The basics

• Started as a journalist, writing obits and weddings, covering fires and local political races
• Executive in public relations agencies (some NYC boutiques you’ve never heard of and Weber Shandwick) and co-founder of early interactive marketing agency (Thunder House), acquired by McCann Erickson
• Clients: SAP, Sun, HP, Sapient, FedEx, Communispace, Harvard Publishing, Dunkin’ Donuts, TJX, DST Output, and Agfa and eRoom, where Francois was my client
• Schools: University of New Hampshire, Harvard University
• Books: wrote Beyond Buzz: The Next Generation of Word of Mouth Marketing, the gold medal recipient of the 2008 Axiom Business Book Award for best marketing/advertising/public relations book.
• Non-profit work: officer/trustee of Trinity Rep Theater

My slogans

• Lois helps create clarity from complexity.
• Make meaning not buzz.
• Communications can change the world.
• That’s interesting. Tell me more.

Things I care about

• Helping companies cut through the blah blah corporate talk to find points of view they believe in – and that set their organizations apart in meaningful ways.
• Inspiring sales, marketing, public relations people to take the leap to do things in new ways with less pain
• Leading experiential workshops that help people see new marketing and sales possibilities, burn down obstacles, and map a plan to make it happen.

Sites/communities I like

• Facebook: because it’s an easy way to keep up with what my friends are doing; it’s my social operating system.
• My Yahoo page because it’s also my blog reader.
• Ning transformational workshop community because its among people I respect and learn from (private group of us who took a course together)
• My Netflix friends community

3 things most people don’t know about me

• Almost didn’t complete my graduate business program because I just couldn’t write code a part of technology requirement; prof made an exception and kindly let me do research presentation instead.
• Was in the Metropolitan Opera Company’s Madame Butterfly at age four. (Because I was small and not scared of loud music; nothing to do with talent!)
• My favorite is escape is to a little two-room cottage on Bear Camp Pond with no running water –but lots of loons, bears and wild blueberries.

My favorite marketing play list

1. “You Get What You Give,” The New Radicals: sums up marketing – provide a great product or experience and you get passionate customers
2. “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction,” Rolling Stones: how we (and our bosses) all feel about marketing
3. “The Way,” Neil Young: the kids’ chorus instills joy and hopefulness
4. “Wild Thing,” The Troggs: helps me shake loose and see possibilities
5. Rock the Casbah, The Clash: anything’s possible
6. Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky), Bill Conti: older CEOs get juiced and open for change when they hear it; for some demographics it’s a great meeting opener
7. Rhapsody in Blue, Gershwin, Andre Previn & the London Symphony Orchestra: reminds me of how a start- up or new campaign plays out
8. Disco Inferno, The Trammps: The “burn baby burn line” gets me thinking about how to burn down the obstacles that are part of getting new ideas and programs approved
9. We Can’t Be Somebody Else,” Arling & Cameron; it’s all about authenticity.
10. “Tell Me Something Good,” Chaka Khan & Rufus. What every CEO and sales exec really wants to hear.
11. “Tell Me,” Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings: Sharon’s been working hard for years and is finally getting traction and notice; like many programs, businesses and careers. you’ve got to put in the hard work and stay true to your goals.(Plus she just puts me in a mood to move,)