What would our childhoods be without Dr. Seuss and his wise words? There’s a reason his books are still around 100 years later. He taught us how to be ourselves, open up to the weird and wonderful, and embrace the downfalls, in his own kooky, forthright way. Sick of those dry bullet point articles droning on about how to manage your business? Us too. Read on to learn a thing or two from the doctor who worded timeless advice in just the right way.

Own Your Brand’s Identity

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”

Perhaps Dr. Seuss’ most famous quote, it speaks truest to what harnessing and growing a company comes down to – taking hold of an identity and running with it. Regardless of what others are doing (especially in your industry), your business should stay true to its roots, values, and mission. The opinions of naysayers don’t matter, and the supporters (i.e. your customers and network peers) will be right there with your words and actions. This means creating your own hashtags, developing your one-of-a-kind voice, and broadcasting on your social media platforms in your own special way. Why fit in when you were born to stand out? Quirky is devout. Don’t put yourself in a box.

Raise Your Ability

“You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.”

Your business needs nothing more than the basics – you have no excuse to not succeed. Knowledge is step one and a direction towards an end goal is step two. As long as you have those two things, you can create your own path to a growing business. Remembering this will help you challenge yourself to raise your standards of success; if things begin to seem too easy or too routine, you have the power to change it, challenge yourself, and reach new heights. Did you reach your goal number of followers? Set a newer, bigger one. Increase your sales with PPC ads? Discover a different, more difficult avenue to boost them even more. You are the only one that can only limit yourself – up is the only way to go.

Be Flexible and Adaptable

“If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.”

Keeping your cool, improvising based on the circumstances, and avoiding a meltdown aren’t just advice for everyday life; every business should adopt this mindset when they’re in a rut. Need a new direction for your Twitter feed? Can’t think of fresh ways to encourage engagement? We’ve all been there. The Facebook and Instagram gods can only help you out so much. Take a cue from the quote before: throw off the bowlines and float out of the harbor; the bumpy waves will turn into smooth sailing once you let go of the things you can’t control and go with the flow.

Use Your Imagination

“Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh the things you can think up if you only try!”

Want to invent the next great thing? Or maybe just the next great #hashtag? You’ll need to reach, think, and explore all angles, and obviously those that have not been explored yet. Don’t let the fear of being ‘wrong’ stifle your creativity – would Twitter exist if the founder looked to someone else to build the business model? Not possible. So question the social media status quo and delve into the unknown. Nonsense wakes up the brain cells! Look for inspiration in unlikely places – you may think up a new dimension to the marketing world.

Take Hold of the Moment

“Today I shall behave, as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

You know the old saying carpe diem? Dr. Seuss said it better: act as if this is the moment that’s make or break. Because most likely, it actually is. The Twitter tides change with the click of a mouse and the marketing world is profoundly mysterious. Don’t let these circumstances knock you down – let them make you better by seizing what’s in front of you, from platforms and channels, to trends and tools, to build a brand that’s impactful enough to be memorable. And that’s what you’re really striving for, right?

Dr. Seuss’ words have resonated so long for one reason – they speak broadly to everyone with a specificity that’s not replicable. An unconventionally lighthearted approach a la Dr. Seuss to your business may be the pick-me-up your company needs. Take it from the man whose inspiration is so effortlessly poignant – keep it simple, positive, and make things happen.

How will you take the whimsical wonders of Dr. Seuss and apply them to your marketing strategy?