Just Like Dad (Almost)

Over the past few months, I’ve been around my parents quite a bit.  And, maybe it’s because I’m 30 —- but more than ever before, it’s quite obvious to me that I’m a whole lot like my Dad.

I’ve had an inclination of this for quite a while. But when I was younger, I certainly remember fighting that in my head.

There are a few things that my Dad does that make me cringe. Well, lo and behold, I’m guilty of some of those same things. For example, whenever he has guests over the house, he instantly has the urge to make sure that music is playing. Quite often, he puts it in on a bit too loud (that is, if anyone in the room wants to have a conversation or hear themselves think).   Well, guess what — I do the exact same thing.

It’s also quite clear that I share his fear of heights. (To my wife: I’m sorry that I was almost useless when we re-did our porch roof over Columbus Day weekend!)

The similarities extend beyond that. The list may be long, and I have come to accept that. However, I also know that there are differences.

When it comes to marketing, we certainly have every right to be excited about new channels, medias, and other avenues of communication. Sometimes though, we fall in love with those new things so much, that we almost want to completely disregard what worked in the past.  We may start to fight any inclination to use those “old” medias.

If we get to that point, we are only hurting ourselves. Sure, those older channels may no longer be as effective as they once were. However, the fundamentals that applied to making those channels work will often apply to what’s new. Yes, those same fundamentals can help us to more effectively navigate the world of new media; in fact, it may help us to get ahead of our competition as they seek to embrace what’s new as well.

Change and uniqueness can be a wonderful thing. But, studying what and why something worked in the past will always be valuable.

As we move forward with new marketing channels, we should not hide from the way that Dad did it. There’s a part of that within us. Find a way to learn from that, and we will certainly receive benefits.