Earlier this week I was talking to someone about what I do for a living and they made the comment that “anyone can be a marketer.” I laughed a little bit, because I knew what they meant, but I also pointed out that “marketing” and “marketing done very well” were two very different things.

In fact, marketing is a little like chocolate chip cookies. Everyone can make them and most everyone has, but few do it extraordinarily well. Some people use the recipe off the back of the Tollhouse bag, some pick up the break and bake variety. Those things will get the job done and they might even get it done well. But they won’t result in the type of chocolate chip cookies that makes people go “Whoa!.”

That’s what we’re looking for here at SugarSpun. Not just the standard recipe marketing or the out of the box solution…but the idea and the implementation that makes people go “whoa!” Real chocolate chip cookies take the right ingredients. You’ve got to use butter, not margarine, pure vanilla extract rather than imitation and you’ve got to use brown sugar in addition to white. The same goes for Social Media…you can’t just throw up the standard Facebook page and Twitter feed, you’ve got to have a real voice with a real purpose.

If you REALLY want those chocolate chip cookies to be good, you use both large and tiny chips to get the kind of melty, chocolaty mouthful of cookie goodness that makes your eyes roll back in your head and your belt loosen on its own, just to be supportive of the experience. You’ll also add (or leave out) the nuts based on who is going to be eating them. In our world, it’s all about getting to know your audience so we can help you offer up the tasty morsels of yummy goodness that get them to invite the neighbors over to share the joy.

Extraordinarily Well Done Chocolate Chip Cookies
(adapted from AllRecipes)

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup salted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg + 1 yolk
1 3/4 cups semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
1 cup of diced pecans, walnuts, or macadamia nuts (if your audience merits it)

1. Preheat oven to 325.

2. Lightly spray baking sheets with PAM

3. Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt, set aside

4. Cream melted butter with the brown and white sugars.

5. Add eggs and vanilla to butter and sugar and mix thoroughly

6. Slowly add dry ingredients until fully mixed.

7. Add chocolate chips

8. Add nuts (optional)

9. Drop by 1/4 cup heaps onto cookie sheets, leaving at least 3 inches on all sides

10. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until edges are slightly brown, but centers are still soft.

11. Remove from oven, allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing to wire racks

12. Pour a tall glass of milk and have yourself a little moment.