Ken Kerry is the CEO, Co-Founder, and Executive Creative Director of Script to Screen, a performance-driven marketing agency with 30 years of experience transforming companies, such as Conair, Amazon’s Blink, Loreal, Bare Minerals, Shark/Ninja, Gwynnie Bee, and Nutrisystem, into bestselling brands. He developed This Works Marketing based on consistent feedback from clients who have benefited from successful branding and sales-generating direct marketing campaigns conducted by Kerry and his team.
For over 30 years, Script to Screen has delivered successful brand growth, expanded revenue channels and built businesses with entrepreneurs and Fortune 500s in fitness, sports, finance, beauty, housewares, consumer electronics and more. We are industry pioneers and continuous innovators of measurable marketing impact. Script to Screen is the largest privately help Direct to Consumer agency in the country.
Ken graduated from San Diego State University.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you ended up writing a book?
I have been producing, writing and directing DRTV/DTC commercial campaigns for start-ups, big businesses and national/global brands for over 30 years. Along with my wife and an amazing team, we have done hundreds of commercials and campaigns that include TV, Digital, Social and OTT. With this experience that covers many different product and service categories from launching brands and businesses to scaling business channels, we have developed a very successful formula of customer attention, education, information, demonstration, validation that leads to an action within a compelling storytelling format.
The fact that this formula has proven to be so successful was the impetus for writing the book. I wanted to share my experiences so that small business owners, entrepreneurs and emerging businesspeople can learn from the success we created for the biggest brands in the world. There is no reason anyone should be omitted from the exclusive club of large marketing teams and million-dollar budgets in order to create successful campaigns for themselves and their businesses.
What do you hope your readers take away from this book?
I hope readers learn that no matter what you are selling there are proven strategies and tactics that have driven massive results consistently. It is also important to note that in a world of fancy ideas and trendy tactics, there are real, proven fundamentals that work that will and have always outlasted the latest trends in advertising. At the end of the day, no matter the platform or the audience, you must get the customers’ attention, and recognize and solve their problem with information, education, demonstration and validation. If you leave out any of these, your chances of making a sale dwindle significantly.
What are the top three tools you are currently using to write, publish, and promote your books?
As far as writing my book(s), the best tool I have is my calendar. When I schedule my writing time, I get it done. Although it may be in ½ hour increments, it’s scheduled and something gets written. Amazon publishing has been very easy and reliable. As far as promoting, I have used and continue to leverage our company podcast, my LinkedIn content and webinars.
What were the top three mistakes you made publishing your book what did you learn from it them?
I think my biggest mistake was thinking that just publishing a book was enough. The thought that just because you published something people will know is a trap. You have to leverage every opportunity to get the word out. My biggest lesson was you must make your opportunities, DON’T wait for them.
When will you consider your book a success?
This is an interesting question because I wrote my book because I know without question that if someone uses just a few of the strategies and tactics I layout in the book they will see results when they implement them. So, with that said, I have already seen success because I have received emails and DMs on social media telling me that they read the book and utilized what they learned and saw results. My goal in writing the book was to give the average person or business an edge by learning what the biggest brands in the world do to market and sell their products and services and customize them to fit their objectives. If one business or individual profited from that, then the book was a success.
If you can’t get your customer’s attention, you don’t exist! When you do get it, don’t waste their time talking about how fantastic your product or service is. Explain and inform WHY you are the best solution, demonstrate WHY, and validate with successful experiences. If you do that, you have a chance. The rest is on you and how you engage with them.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
Market conditions and preconceived myths have been big challenges. The way we have overcome them is to educate ourselves and not stick our heads in the sand. The reality is business evolves but the foundation of what has worked and continues to deliver results are sound—It’s up to you to find out how they can be adapted into the current climate. Myths and other people’s opinions are just that, but you can’t ignore them you, MUST take them head on with facts. Facts always put opinions and myths aside.
What is the one thing you wish you knew before publishing your book?
I wish I had done it sooner. I always felt that there was a need for the information I wanted to share, I just didn’t realize the need was so vibrant.
Doing our own podcast and being a guest on other podcasts have been a big promotional tool. When you are a published author, you have instant credibility and you have something of value to add. Also, when I publish content on LinkedIn, it allows you to talk about it in your bio. When people see it your bio, they tend to investigate.
If you had the chance to start your career over again what would you do differently?
Undoubtedly the one thing I would do over is PAY ATTENTION to my English and writing classes in college. By far the biggest skill in my arsenal that I had to develop is the ability to write concise and compelling copy. From the beginning, if I learned how important that would be later in my career, I would have saved thousands of dollars and thousands of hours.
What Got You Here Won’t Get You There, by Marshall Goldsmith, Start with WHY by Simon Sinek and Purple Cow by Seth Godin.
If you only had $1000 dollars to promote a new book, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
I would spend it on a very capable person whose job would be to get me as a guest on other thought leaders’ podcasts.
Write and share ONLY WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND WHAT HAS PROVEN to be effective and successful. When you truly believe in what you know will help others, then writing a good book with tons of value is easy!
What is your favorite quote?
Never expect what you don’t inspect!
How can we get in touch with you?
The best way to connect with me is to DM me on Instagram and LinkedIn with a question or suggestion. I always will take the time to answer a question or respond to a helpful suggestion. I believe that every day is an opportunity to learn, grow and give back to others. It never ceases to amaze me that a gift of experience keeps giving.
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