The first rule of Marketing: You must believe in your product. You have to try and promote it as much as possible. Some of the most popular ways are through social media. Nowadays many business owners use the help of third party platforms like YoutubeStorm to help with the engagements.

I spent three years in the U.S. Army. I went to Vietnam and then spent the rest of my service time at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. When I had 30 days left I took a three-day leave to come home.

The last thing I expected to do was go on a date. However my sister-in-law insisted I date a friend of hers who she worked with at a hospital. The young lady was a nurse. As it turned out she was not that crazy about going on a blind date and I felt much the same way. As you might guess we were married six months later and have been married nearly 40 years.

My wife was working when we got married but I wasn't. I started college on the G.I. Bill and that brought in some money but not nearly enough. I had to get a job.

In those days there were many more employment agencies. I got a job through one in an insurance company's home office as a medical underwriter trainee. I was very excited. I loved the work and the company I worked for was highly regarded. I was on the bottom floor; the future looked bright.

I worked as a medical underwriter for two years. However in March of 1975 something tragic occurred. My father suffered a stroke while in the ocean with my sister and died. He was a part-time charter bus driver and had taken some college kids to Florida for Spring Break. My mother and sister had accompanied him. My father was just 48-years-old.

I was in shock. My company allowed four days "leave" for the death of a close family member. However my family lived in Illinois and it took some time to get my dad's body home. By the time I got back to work it was five days. Not only was I not paid but I was given a great deal of grief about missing the extra day even though I kept them posted.

Had their attitude been over something else I would have handled it better but all things considered I was furious.

However something else happened that encouraged me to change roles within the same industry. I decided to be a life insurance agent. In other words "market" life insurance. What happened? My father had very little insurance.

I was motivated to market insurance because I didn't want other families to go through what ours did. We had funeral expenses and no money.

As a result of this strong belief I led the company nationally for rookie agents in "lives insured." I was also the agency (local office) "Man of the Year."

In my sales career I found that clients can be drawn through hobbies, geographical placement, references and age as well as something called niche selling.

In the area of niche selling I discovered that other agents would disregard the wife's life and her value to the family. When I explained the possible consequences of not insuring the wife, the sale was easy.

After 10 years due to my success I was offered a position with a company as a vice-president and ultimately became the Executive Vice-President and company CEO. At that point the marketing became a much different process.

Marketing at the corporate level (in the area of insurance) consists of first remaining within the law. Products must comply with the policy of the Director of insurance.

Then it must be determined how agents will be compensated and where the company wishes to put permanent offices. These decisions are constantly being monitored and changed. Other companies aren't only vying for your clients but your agents as well.

In the late 1990s I retired but did some consulting.

Looking back over my career the hardest part was "cold calling." I would have to call someone on the phone whose name I was given and try to get an appointment. Rejection is high.

If I had to lay down two "laws" for a career in Marketing, I would say "Believe in your product" and "Never take rejection personally."