Marketing Lessons from Lockdown: What My 3-year-old Has Taught Me

“Our children can be our greatest teachers if we are humble enough to receive their lessons.” Wise words from author Bryant McGill.

These last few months of lockdown, while challenging, have brought forth some very inspiring lessons from my almost 3 year old that I hope can inspire you: His fearless attitude, his openness to learning, his inquisitive nature and his no-yielding passion for everything he does.

Be Fearless

Unless we’re talking about cooked carrots, my little guy is about as fearless as they come. Whether he’s full-speed sprint-vaulting (without success) over two storage bins, or sticking his entire face into the pool water, only to come up coughing, nothing deters him from the next obstacle.

If you had the complete absence of fear like a toddler, what would you do differently? Would you have that tough conversation with your co-worker? Would you put 20% of your budget to testing a new tactic or ad type? More on strategic testing here.
“If you had the complete absence of fear like a toddler, what would you do differently? Would you have that tough conversation with your co-worker? Would you put 20% of your budget to testing a new tactic or ad type?” @ElizabethW1057 Click To Tweet

Be Teachable

One of my greatest joys is watching my littles learn. So when my 6-year-old ‘teacher’ waves shape flashcards (her idea!) and little man rattles off ‘square,’ ‘cirkl,’ ‘imon’ and ‘entagon,’ my heart beams!

This genuine excitement for learning is something we cannot allow ourselves to lose in our adulthood.

Consider pushing your limits by:

1. Opening your eyes to more diverse perspectives (fantastic, free series on Diversity and Inclusion here from LinkedIn (client)).
2. Truly absorbing and applying critical feedback from a team member.
3. Attending a marketing conference or honing a soft skill, like emotional intelligence.
4. Exploring a new personal hobby. Did you know play is a critical component of success?

Always ask questions

This learning mode leads me to my next lesson from my little man: Always ask why. How come I can’t sleep in your bed? Why do we have to shut off the light? Are there ghosts in my closet? What about under the bed? Why can’t I have another drink of water? Do you think the spider we saw outside followed us in the house?

Can you tell bedtime is a thing over here?

Our latest influencer campaign killed our reach goal by 1790%. BOOM.

Don’t high five and mark it down as a win. Ask WHY? Why did we get such outstanding reach? Was the topic just perfectly relevant for the moment: remote work amid COVID-19 world? Did we earn partnerships with just the right influencers? Was one specific tactic more successful than another within the campaign? Use your inquiry as fuel to optimize your next program. Why NOT take that 1790% up to 2790%?

Love what you do

Ever try to interrupt a 3 year old mid-song? Or while he’s ‘tractoring” in the sandbox. I do not advise it.

One of the most important lessons we can take from our kids on this account is passion! Do what you love, or don’t do it.

If you find yourself in a rut or simply see an opportunity to make coming to work a more joyful experience, examine your organizational culture. Is it really a fit?

If you’re not doing what you love right now, maybe one of these positions on our team is a fit?

Lessons in Lockdown

When we all look back in 20 years at the forced togetherness of 2020 we probably won’t be thinking about 72 time-outs or fighting over tablets. We’ll remember the invaluable time we’ve spent together: watching our children grow up-close, deepening our family relationships and how it opened our eyes to some of life’s most simple, yet powerful lessons.

What lessons have you uncovered in lockdown? Tell us in the comments section below.