I love [tag]Billy Joel[/tag]! There’s a running, ever-present mocking of me around the office because of my useless knowledge of music…more importantly my extreme willingness to bring in up in any situation that I possibly can. And, one of my favorites to spout off useless and tedious information about is Billy Joel. Here are some examples:

· Before becoming one of the best pop music writers on Earth, Billy Joel was a boxer. His official record is 22-2. This explains his nose.· Billy was a member of two rock bands before making it big on his own. They were The Hassles and Attila. You HAVE to look Attila up…DUDE!

· Billy is not generally known as a good-looking fella.

· The first album that Billy recorded, “Cold Spring Harbor”, was erroneously mastered causing his voice to sound like that of Alvin Chipmunk. It also has a song on it called “Nocturne” which will, in fact, knock your ass into a coma-like sleep before the last note sounds through your speakers.

· Billy’s most celebrated work, an album entitled “The Stranger”, was the best-selling Columbia Records album of all time until 1985. It sold 10 million copies, much much more than the 10s of copies of albums that my band sold over our career.

Yes, I probably know a little too much about Billy Joel. It might even have a little “creepiness” factor to it…but you should hear me talk about Mark Price. Anyway, the point is, I’m passionate about it. I get excited about music (you should know that by now), and certain artists that I connect with in some way…well, I just get overtly passionate in talking them up to others. I want others to experience the same joy and elation that I did when I first heard the record. And…now I’m kinda creepin myself out.Candidates WANT to hear how passionate you are about your agency, your clients…your job. When you’re [tag]passionate[/tag], they get passionate. And, when they’re passionate, they’re much more likely to WANT to work for you. It’s that simple. We all buy from people that we like. That’s a simple sales tool that all of us have been told and that has been realized over time. Well, [tag]candidates[/tag] want to work for people that they like.Think about it. Would you rather work for someone who walks in hunched over, sweat pouring from the forehead, glum look…talks about their clients like they’d rather slit their wrist than have to work with them for one more measly second? Or, would you rather work for someone who goes completely psycho, bat-shit-insane over their [tag]client[/tag] and how amazing they are to work with? I think we both know that you’d choose bat-shit insanity.Make them understand! A lot of people think I’m crazy when I talk about Billy Joel or Jellyfish or…let’s just say Jessica Alba. I’m not insane; I’m just very passionate about them. OK, I might be a little insane about Jessica Alba. Regardless, people have been known to at least check out an old BJ album after I’m done talking just because they have to know…exactly what is SO stinkin great about him that this guy spent 45 minutes telling me about what kind of dogs he owns (terriers by the way).No one is going to fault you for getting excited about your [tag]agency[/tag]. If anything, it’s going to make them want to further research you and find out what the big hairy deal is. Just put a little oomph into it and you’ll get bigger and better candidates over time. My name is Lance Anders, and I endorse the message!By the way, as much as I love Billy Joel, “We Didn’t Start the Fire” is one of the worst songs every recorded! I fully believe that it’s been the reason for the downfall of society over the last 15 years. God, every time it comes on I want to bludgeon someone with a blunt object! Anyway…”And he’s proud of his scars and the battles he’s lost
And he struggles and bleeds as he hangs on his cross
And he likes to be known as the angry young man”

Billy Joel – “Angry Young Man”