6 Lessons from 24 Years of Marriage
I originally posted this 4 years ago on my 20th wedding anniversary. Lessons I still need to remind myself both in my marriage and my work life. But especially in my marriage, the more important of the two.
It will be 20 24 years since I married my beautiful wife on September 21, 1991. Since then I’ve worked hard on 3 things; staying happily married, surviving my children, and digital marketing and eCommerce.
I’ve had great success on all three and along the way the first two have taught me a bit about the third.
- Listen – Marriage is about listening. So is marketing. Just as you will occasionally misunderstand, or don’t listen to your spouse, it’s easy to misread a customer’s desires and intentions. Be sure you listen to and understand the true meaning of the data, in the context in which it was delivered.
- Content – Always consider the timing and content of what you’re saying. With spouses and customers there is a right time and way to deliver a message. In both cases, knowing what each wants to hear in relation to their mood or buying stage, will get you a lot more attention than simply selling your benefits. It’s always about them, as it should be.
- Delivery – A smile will help almost anything. Almost. How you deliver your message can make the difference on your spouse or customer listening and understanding. Deliver you message with a smile.
- Follow up – You told your spouse that you were going out Friday night, but despite their listening, understanding the content and with perfect delivery, they forgot. Well timed and gentle reminders will go a long way. Reminding customers of specials, appointments, new products and more can go a long way to building a relationship. Just be careful not to over-do it, they might get cranky.
- Social Support – My wife is one of my biggest fans, whose support has more than once made my day, and endeared her to me even more. Support your best customers and they will support you. Continually build a close group of evangelists, and reward them publicly with praise and support.
- Show the Love – Every morning, every night, and every time I leave her side, I kiss my wife. I thank her for common every day chores. I never go to bed angry. I never forget she’s a critical part of my life and happiness. This isn’t marketing, it’s just love, but I’m sure you can figure out how it relates.
Love you honey! Nick