Our kids can teach us to be better marketers.
You might be wondering, “How can that be?”
As a parent, we often play the role of teacher, coach, therapist, motivator, or any person our child needs at the time. It is our influence and nurturing that helps shape the adult they become. But one role as a parent is often overlooked—the role of “student.” What do we learn from our kids?
Our kids teach us to be more patient. Forgiving. How to do more with less time. Just as we do for them, our kids help shape the type of person we are. And the type of employee we are.
As a working mom—a mom who works in marketing—I find that what my kids teach me inspires me to be better at my job, to be a better marketer.
Why Kids Make the Best Marketers
I’m lucky to have two beautiful girls at home. My six-year-old Madelyn loves gymnastics and dance. She is a girly-girl to the core, living in a world where princess dress-up and fairies rule. Hailey, my three-year-old, is in her curiosity stage. She watches everything I do, like cooking or putting make-up on, and asks questions endlessly. She looks up to and emulates her big sister, but also refuses to be bossed around.
These are just a few traits and passions that inspire me to do better marketing. Let me explain.
- Kids are fearless.
Whether it’s the monkey bars or a stage performance, kids aren’t afraid to dive right in. Making mistakes is how they learn and get smarter, so they are willing to take risks. Unlike many adults, who are jaded by past tries and failures, kids don’t overanalyze or overthink. They just do.
- Kids question everything.
How many times have you heard the words “But why?” out of a child’s mouth? My kids—Hailey especially—are always putting me to the test, questioning how things work and why we do what we do. In marketing, that curious skepticism can encourage you to think beyond the conventional solution. It forces you to justify your choices, strategically and creatively. And it helps to remind you of your goals and what you want to accomplish with your marketing communications.
- Kids have wild imaginations.
A child’s mind is limitless. Kids can create, dream, and imagine without rules. And, no rules means that they never have to do the same thing twice. There’s always something new or some way to make their imaginary game or world even better. What if we applied that thinking to our marketing? Imagining without limits, never doing the same thing twice, and improving upon each past project with the next. That’s what good marketers do.
- Kids don’t overcomplicate.
Simplicity is one of the most important—and often the most difficult—skills to apply to marketing. As adults, we tend to get distracted by details or stuck trying to make our marketing do too much at once, a mistake we strongly suggest avoiding. But for kids, the answer is usually simple. They don’t overthink it. (Remember this clever campaign from AT&T?) Marketers could learn from their example.
- Kids know how to have fun.
All work and no play leads to dull marketing. If you can’t have a little fun with what you do, your work will suffer. Remember to play as much as you can—it will shine through in the work you produce.
Conclusion
Creative inspiration can come from anywhere, including our kids. To be better marketers, we could learn a thing or two from the bold, imaginative, and simple nature of our young inspirations.
At SPM, we know that marketing is far from child’s play and we balance nearly 30 years of experience with a constant pulse on “What’s Next.” And, not surprisingly, we have a few “kids at heart” at SPM. To hear more about what it’s like to work with us, drop us a line!
Laura Roberts
Latest posts by Laura Roberts (see all)
- How Kids can Teach Us to be Better Marketers - March 29, 2016
