Page 65 of Don't Go Faking My Heart
"That was perfect!"
"Genius video, Ash! Genius!"
"It's gonna be huge."
Their words lift me up. I can feel how good it is. "We have two more, and then need to make another dozen," I say.
"Let me take a couple," Sonny says.
"I'll take the 'what to do with kids' video," Duke says.
The nagging self-doubt and fear of what Philip will say makes my ears go hot, but I push past it. I'm too grateful. Like Rusty said, I've developed deep friendships with people who care about the same things I care about. This is a win-win-win.
And I helped make it possible.
"Thanks, guys," I say. "I'll work on those over the weekend and see if we can post them ASAP. We're up against tradition, fear, and deep wallets offering a quick, easy payout rather than a slower, stronger legacy.”
“This is good, Ash,” Tripp says, “I was worried I’d have to buy the town myself to keep them from turning Sugar Maple Diner into a Vox," Tripp says. “But you nailed it.”
Ugh. Vox is the epitome of wannabe hipster chains. It's a tapas restaurant that Dumfries Holding puts in every town it takes over. The food is overpriced, the music is too loud, and even the lighting tries too hard. I hate it.
I don’t hate the kind words from Tripp, though.
"I don't know much about marketing, but my grandpa taught us a lot about sales when we were kids. Remember?" Tripp asks Rusty and Duke. "That first summer at that fruit stand when we were 14? We were awful. We kept trying to push the wrong things on people. We wanted people to try the exotic stuff, and Tag kept redirecting us. What was it he said?"
Rusty smiles, looking lost in thought. "He said selling isn't about pushing something on folks that they don't want. Good selling is about taking the time to understand someone's needs and finding the product that meets it."
"I like the philosophy, but I'm not sure what it has to do with marketing Sugar Maple," I say.
“That’s what you did here,” Rusty says. “You made a video directed at people who want to fill a certain need and you’re showing them what Sugar Maple has that will fill it. It’s awesome, Ash.”
“Listen to your fake boyfriend," Tripp says. "He ain’t wrong."
Rusty ducks his head, and his hair falls in front of his face. What I see isn't a smile on his face, but … it's not a grimace, is it? What could he be grimacing about? Is he regretting our earlier … whatever it was? Affection connection?
Ew. That sounds like a mail-order bride service.
"Thanks, y’all,” I beam. “Now, should we hit post on this sucker?”
“Yes!”
We pull up the “Visit Sugar Maple” account we created and prepare the post. After every person in the room has given her or his blessing, we make it a collaboration with "Lucy Jane Official."
And I hit post.
Lou squeals and hugs me, while I tell my nerves and doubts to shut it. This campaign means a lot, and it's the first one I've ever taken lead on, but it’s good. My brain may want to second guess everything, but I can feel how good this campaign is in my bones.
We review the next two videos and make a posting schedule, and then Rusty stands up at the opposite end of the table.
"All right, y’all! Who's ready for some Double H hockey?"
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
RUSTY
"You gotta fill me in on this whole 'Double H Hockey' thing," Ash says when we pull up to the barn.
"I don't want to ruin the surprise."
