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Jim Whelan
Cowboys at Joan Randall Agency diamonds in the rough
By Judi McLeod
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
In addition to their being fresh air and commonsense, the most appealing thing about real life cowboys is that they are not afraid to get a little dirt on their hands when out doing the chores.
Cowboys always stay in the field until the last job is done; they're there long after the sun goes down and the first persons ready to roll before the sun ever comes up.
"Proud to be" lifelong cowboys like Jim Whelan are as much at home in the boardroom as they are in lassoing "little doggies".
Is super salesman Whelan of the Joan Randall Agency a little uneasy when he shows up for a meeting in a Stetson?
"No, but the pinstriped suits sitting around the boardroom table might be and for good reason too," he chuckles.
"Getting results for clients today calls for a lot more than a well-tailored suit and big talk," he says.
Whelan was born a cowboy; was a cowboy when he was growing up in Toronto Canada and is today a cowboy to his stepson now that he's a resident of the United States.
So why should he be any different when he goes out to tackle the fine art of landing offline and online advertising for a variety of clients?
As Popeye sings in his ditty about eating all his spinach, "I yam what I yam." Jim Whelan is who he is.
The stuffed shirts in the PR business don't intimidate this cowboy.
People like cowboys because cowpoke are approachable and talk in plain language.
While out on one of his recent rounds, Donald Trump came over and introduced himself to Whelan after a number of "Who is that?" type glances. In fact, The Donald interrupted signing autographs and talking to television cameras in order to meet the cowboy in person.
How did Whelan pull a preening Trump away from the cameras?
"Let me tell you, I am a MAGNET for the kind of free publicity that Paris Hilton would envy, but I don't have to doff my duds to get it," Whelan explains.
You can't be shy holding all your cards to your vest in a corner when you are scouting ideas for clients," he says. "Helping clients get worldwide exposure through wise and prudently selected media placement is no walk in the park.
"You have to be open for an exchange of ideas, ready to meet people and thinking to succeed at this job."
Hunkering behind in the bunkhouse never got the cows to come home.
And if Whelan is the guy wearing the rawhide cowboy hat with a $14,000 tuxedo--not to mention his politically incorrect crocodile leather cowboy boots--people are likely to notice.
It was our lucky day when Canada Free Press (CFP) met the cowboy who hails from our home city. We can't claim ownership of Whelan when other major publishers proudly list him as their sales manager, but he's adroit in knowing how to make other people stand out.
A character down to the toes of his boots, when Whelan returns to his home city in winter, he's adds a full length mink coat to go along with the Stetson and alligator leather boots.
There weren't too many passersby on the corner of Bay & Elm that day that matched his description, but any who stopped him were soon involved in a conversation about advertising.
Any successful sales manager is more likely to be an extrovert than an introvert.
Whelan, who never takes no for an answer, lives up to his promises. Rather than moving to the next one when he runs into a brick wall on a particular account, he leaves it on his future call calendar. When the deal is signed after the umpteenth call, he reminds you that persistence pays off.
"Yes, it's true we're more cowboy than Manhattan advertising execs at the Joan Randall Agency, but it works," he says. "As cowboys we specialize in getting our clients the best seat at the rodeo, and you can take it from me that dealing with today's media is a lot like rasslin' a steer to the ground.
"Let the high talking Manhattan advertising types put on airs. With us, Cowboy Jim Whelan and my bare-back staff help clients scout, lasso, rope and ride right past their sales targets."
Whelan and his staff trade ideas like some folk trade carbon credits. They barnstorm through new and emerging markets, and by rethinking old worn-out strategies, long before they become obsolete.
"The idea is to have my company position the client to ride high in the saddle.
Clients of the Joan Randall Agency like the down-to-earth open skies approach of the cowboys.
"They quickly notice that my personal, down-to-earth, boot-kicking methods have major advantages over the big Madison Avenue agencies that know how to spend client dollars‚ŸÓbut don't have a clue as to whether or not their advertising even worked.
Jim Whelan and his cowboys are good at their jobs for a good reason: They love their profession.
There's nothing better to be than a cowboy who doesn't have to grow up.
As Canada Free Press discovered with the Joan Randall Agency, cowboys are diamonds in the rough.
Canada Free Press founding editor Judi McLeod is an award-winning journalist with 30 years experience in the print media. Her work has appeared on Newsmax.com, Drudge Report, Foxnews.com, Glenn Beck and The Rant. Judi can be reached at: judi@canadafreepress.com
