Marketing With - Not To - My Kids

This morning in my ClickZ columm I only peripherally dive into CGM and instead fixate attention (and engagement) on the dynamics of "marketing" to my own kids.  Lately I've been trying to master the ins and outs of persuasion and marketing in the context of getting my lovable twins to do certain things, like getting ready for childcare. It's a humbling exercise, constantly requiring pause for introspection, retooling, and an occasional dab of self-pity. Oh, and I'm hardly immune from the occasional head scratching from my wife, Erika. As I note in the piece

I instinctively start the process with delusions of Web 2.0 speed and efficiency and overly romanticized notions of "conversation." It's always a delightful and heartwarming process, but it rarely lines up with the marketing plan -- or my desired product-launch timing.

Anyway, I offer up seven truths and principles for managing through all this. They include:

• Listen First, Then Market
• Focus on "Time Spent" not "Clicks"
• Bait and Switch Never Works
• Engagement & Empowerment Matters
• Respect the Third Party Influencers (Especially Elmo)
• He Who Reads Eventually Sleeps
• The customer isn't always fair