Susan Clark

Current

Owner at Cornerstone Solutions, Inc.

Past

Business Development Director for Corporate Art Consultant at Jan Maynard Associates
Director of Marketing at Milchem (Baker Hughes Subsidiary)

Education

University of Houston
University of Kentucky

Recommended

2 people have recommended Susan

Connections

146 connections

Industry

Marketing and Advertising

Websites

Susan Clark’s Summary

I hate cold calling and I hate being cold called. So I've spent my career learning how to get people to call me (and my clients) and how to build better relationships with those clients and prospects. I chose ACT! as the database (niche) that we work with, though most any contact management software will do. It's just that so many people already have experience with ACT! and it is a relatively cheap software for them to use.

Since sales are all about relationships, I focus on helping companies design follow-up systems that build trust and loyalty. I guide them in writing persuasive letters and using technology to lighten their load (remember I hate cold calling).

When I commit to a niche market... I commit. ACT! contracts with me to be the author of The Official ACT QuickStudy Guide (eighth edition due out August 2009 - yes I still like writing these things - always something new). ACT! also hires me to train and certify new ACT! consultants for them (really... they don't do it themselves). I love being able to pass on real world experience along with the technical stuff they need to know. I try to slip in some marketing skills as well, but usually don't have enough time. I have served on the ACT! Advisory Board for more than 6 years.

You are welcome to sign up for my free bi-monthly ACT! Tips newsletter on my homepage. I also host the Houston Area ACT! User's Group 6 times a year. If you are in the area, you should try to come. They are usually pretty fun.

You can learn more about our nationwide offerings at http://www.cornerstonesolutions.com

Susan Clark’s Specialties:

* Market using your customer and prospect database.
* Design follow-up marketing strategies.
* Customize ACT! to support your processes.
* ACT! Certified Consultant and Certified Trainer

Susan Clark’s Experience

Owner

Cornerstone Solutions, Inc.

(Privately Held; Computer Software industry)

October 1987 — Present (21 years 10 months)

I could see the future for PCs. I wanted to help other small businesses move into that world and so I went off on my own and started a PC training company... in the DOS days. We (my trainers and I) hated the courseware out there. It was confusing, boring, poorly written, etc, so we decided to write our own. When the world of MS Windows arrived, software was changing so fast, we couldn't afford to keep up just for ourselves, so we started selling our courseware.

It's been more than 20 years now and we have evolved from being just a training company into a consulting firm which helps our clients define business processes and procedures and then designs an ACT! database to reinforce those procedures (our niche). So we install, deploy, coach, and train. After basic processes are in place, we help design marketing campaigns (since this was always my true love) to take advantage of their database. We still provide training manuals (mostly ACT!-related) for Do-It-Yourselfers.
Business Development Director for Corporate Art Consultant

Jan Maynard Associates

(Arts and Crafts industry)

1984 — 1987 (3 years)

I will always remember this phase in my life fondly. My taste in art escalated faster than I could afford it. I was able to hone my computer skills by developing an inventory system from scratch. It also took me from marketing in an industrial environment to learning how to market something for the soul... art.
Director of Marketing

Milchem (Baker Hughes Subsidiary)

(Oil & Energy industry)

1975 — 1984 (9 years)

This was my first real job. When I left I was department Director (managing Advertising, Trade Shows, & Market Research.) While I loved the marketing, I learned the most during the time I was in charge of setting goals for each region manager (which set their bonuses). I gleaned valuable negotiation skills and tactics (one time after much research into a market for purpose of setting goal... the region manager replied "they all lied to you."). I learned to walk into a room where no one was like me (not my age, not my sex, not my education, not my...) and feel comfortable and enjoy the experience of meeting and talking with anyone. I learned the harsh reality of Groupthink (if we raise our prices, then our competitors will immediately raise theirs and everything will be OK... during a recession). I learned the value of being able to write 2-page Management Summaries on 500 page reports.

Susan Clark’s Education

University of Houston

MBA , 1981 — 1984

Was out of school nearly 10 years before I went back to get my MBA. As in most experiences... it was the people that made the difference. I loved it.
University of Kentucky

BA , Communications (Advertising and PR) , 1969 — 1973

I was fortunate to get a Work Study Grant in the Public Relations department for most of the time I was at UK. Great experience and where the real learning occurred.