I'm a Direct-Response Digital Copywriter and Marketing StrategistWhen I was 12, I got my first job at the Historic West Side Market in Cleveland, Ohio. My responsibilities included fetching, loading, moving, and unloading produce. I also learned how to use a pallet jack and deal with people. Not necessarily in that order. The West Side Market is Cleveland's oldest publicly owned market, which started in 1840 when Josiah Barber and Richard Lord donated a tract corner of Pearl (W. 25th) and Lorain streets to Ohio City with the condition that it always be kept as a market site for the public. I'm happy to report it still remains a public market. What I enjoyed the most was the fast-paced environment and observing and learning how the market worked. My early childhood experience is why I still love hearing about a customer's business. So much so that I treat their business goals as my personal goal, and it's been my real pleasure to add value whenever and wherever I can for my customers. My love of business is fulfilling, interesting, and fun, and it led me to a prosperous sales and marketing career. I've marketed everything from half-cent diodes to 250,000-capacity forklift trucks and everything in between. I started my online marketing career in 1995. Earthlink was my first ISP, Netscape was my first browser, and I used Adobe Pagemill to create, launch, and manage websites. Today, the internet has fragmented almost everything, every product, and every audience. For instance, 20 years ago the music industry was all about the Top 40. The Top 40 was promoted on radio, TV, and magazines. It's too bad for you if you are a new musician and aren't in the Top 40. You had zero chance of becoming a household name. The web changed all that; thanks to the web, an unknown garage band can build a fan base online before a single song of theirs is played on the radio. Just think of Justin Beber. And now YouTube, iTunes, and Sirius XM these platforms feature millions of tracks, a far cry from the top 40. Another example is gardening. Today, we're not just writing to gardeners but to orchid enthusiasts, and we don't just write to breakfast eaters who love coffee but to the smaller group of espresso lovers who love to grind their own beans. Today, you must know your audience to be an effective digital copywriter and marketing strategist. This is the part of my job that I love and enjoy.