Written by Hank Kula
When friends ask what I do at L-Tron, I answer honestly, “I don’t know.” As I mentioned in part 2, company roles are continually evolving, and you can read about my Law Enforcement background, prior to L-Tron, in Part 1.
Summarily, I write “content” in connection with our crime scene / crash scene camera, OSCR360. I’m assigned to marketing, but my title is “Law Enforcement Support.” I get to kick in my former cop perspectives and actual forensic knowledge, take photos, travel, edit, get edited, contribute to social media – essentially give law enforcement’s voice to what we do. On the horizon … instructing for the company.
The three coolest things about working at L-Tron:
- Utilizing rusty skills in writing and editing for current content
- An appreciation of my background
- Being part of a team that spans a wide age group
As the new kid on the block, it’s all been fun and very cool. It’s not a stress-free job, but it’s definitely a better kind of stress than I experienced as a cop. New or not, age is supposed to be a mindset. All my marketing colleagues are less than half my age. I have to occasionally check with them if they understand some standard (to me) reference. For instance, one day I walked in late to a meeting and apologized, explaining I’d gotten “shanghaied” by Trevor. I had to explain the term.
Look it up, kiddies.
And then come the buzzwords.
Tech buzzwords. Marketing buzzwords. Office buzzwords. It was no different in law enforcement. There are so many buzzwords, I’m building a glossary just for the projects I’m assigned to.
Who knew there was something called a “hamburger menu” which is not located over the counter at McDonald’s? There’s also a corresponding “hot dog menu.” How about something called a “long-tailed keyword?” For a day I thought we were talking about some exotic bird.
A short list to belabor my point: verticals, form factor, wonky, microsites, landing pages, chevrons, halos, platforms, strategic mindset, collaboration, differentiation … I won’t even try to list all the acronyms. And should I throw an “lol” here? A smiley emoticon?
The defining humorous moment came when I was QA testing (quality assurance) software and found a glitch in the program which froze my screen – buzzword – “bug.” I already knew that one. What I didn’t know, but found out from the software developer standing behind me, was a greater understanding. Apparently, a bug can be called a “feature” of the software. Particularly if it was unintentional.
Now THERE’s a marketing idea.
So how do I feel about my new gig?
To change from law enforcement back into the private sector is nothing unusual. Lots of us do it. Of course, there’s an adjustment. I’ve never considered myself lucky, but landing at L-Tron is just that.
They’re upfront about it – they love cops. And it’s got nothing to do with sales; it’s got everything to do with letting the police know someone cares. In fact, one of my first perpetual projects assigned is a “giveback” to law enforcement.
We’re working on something really exciting. I wish I could talk about it … the only thing I can reveal is it was my wife’s idea. Stay tuned.
Questions?
Call 800-830-9523 or Email info@L-Tron.com
