What parenthood teaches us about marketing

by Austin Lohnes, On The Mark Strategies

Marketing lessons are everywhere. Take parenting, for example.

My wife’s sister, LeeAnn, and her daughter were in town for a brief visit last week. They stayed with us for a couple of nights. My wife and I have no children of our own, so the time I’ve spent with my 2½-year-old niece, Charlie, is the closest I’ve come to parenthood.

In my bid to establish reign as ‘favorite uncle’ to my niece, I began noticing similarities and tiebacks to my 12 years spent in the credit union industry. Here are the marketing lessons I learned.

Find a Common Language

Charlie is in the early stages of talking. Some of the things she says are clear, but most of it is typical toddler chatter. Having a conversation with her requires active listening, often stringing together context clues.

 

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