#bemoredaisy Marketing Lessons from Parenting: Why Charities Should Keep Calm and Repeat (Again and Again)

Daisy...daisy...daisy...

If you’ve ever tried to get a toddler’s attention, you’ll quickly learn one of life’s golden rules: repetition isn’t optional—it’s essential. Sound familiar? Congratulations, charity marketers—you're already experts in toddler-marketing psychology.

The Rule of (at least) Seven—or Maybe Ten, Eleven, or Twelve

Marketing has long lived by the "Rule of 7," suggesting people need to see a campaign at least seven times before they take notice. Clearly, whoever invented this rule had never tried communicating with Daisy. In reality, consumers—and toddlers alike—are bombarded daily with endless distractions. If it takes ten patient calls of "Daisy…" before you get a single reaction, why should we expect donors to react any quicker?

Just because your internal team is bored of repeatedly calling out to your audience doesn't mean your audience is tired of hearing from you. Honestly, chances are they haven't even noticed you yet. Sorry, marketers—your charity’s beautifully-crafted campaign is basically the equivalent of gently whispering “Daisy” at a playground filled with screaming kids, barking dogs, and ice cream vans. Good luck with that.

Internal Boredom: It's You, Not Them

Charity marketers often suffer from a serious condition: internal boredom syndrome (IBS). This ailment makes teams feel painfully weary of their own campaigns before anyone else has even blinked twice at them. Imagine giving up after calling Daisy just five times. You’d never have gotten that precious, "yeah" at the tenth attempt. And without patience, charity marketers risk the same fate—losing valuable attention because they’ve given up too soon.

Internal boredom doesn't mean your campaign isn't working. It just means you've spent too much time with it. Remember, Daisy had barely registered the first nine attempts. The tenth finally landed because persistence pays—even if it tests your sanity.

Keep Calm and Carry on Repeating

Here’s some friendly advice to keep you going when you feel the temptation to prematurely abandon your marketing message:

• Channel your inner parent: If at first you don’t succeed, say it louder, slower, or from a slightly different angle. Eventually, they’ll look up (possibly with mild annoyance, but hey, it's engagement!).

• Consistency doesn't mean monotony: Sure, keep saying "Daisy," but try it in different tones. Sweetly, sternly, musically—even Shakespearean if necessary. Keep the message the same but vary the delivery.

• Don’t take silence personally: Just because your audience is ignoring you doesn’t mean they hate you. They're probably just busy, distracted, or waiting for a better moment to respond. Keep calling their name; eventually, they'll turn around.

In the End, Patience is (Still) a Virtue

The takeaway for charity marketers is simple: embrace repetition, expect mild irritation, and learn to love consistency. Sure, you might feel like you're talking to the back of Daisy’s head for an eternity, but hang in there. Eventually, your audience—like Daisy—will turn around and say, with gentle resignation, "Yeah?"

And honestly, that sweet, slightly distracted acknowledgment is worth the wait.