Three Things a Global Pandemic Has Taught Me About Business (And Life in General)

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

From the perspective of a 30-year-old

Hi, I’m Kaitlin. If you have worked with Dunlap Marketing in the past, chances are we have met. You can often find me at Dunlap Marketing working on business development, project management, and being a “sponge” (learning as much as I can about our business and how to lead a successful company).

You see, I’m 30-years-old and have a unique gig – for the past six years, I have worked for my dad, Mike Dunlap (you guessed it, as in the Dunlap behind Dunlap Marketing). I feel it would be careless of me to not be as “sponge-y” as possible during this time in my career.

While I was lying in bed last night, I could not stop thinking about how I want to be a “sponge” now more than ever. We each have our own perspective on how COVID-19 has affected our personal jobs, the businesses we work for, and the economy in general. I hope I can learn from what I’ve seen Dunlap Marketing, our customers, our prospects, our country, and our world go through these past few months – and what we will continue going through for the foreseeable future.

At this point, the pandemic has taught me THREE things about business:

  • People are good – For me, it’s easy to get sucked into negative media coverage that portrays people as “not good”. However, I find reassurance when I remember this batch of “not good” people are the minority. The majority of people in our communities are kind, loving, and thoughtful. In business, it is also important to keep in mind the notion that “people are good”. Remember, now more than ever, we all have lives outside of work. If you have a coworker, client, or vendor who is taking out a bad mood on you, try to approach the situation with grace. You do not know what is happening in their personal life. We all handle stress, uncertainty, and personal issues differently. More times than not, people are good – inside and outside the business world.  
  • The importance of a solid foundation – We have all watched companies, big and small, go through layoffs, struggle to keep the lights on, and some even making the tough decision to permanently close their doors. The Coronavirus does not discriminate – all businesses are experiencing impacts from its wrath. One similarity I’ve noticed in businesses who are withstanding the virus is: they have a strong foundation. The foundation I’m referring to are the leaders who have not only structured their organizations in a way that allows them to stay afloat during such miserable economic times, but who are also able to make tough, yet necessary decisions.

“You can’t build a great building on a weak foundation. You must have a solid foundation if you’re going to have a strong superstructure.”

Gordon B. Hinckley

  • It is okay to fall back on the basics – The basics are different for each of us. They are what feels comfortable, even during times of discomfort. In my personal life, the basics are: getting a full night’s sleep, prioritizing exercise, and spending time with my family. At work, the basics look a little differently, but provide an equal amount of comfort. Dunlap Marketing’s basics are: keeping our sales funnel full, providing high-quality appointments to our customers, and maintaining a safe, healthy work environment for our employees. These basics, along with a strong foundation, are what have provided Dunlap Marketing the opportunity not only to continue serving our clients, but also to stay in business. What are the basics in your job and at your company?

To close out, I will leave you with an action item. What is something you have learned during the pandemic? Drop your thoughts in the comments – I looking forward to the opportunity to learn from you, as well!

Dunlap Develops the Future of Business Pt2

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

Written by Audrey Tuttle

Last week we started the exciting piece covering our intern’s reflection on their time so far at Dunlap Marketing. Of course, we understand that one part would simply not be enough to cover the fun Q&A with our fantastic group of interns, so here we present the second part…

What is your favorite thing about working at Dunlap?

“My favorite thing about working at Dunlap Marketing is the breakout sessions that we have once a week. Some of my favorite topics have been professionalism and budgeting. These two concepts are so important because they will both be key in ensuring our success in the real world after college, but also can be carried over to my personal life!” Grace Mosby, The University of Texas at Austin, Business Major

“I have absolutely loved gaining work experience from a very intellectual leadership team. They have created a great culture and friendly work environment here at Dunlap Marketing. I really look forward to coming to the office every day and learning more from them.” Audrey Tuttle, Texas Tech University, Marketing

How has your experience been working with the leadership team at Dunlap?

“Kaitlin and Mike are both incredibly encouraging, which has helped me to feel comfortable and has been really motivating! Their care for the work and for the people at Dunlap Marketing is contagious.” Allison Holleb, Washington University in St. Louis, Psychological and Brain Sciences/Political Science

“Mike and Kaitlin have been so great to work with, they are very helpful and accommodating. Any time I have a question, they are quick to help, and are great with keeping me busy and challenged with my work. I am so grateful for the opportunity they gave me.” Grant Haney, Texas A&M University, Finance

Is there anything that you have learned here that will be beneficial in your future within the business world? If so, what is it?

“At Dunlap, I have learned a lot about setting individual and realistic professional goals for both short and long periods of time. I think this will help me a lot in the business world by preparing me to set expectations for myself and others that are attainable and push me to work harder at the same time.” Addi Barrett, Belmont University, Commercial Music/Songwriting

“The biggest thing that I have learned at Dunlap Marketing is the importance of continually seeking out opportunities to learn from those around you, whether it’s from people within your own organization or from people you meet through networking!” Allison Holleb, Washington University in St. Louis, Psychological and Brain Sciences/Political Science

These students learn a lot within the classrooms of their renown universities, but there is only so much you can learn in the classroom setting. It takes hands on experience in the work force to truly grasp the knowledge of the corporate world. The Dunlap Marketing team thoroughly enjoys watching this bright group of students excel at putting their classroom knowledge to the test in real-life work experiences. We are proud to be part of our interns continued growth and anxiously await to see the impact they will have on the business world.

Dunlap Develops the Future of Business

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

Written by Audrey Tuttle

The future of the business world ultimately lies within the hands of our current generation of college students, and Dunlap Marketing is doing its part in guiding these individuals to a successful future. Our summer internship program has created an opportunity for these ambitious individuals to work first hand with the leadership team and staff at Dunlap Marketing. The five-year program is moving into its second month of operation this summer, and these five college students could not be happier to continue getting their feet wet within the field.

Our interns have built upon their prior knowledge of business and have gained the skills that are critical to have in your tool box before taking the big step of earning a job after college. They have gained experience in cold calling, lead generation, telemarketing, marketing through social media, data research, B2B operations, and much more. Additionally, through the weekly breakout sessions with Mike Dunlap and Kaitlin Dunlap Cuevas, the interns have gained expertise on the ins and outs of being successful in the work force.

Of course, these statements can only be backed with a fun Q&A with the interns…

What work you have been doing at Dunlap Marketing?

“Making phone calls to capture data, working with other employees on campaigns, acquiring new clients for businesses.” Grant Haney, Texas A&M University, Finance

 “I have had the opportunity to build upon my communication skills through cold-calling and acquiring important information for databases. My other work responsibility has allowed me to expand my creativity as it involves creating and scheduling all social media posts for the company and writing company articles.” Audrey Tuttle, Texas Tech University, Marketing

What skills have you developed while working at Dunlap?

“Through my internship at Dunlap Marketing, I have enhanced my communication skills through phone calls and learned how to be persistent when making sales calls. I have developed a better sense of self-motivation and worked on adapting to whatever campaign I am assigned to.” Grace Mosby, The University of Texas at Austin, Business Major

“Some skills I have developed while working at Dunlap are spreadsheet organization and navigation, phone call communication skills, and more effective time management.” Addi Barrett, Belmont University, Commercial Music/Songwriting

            What exciting things our interns have to say about their internship experience! Don’t worry, we have more responses where that came from! Check out next week’s article for a part two of the intern’s Q&A. You won’t want to miss it.

How to Restart Your Business Now

Posted on by Kaitlin Dunlap

Written by Audrey Tuttle

We are living through a remarkable time that will go down in the history books and be studied through generations to come. The Coronavirus will not only be remembered for its immediate effect on humanity, but also for its destructive impact on our economy and business structures as a whole. It would be a powerful statement to explain to your business partners and to future generations that during this historic event, your business not only survived the wrath of the Coronavirus but it thrived in its aftermath. Don’t wait, restart your business now!

As businesses are reopening and trying to settle themselves into their pre-Corona state, there is no better time to ensure the success of your company. Dunlap Marketing’s Recovery Program will do that and more.

With our extremely affordable Recovery Program options, you will have the opportunity to work with the successful team at Dunlap Marketing who has been working with companies like yours since 1996. We will provide a four-month prospecting and appointment setting program as well as outbound prospecting phone calls with permission-based email follow-ups. We will take care of your recovery needs and put your business back on track towards success.

“Each day you don’t prospect is a day in the future you don’t have anything to sell.”

Mike Dunlap, President

Provided by Dunlap Marketing:

  • 24 years of knowledge and experience in B2B appointment setting and B2B lead generation services
  • Onsite and ongoing management supervision of your campaign – all work is performed in our Houston office
  • Staff members are W2 employees of the company who have an average of 12+ years of appointment setting and lead generation work
  • Assistance in developing an effective call message (script)
  • All campaign programming, setup, and development work

This program is only being offered for a limited time, so take advantage of this great deal while it lasts. Not only are you able to choose which of the three recovery options is the best fit for your needs, you also get the bonus of 25% off normal pricing with each of the programs.

Your business’s success will be an affirmation to your customers and competition on your ability to face adversity. Be the business that goes down in the history books, not as the company that fell apart from this unfortunate virus but the one that pushed past the challenge and flourished in its existence. The future of your business depends on the choices you make today, make the right choice and check out Dunlap Marketing’s Recovery Program. We look forward to working with you.

For questions or inquiries, contact us online. Or, reach out to Mike Dunlap at miked@dunlapmarketing.com, 281.496.9870 x 140 or Kaitlin Dunlap Cuevas at kaitlind@dunlapmarketing.com, 281.496.9870 x 180.