Content Marketing Truths – A Few Things I Believe
Not an exhaustive list, but a number of important, underlying principles that inform how I approach marketing.
What is the essence – the core? – of marketing?
I was thinking about this a few weeks ago and started writing down statements that I think are true based on both research and experience. This isn’t intended to be a comprehensive list or even a manifesto. It is a list of things about marketing that I think are true about marketing, particularly content marketing.
When writing, these principles inform how I approach a marketing project. I welcome any thoughts.
Businesses want to stay in business.
They need marketing. Every business needs marketing.
Every “touch” of a customer is marketing.
Every. Single. One.
Attention is today’s most precious commodity.
Marketing must be worthy of your people’s attention.
Not all marketing needs to change the world.
It just needs to change your world.
People distrust marketing.
But people also love marketing – do marketing well enough and perhaps your customers will brand themselves with your logo. I’ve seen a few Harley-Davidson tattoos over the years.
Even as people distrust marketing, they rely on it to find customers (and customers rely on it to make buying decisions).
People think of marketing as hustling and find it distasteful.
Good marketing helps customers make a decision – even to not use your offer.
Good marketing drives revenues – not clicks or eyeballs or traffic. Money in the bank is always the ultimate goal of marketing. Never forget it.
Marketing is about the customer. No one cares about you.
The difference between marketing and propaganda is intent. Both work. One helps. The other harms.
Great marketing is useful.
Beautiful marketing isn’t always great. If you’ve ever seen a beautifully filmed movie that sucked, you know what I mean.
Marketing is about money. Other formulations:
Marketing is about revenue.
Marketing = Money
Marketing = Mo’ Money!
Again, these are just a few statements about marketing that form the baseline of my thinking about marketing and approaches to content. Agree? Disagree?
Marketing helps people find you so that they can buy things from you. Along the way, be nice. Share useful information. Show folks how awesome your product or service is and why and how it’ll make their lives better.
As always, comments, criticisms, and witticisms are welcome!