The Best Marketing!!! Why I stopped buying ads…

The best marketing is great service and product. When you deliver your clients become your sales force. A few months back I got this email from an analytics team.

A colleague who recently attended an improv event at your 53rd Street location highly recommended the experience, specifically mentioning Big Walter. We are interested in booking a similar improv session for late March and would love to have Big Walter lead the session if possible.

BTW, I am “Big Walter”. Despite the spit take after reading this, I reached out, “Did you hear about us from (another recent analytics team)?” I was wrong. I was surprised to hear who recommended me. But the lesson learned: you never know who know whom.

Last week I get another email from this same client:

Super important question for you: do you guys travel upstate for group sessions?We enjoyed our last session so much that I wanted to see if you or someone else would be available to join us for our upcoming offsite.

Now here’s the kicker. I was previously booked for both dates. I was already booked to work with an offside at the Gurney in Montauk (Last night I was transported to Portifino at this Dolce & Gabanna spa and resort. Couldn’t resist singing some opera).

In both cases I sent Samuel Van Wyk to deliver the goods. And he did.

I am very proud of the work I do. But equally, or more so, I am beyond proud of the work my team delivers day in and day out. I previously posted about the workshop review below. This client used us because YEARS AGO we delivered shows for two Bar Mitzvahs for her two sons. A THREEPEAT!

So yes, this is a back door please to HIRE US FOR YOUR TEAM BUILDING NEEDS. But, also, a plea to you and your leadership to deliver on the service side.

The skills we teach not only lead to repeat business for us. They will lead to repeat business for you.

I have worked with teams from hi end brands with old school used cars sales types representing. That guy has NEVER been welcoming, but in 2026 folks know there is a better way.

Old school office management and politics leads to BAD forward facing sales and service. With Improv we teach psychological safety – performance drive balances with the Kumbaya approach. Empowerment. Leading by example. Lets end the era of BAD bosses and management.

AND in an ever increasing AI FORWARD world, these human skills are ever more important to master.

• We teach bosses and managers to be great leaders.
• We teach your team to be highly function collaborative engines.
• We teach sales folks to deliver your client’s needs while building clients for life.
• We teach service that makes customers feel heard.

HOW?

While playing improv games, we are not training performers. We are instilling our three governing principals.

HAVE FUN BUT NEVER AT ANOTHER’S EXPENSE

My #1 Rule is all about living a life of service, not servitude. It’s about leading with a smile. It’s about giving everyone the opportunity to disappoint, but celebrate harder when they come thru. It’s about setting up my tram to succeed and leading by example.

I give everyone homework: start everyday with a smile. If you want the world to smile at you, lead by example. The physical act of smiling reverse engineers joy. We literally squeeze the happy juices out the glands. We open up resonating cavities in the face. We get more oxygen to the brain.

YES! AND…

The #1 Rule in Improv, we teach to let go of the fear of the unknown. Suspend judgement. We teach to replace fear with curiosity. We teach to look for possibilities.

YES! is all about accepting others for who they are, how they are different, where they come from, how they talk etc.

AND… is all about following up with supportive statements and actions.

We also teach to YES AND… ourselves. We need to trust that we are funny and clever enough. Replace that scared reaction with I GOT THIS OR I CAN FIGURE THIS OUT

LISTEN WITH YOUR EYES

Active listening is amateur in 2026. How many adults yell at kids LISTEN, FOCUS RESPECT, then get lost in their own devices.

We have been on our phones for 20+ years. Computers for 30 years. TV….

I have been teaching these skills for 20 years. While so many complain about the kids, it is the adults that have gotten worse. How many adults drive with a phone in their hand, texting? I saw a guy reading a book while weaving on the GWB (That’s the massive GEORGE WASHINGTON BRIDGE for those not NYC area based). Old school distractive driving. I suppose we should celebrate someone reading a book.

Playing a simple game like ZIP ZAP ZUP reveals the poor levels of focus in adults, including many top executive teams. The bright side? PLAYING ZIP ZAP ZUP can help fix the problem.

OUR SUCCESS?

We deliver. We understand the problem. We address the problem head on, but in a VERY fun approachable way.

If your team fears Improv or similar activities THEY NEED TO DO IMPROV

I think I just wrote the title of my next article. After 5 minutes with us, your team will be begging for more that which the feared 5 minutes before. Contact us today to bring the joy and laughter and invaluable life skills to your office!