With the return of one of our favorite shows this fall, we could not help but to think a little deeper into the show. Learning about experiments and Sheldon’s quirks are not the only things you can learn from this comedy show, you can also take in classic marketing tips. Instead of figuring it out the hard way, grasp these four key marketing lessons from Big Bang Theory.
Sheldon: “Howard, you know me to be a very smart man. Don’t you think that if I were wrong, I’d know it?”
Recognize Your Mistakes and Learn From Them.
Admitting you made a mistake is step 1. It is okay to mess up, no one is perfect. Just make sure you recognize that a mistake was made and improve upon it. They could not even be mistakes, but maybe you did not reach your goal. Figure out what caused it and fix it for next time. It is okay if not everything goes according to plan, just do not try to cover it up because that will cause more harm than help. Too many companies lie to cover their own tail when it is better just to remain truthful about the mistake. Do not be too proud like Sheldon in this case.
Sheldon:“You know, in difficult times like this, I often turn to a force stronger than myself.”
Amy:“Religion?”
Sheldon:“Star Trek.”
It is Okay to Seek Help.
Use the force. Okay, that is Star Wars, but point is it is all right to seek help when you need it from a force higher than yourself. Do what you do best, and seek help from others that are better than you. This is not admitting defeat or weakness, but learning from someone else and providing a better end result. A one man band is never as powerful as a band of 250. Collaboration is part of the work environment and it is okay to use resources and ask questions when you need them.
Penny:“I give up. He’s impossible!”
Sheldon:“I can’t be impossible; I exist! I think what you meant to say is, ‘I give up; he’s improbable’.”
Don’t Give Up When You Think Something Is Improbable to Do.
A better version of yourself lies just beyond your comfort zone. If everyone followed suit and did exactly what was expected without ever pushing the envelope, we would still be stuck in the 1950’s. Part of innovation is when everyone things that something is impossible and you prove them wrong. Just something is uncharted territory does not mean that you should not venture out to see what is there. Take Google+ for example, a few brands were early adapters to the new social site and are excelling at it while other brands are busy playing catch up.
Howard:“How long has he been stuck?”
Leonard:“Hmm, intellectually about 30 hours, emotionally about 29 years.”
You Need to Learn How to Keep Moving When You Get Stuck.
Whether it be writer’s block, creative block, or waiting on a colleague to get back to you, you need to learn how to move forward when you get stuck. This could be your first step towards independence. Get up from your desk and take a walk or break out the pen and paper to clear your head if you are stuck. If you are waiting on someone then double check your to-do list and see what else you can work on. If it is looking rather bare then check over your work and look at ways you or your company could improve upon what it is already doing. All of these are better than just sitting at your desk staring at a blank computer screen.
There is a lesson to be learned from just about anywhere. Although we watch Big Bang Theory’s cast struggle through some of these lessons and laugh at them, when it comes to your marketing career that is not something to be laughed at. Remain humble and hopeful, embrace criticism and mistakes with open arms, seek help when you need it, and keep moving even when you are stuck. There is nothing worse than standing still while everyone else is moving forward.