Mother’s Day is about more than flowers and chocolates. It’s about celebrating the women who shaped us into who we are – and whose lessons and advice influence how we live and work. Here are some of the life lessons from Mom that have turned out to be invaluable in our marketing careers.
Just Be You
Moms are the ultimate proponents of authenticity. They’re all about telling us to follow our dreams and being true to our values. Since our earliest days, our Moms have taught us to approach every interaction with honesty and integrity, and they’re absolutely right. Whether you’re building a personal brand or a corporate one, “just be you” is priceless branding advice.
It’s Good to Share
Sharing often doesn’t come naturally to kids (and many adults). We want to hoard what’s ours and keep it for ourselves. Although Mom was probably talking about toys, candy, or books when she told us it’s good to share, this same advice rings true in our marketing lives. Content marketing, after all, relies on sharing. Our goal is to share our knowledge, expertise, and insights – and inspire others to pay it forward.
Look Out for Others
As kids, our Moms were always telling us to look out for our siblings, friends, and the local community. The lesson here is to stand for something bigger than your own needs. Those childhood experiences of selling lemonade, picking up litter, or participating in box top drives can be scaled up into charity work, community partnerships, or socially conscious efforts. Because great marketing doesn’t just serve us – it serves those around us.
Play Nicely
Moms are big believers in playing by the rules and being good sports. Former First Lady and First Mom Michelle Obama put it best with her famous quote, “when they go low, we go high.” Strive to do things the right way, to include your peers, to be humble in your success, and to celebrate others’ wins. Being nice – or better yet, kind – is one of the best marketing tactics out there.
Try New Things
Whether it was a new instrument, a new sport, or a first trip away from home, Mom was our biggest cheerleader in terms of taking the plunge. That same advice has served us well in our marketing careers, inspiring us to stay on top of new ideas and try our hand at new marketing channels, technologies, and approaches.
Use Your Words
Stamping our feet and pouting never got us very far with Mom. Time and time again, she told us to “use our words” to communicate our needs. We’ve found this approach invaluable in our marketing. Storytelling is a critical component of today’s branding and marketing, and so are smaller verbal moments such as calls-to-action or high-impact headlines.
Do Your Homework
Those take-home assignments and study sessions weren’t much fun until we realized how much easier it made the long game. Thankfully we had our Moms around to make sure that we stayed on track. She knew from life-long experience that diligent application, research, and practice would get results. And in marketing, doing your homework is the difference between skating by and maximum ROI.
Here’s to Mom!
Marketing is about putting your best foot forward, and thanks to our Moms, we’ve had a lifetime of training in doing that. From wearing our Sunday best to using the “magic word” to getting back on our bikes after a fall, Mom’s always been the ultimate in personal PR – and we have her to thank for being where we are today. Here’s to you, Mom!
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