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Why your next marketing plan should include a trip to the county fair (Be sure to check out the shameless plug at the end)

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I believe hard work should be appreciated, people who have found their passions should be celebrated, and advertising dollars should be spent in unique ways. And I’ve found the perfect solution to accomplish all three just by a trip to the county fair. Don’t believe me? Read on. 1. How often do you hear from an older generation, “Folks just don’t know what hard work looks like,” or even from employers lamenting the work ethic (or lack of) of today’s employees? If only there were future employees out there who knew the value of hard work and dedication…Let me tell you a little about how my daughters spend their summer days. They wake up at 6:15am and take their four-wheeler down to the barn where their animals live. (It’s only ½ mile, don’t worry.) After washing three cattle projects, working with five sheep projects, and feeding all eight animals, they come back to the house to eat breakfast about 8:30. Sometimes I go with them to pick stalls or create content for social media, but I s...
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5 lessons I've learned from our sheep

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Sometimes I get so engrossed in work and family life that I forget to take care of myself. In marketing, you’re working with multiple departments to achieve their goals. As a parent, you’re working to help your kids make smart choices and shuttling them around. As a spouse, you’re running around town looking for a tractor part that was supposed to be in one store but wasn’t, so you’re checking all the other tractor-ish stores in town even though you don’t even know what the part looks like. Honestly, I wouldn’t change any of those scenarios for the world – except maybe the last one. However, self-care is often an afterthought that gets pushed so far to the back burner that when you push the microwave light button to illuminate your stovetop, it doesn’t even reach that far back. It’s like the dark alley of priorities that you don’t want to walk down alone at night. You get the picture. Sheep, on the other hand, are masters at self-care. When they aren’t birthing or raising a lamb, the...
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Are you green and growing?

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I LOVE learning something new. If I could pick any career in the world, it would be professional student. Actually, is that even a thing? And how would one make money as a professional student? Maybe I haven’t thought this through. But I digress. As I said, I love to learn, and I think it’s a pretty sweet life skill that keeps me on the cutting edge of marketing if not the bleeding edge. However, my daughters are at the age where they know everything already. Or they just think I know nothing. I’m not 100% sure which is the case. Either way, I hope it’s a phase, and I’m doing my part to lead by example. However, they’re the type to learn by doing, so they may be in for some disappointments before they understand that they have to keep learning and growing to be successful, and that their ol’ mom might have been right after all. The later is probably a stretch. Here's my struggle with them; I’m wondering if you can relate. Both of my daughters are pretty stinkin’ good livestock ...
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Non-negotiables: not just for dating anymore

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My husband and I are approaching that “fun” age as parents where our oldest daughter may be allowed to date. I say “may” because I’m hoping she sticks to her values and doesn’t settle for less than what she deserves. Isn’t that what we all want for our children? Of course, I’m full of advice for her – after all, I was a teenage girl once, too. I try to keep most of my advice in my head, especially since she’s pretty independent, likes to make her own mistakes, and generally thinks her “old” mom knows nothing. Now, I’m no dating or relationship expert. Yes, I’ve been married for sixteen years, but I also dated my fair share of…let’s not say losers, but you get the idea. The advice I received when I was my daughter’s age was, “Life is like a buffet, you have to try a little of everything before you know what you like.” Ha! I piled a few questionable choices on my plate before I found something just right, that’s for sure! However, I think I have one gem of pretty decent advice that I’m n...
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Think Pink for your Next Marketing Campaign

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This isn't my typical blog post, but National Pink Day only happens once a year! First, colors have the ability to affect people’s emotions, which studies show influence a person’s buying intent more than the actual content of an ad or promotional piece. Considering individual preferences, pink is typically associated with joy, creativity, playfulness, youthfulness, and compassion. If you want to convey these emotions into your message, pink is a great option. Keep in mind brand standards trumps any other color usage. Secondly, it’s an unexpected, eye-catching choice in your marketing. You only have two seconds to catch a viewer’s attention on social media. Grabbing your audience for a few extra valuable seconds with an unexpected color like pink may lead to increased buyer awareness of your brand. Finally, pink is a neutral. It’s a bold statement, but I stand behind it. And its ability to pair well with others can help define your messaging even further. Pair it with black for a...
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May Your Creativity Reward You with Licorice-Flavored Treats

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I saw a rather remarkable quote yesterday from Edwin Land , “An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.” Is that really possible? Can a person be 100% unafraid to fail? It’s not possible for me, but I’m working really hard towards taking more calculated risks in my life – like delving back into writing after a longer hiatus than I care to admit – and focusing on what magical things may happen if I succeed rather than the worst that could happen with a failure. It also got me thinking about our sheep. How’s that for a subtle transition? You see, sheep are basically adorable little floofsters built to eat a lot, poop even more, and run really fast…away from humans, even their human family. I try not to take it personally. It makes sense since they’re prey animals who believe safety lies in numbers. Being creative wouldn’t really fit with flock mentality. But I’ve found a loophole – treats, specifically licorice-flavored goat treats . (Make sure any treats you pick ar...
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Take a Back Seat without Being a Back Seat Driver

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Just like the majority of mothers out there, marketers often take a back seat to the action. Let me tell you a story. Both of my daughters show sheep and cattle, and they’re pretty darned good at it. Even from the very beginning, though, showing became a “dad thing.” Though I showed horses for eight years and dabbled in showing lambs and heifers, my level of “expertise” couldn’t begin to compete with my husband’s many, MANY years of showing and judging livestock. I’m barely a big enough person to admit he knows more than I do in this subject. This shift in responsibilities was a big change for everyone. As a mom with a pretty flexible work schedule who is married to a rancher, I tend to do the majority of activities with the girls. If you’re in a farming or ranching family, you get it. However, adjusting to taking a back seat without being a back seat driver has been admittedly a bit of a challenge. I must relinquish control of the schedule, duties (hee hee, duties; you laughed, too!),...
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