give anyone an unconventional point of view. Today, Sally is a speaker, author, and nationally-acclaimed marketing expert.
During her second year in advertising, Sally won more awards than any other writer in the U.S., and was called “the most successful junior copywriter of all time.” She went on to guide world-class brands such as Aflac, Target, Godiva, and Coca-Cola. She’s frequently interviewed by media such as the New York Times and NBC’s Today Show, and the Globe and Mail described her as “The marketing mistress of captivation.”
Sally’s new book is titled, FASCINATE: YOUR 7 TRIGGERS TO PERSUASION AND CAPTIVATION. Curious to know how you persuade others? Find out in Sally’s “F Score” personality test, based on research of over 1,000 people, available for free here. Sally’s website is http://www.SallyHogshead.com, and she can be reached at Fascinate@SallyHogshead.com.