+JMJ+
It’s DAY 17 of The Marketing Trad’s 2023 Advent Calendar and I want to tell you about one of the most humiliating days of my life, and yes, there was a pope involved.
I was a lot younger then and working at a certain 24-hour news channel.
The big story on this one particular day was Pope Benedict XVI travelling to New York City.
Do you remember that trip?
I’ll never forget it …
At least I won’t forget the flight.
I was in the control room producing the show, and it was one of my first shifts ever sitting in the big chair, and …
I dropped the ball.
The pope’s plane was in the air and we had this satellite feed coming in showing the flight.
It wasn’t much to look at, just a tiny spec of an aircraft and a big blue sky, kind of boring if you ask me.
I was worried about fitting in commercial breaks and what not, combined with my lack of experience of the time, and how close we were getting to the top of the hour, I was getting anxious, so …
I had the anchor throw to commercial.
This fella was right in the middle of a hit with some guest talking about the pope’s visit while the plane was in the air.
The idea was simple: have these guys talk until the plane lands and Benedict gets out and drives off.
I thought we’d have enough time for a short break before the pope’s flight landed, and as it turns out, we did, but wouldn’t you know it?
That was the worst decision I could have made.
The big executive in charge of the channel called me and chewed me out.
I got an earful and everyone in the control room heard it over the phone …
Along with everyone else in the newsroom.
I don’t remember how the show ended that day, but I’m pretty sure we were on top of the rest of the papal arrival.
What I do remember is coming back into the main newsroom after my shift.
People were avoiding me.
I was devastated.
I really wanted to be a TV producer, but this felt like a death blow to my career ambitions.
The only person I recall coming up to me was the anchor.
I’m pretty sure he could tell I was rattled.
He took me aside and said a few words, something along the lines of:
“Look, you made a decision and you saw it through. Maybe it wasn’t the right decision, but you made a call, and you followed through, and we still got the main coverage we needed.”
It sort of went like that. I don’t remember exactly what he said, but that’s close enough.
In short: the experience broke me …
It was the lowest day of professional life in broadcasting. Yeah, I made other mistakes, but that one was the worst.
I had some training for the role, but, in hindsight, I realize how I wasn’t ready for it.
Mistakes happen, though, like the one in my email yesterday about the date of my Advent calendar.
Man …
What a dumb move.
It happens, though, and you move on.
Writing emails isn’t like brain science or rocket surgery, or even papal trips to the United States.
Don’t sweat the mistakes.
You fall down, you get up, and you move on.
It’s like that scene from Batman Begins where Bruce Wayne falls into a dry well on his family’s property.
Thomas Wayne, Bruce’s dad, rescues Bruce and brings him back into the home, and then he asks his son:
“Why do we fall, Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.”
Alfred repeats it later on in the film at key point, another low moment in Batman’s life, the wise words to their job.
So, don’t sweat the mistakes.
If a reader calls you on it, that’s engagement, it’s a good thing. Thank them for pointing out the mistake and move on.
The next time you mess up with your emails, remember what Batman’s dad told him …
Remember Pope Benedict’s plane.
Remember this email.
Stay holy my friend and God bless.
Vic
The Marketing Trad
P.S. If you want help with your company’s emails, give me a shout at [email protected]. The New Year’s pricing discount is over, but we can still look at booking a consultation, but I won’t be filling any sports until after January 3rd.
P.P.S. I won’t be sending emails from December 24th through the 26th, but they’ll pick up again on the 27th.