#037 In which our hero is busy.

The Scientist gave me hell last night for not updating this site for so long. So, as someone in marketing, I know if 50% of your target audience demand a thing, you'd better give it to them.

Truth is, ever since I got back from a week's vacation, I've been busy. Too busy, frankly. I've been putting in full days worth of work... I know! Can you believe it? Needless to say, it's put a real crimp on my daytime Web surfing and non-work writing.

So what have I been writing? The project currently cluttering up my desk is a newsletter for a mid-western steel distributorship. Four pages, tabloid size, four-color. That's actually a pretty big space to fill up with words. And there will be pictures, too. But my involvement in this project included driving out to their plant (which is hell and gone, took me an hour to get there), interviewing 14 people in a single marathon day of scribbled notes, collecting information from their Web site and other materials they gave me, listening in on a conference call, and now, sitting down and hopefully creating some interesting stories that read well. Which is the real challenge, because their business is boring.

I'm actually amazed at what this company does. They ship in giant coils of steel, straighten them, and then cut them into sheets. That's it! This company has been around for 50+ years and employs a hundred people. They don't make the steel, they don't do anything with the steel, they don't build anything from it... they just straighten it and cut it to size. You wouldn't think that there would be a reason for such a niche business... but apparently there is. And, to give them credit, they are very good at what they do. Which is, y'know, straighten.

Anyway, I now know more about this business then I ever wanted to. Don't get me wrong, nice people, seem to really know what they're doing. If I had a giant coil of steel in my backyard that I needed to lie flat, these are the folks I'd call.

But, this project has to be done by mid-next week, so I best get back to it. But! Coming Soon: Used car salesmen! Cross-country trips! Tense family gatherings! Stay tuned!