Did you know Gen-Xers account for about 25 percent of the population but control 31 percent of total U.S. income? That’s some serious spending power.
Knowing what I know about this cohort, that statistic makes me stand up and shout: Let’s stop treating Gen X as the middle child of marketers!
(Apologies to all the middle children out there. I’m on your side!)
"Don’t judge a book by its cover.”
“It’s not what’s on the outside, but what’s on the inside that counts.”
That’s nice to hear, but it couldn’t be further from the truth when it comes to marketing. Full disclosure, I’m quick to judge. I think a lot of people are, whether they own up to it or not.
Unfortunately, we tend to form assumptions and make hasty decisions based on personal experiences, preferences, and dislikes. So, while you may want to offer the benefit of the doubt or put on your self-righteous hat, the fact of the matter is, in marketing--as in most aspects of life--first impressions matter.
“Women are multitasking monsters.” It’s one of the statements that stood out to me in a recent NY Times article featuring activist Shannon Watts.
I couldn’t agree more.
Shannon runs Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, an anti-gun violence (not anti-gun) organization, which she formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012.
In the article, she journals “a day in the life” and what it takes to keep going.
If you’ve ever had to go to a physical therapy clinic or rehab center, it’s most likely because something has already happened to you. You broke a bone, strained a muscle, or had surgery on your rotator cuff because you’ve been playing tennis since you were three.
Let’s not forget the constant threat of carpal tunnel or “tech neck,” as we use keyboards and mobile devices to communicate.
Growing a company is a constant lesson in growing pains. New business isn’t guaranteed, and when you’ve tapped out your referral network, the next steps can be uncertain.
I am religiously opposed to spammy sales outreach. You know, those emails that cast a broad net, with no clear message. I don’t like to be the recipient of those communications, and I certainly don’t want to be the perpetrator.
No snarky comments, please. I was raised as the oldest of four to believe I was at the helm of our little dynasty—responsible for everyone, caring for everyone, wanting everything to be just-so. It’s a common role for the eldest sibling to take… “I lead, therefore I know.”
There’s nothing quite as humbling as facing what you don’t know.
I am not an artist in the typical sense of the word. I don’t paint, I’ve never made anything out of clay (at least not since elementary school), and the closest I’ve come to sculpting anything was helping my girls glue macaroni together.
Where my artistry shines is in words. Words can incite design.
I confess: I’ve been reading Brené Brown on gratitude.
To give a little background, Dr. Brene Brown is a research professor at the University of Houston where she holds the Huffington Foundation–Brené Brown Endowed Chair at the Graduate College of Social Work. Per her bio, “She has spent the past 16 years studying courage, vulnerability, shame, and empathy and is the author of five New York Times bestsellers. Her TED talk—The Power of Vulnerability—is one of the top five most-viewed TED talks in the world, with more than thirty-five million views.”
Separation of church and state is good in politics and publishing, but not in healthcare.
So often, healthcare organizations keep patient and professional engagement activity divided by a whale-sized moat. Most of the time, separate marketing teams run different patient and physician programs.
While it makes sense to approach subject matter distribution channels differently, this doesn’t mean the strategic thinking should be limited to a view from one audience’s perspective. The perspective, in fact, should be that of the brand.
Onboarding new business partners can be a royal pain... for both the onboarders and the onboardees.
With so much information to impart, it’s difficult to strike a balance between being thorough and downright mind-numbing.
