What’s not to like about LEGOs? Most of us have spent more than a few hours playing with them.

A brand recognized around the world, and one that inspires global brand loyalty — something a competitor like Mega Blocks does not — there’s much to be admired. Who would think that LEGO was a master of content marketing? Or that they successfully started content marketing about 20 years ago with their Bricks Kicks and Mania magazines?

Spend a few minutes on the LEGO Club site and you’ll learn a lot about content marketing. Not only does the site appeal to kids, it packs a punch with parents too (just like the LEGO bricks themselves). The LEGO club site allows LEGO fans to “connect” with one another — they can see each other’s Cool Creations or find a calendar of family-friend events that are all about having fun with LEGOs. They can sign up for emails, become a BrickMaster, submit a news story (i.e., become a brand ambassador), get building tips and ideas, share photos of LEGO creations, enter a Comic Captions contest, or get the inside dirt on cool designs and new products. They can also download LEGO screen savers, wallpapers and activities (like “build your own shield” designs), play a wide range of games and view comics and movies. Everything a lover of LEGOs could possibly desire.

How did I discover all this? I have my sister to thank for sharing the BrickMaster idea — on Facebook no less. I couldn’t resist — I had to check it out. Coupons, six sets of LEGOs and an annual magazine! My kids loved it.

And once I was there, we were blown away by the Design by Me function: you can download digital software to design and produce your own LEGO creation, including the nifty little catalog that helps you build it. Better yet, they encouraged kids to “honor their moms” with a custom-created LEGO set. Not only could I get a great Mother’s Day gift, what a great birthday gift for my kids and their friends! We are hooked.

And it doesn’t end there. We kept exploring and found the My LEGO Network — yes, a social networking site for children that let’s them share everything that’s LEGO to them — they can create their own web page, share designs and ideas, and even trade virtual LEGOs.

The point is this — we just kept exploring and never found an end to content we couldn’t wait to devour. And we keep going back.

I know what you’re thinking — “I’m not LEGO.” No, but if you can produce content that helps your customers and prospects solve a problem, anticipate a need or address other interests germane to your service and product offerings — they will come. And come again. That means supplying them with original content you’ve created and also sharing third-party content that you know will tweak their interest. It means helping them learn and making it fun and easy to do so on a wide variety of traditional and digital platforms — be it catalogues, websites or social media channels.

Get creative with your content. Build it. Share it. And “LEGO” of it in the digital sphere.

In the 1994 movie, Dumb and Dumber, there’s a classic exchange between Lloyd (Jim Carrey) and Mary (Lauren Holly), which – for me – has always put marketing in perspective.  It went down like this:

Lloyd: What do you think the chances are of a guy like you and a girl like me ending up together.

Mary: Well, Lloyd, that’s difficult to say. I mean, we don’t really…

Lloyd: Hit me with it! Just give it to me straight! I came a long way just to see you, Mary. The least you can do is level with me. What are my chances?

Mary: Not good.

Lloyd: You mean like one out of a hundred?

Mary: More like one out of a million.

Lloyd: So you’re tellin’ me there’s a chance.

Just like everyone analyzed Tiger’s recent mea culpa speech, let’s take a closer look at this exchange, particularly as it relates to content marketing.  A great content marketing campaign always begins with a defining and discovery process about your target audiences – what their needs are, what kind of information they’re looking for, and how they like their content delivered.  As you can see in Lloyd’s opening line, the demographics are completely inverted.  The lesson here is know thy audience, and probably yourself, too.

Now, let’s take a look at Mary’s first sentence.  In content marketing, if something is difficult to say, step back, compose your thoughts, get rid of the marketing and sales-speak, and speak in a language that is genuine and understandable.  This holds true in whatever the content format is – blog, case study, white paper, videos and the like.  If it’s difficult for you to say, it will be even more difficult for your audience to understand.

Back to Lloyd.  Never interrupt the conversation, particularly online or in open or closed social networks.  Your business is not the most important voice; you add value about your company by adding relevant content.  It’s always a good idea to listen before you leap.

Back to Mary.  If you’re going to weigh-in with compelling content, don’t be vague.  “Not good” is vague.  Tell it like it is, share your insights, support your proposition, and wait for the conversation-loop to return to you.

And again to Lloyd.  It’s actually a good strategy to find out where you stand – against your competition, others in your community, or even as a rating of your products and customer service.  It might not always be great, but at least you know where improvement is needed.

And again to Mary.  Obviously, you always need to be honest in your content, but it goes deeper than that.  Your content needs to solve a problem, you need to be the expert without coming across as “the smartest guy in the room.”  In content marketing it’s all about thought leadership, not leading people on.

And finally to Lloyd.  If you don’t define your audience’s needs at the start, chances are you won’t have a chance; unless, of course, one out of a million is a chance you’d like to take.

You’re going to hear a lot about content marketing in 2010 and 2011, and if you’re not hearing it from your marketing team, you might want to ask them why.  In my upcoming column in Central Wisconsin Business, I go into detail about content marketing, and how to do it, but essentially, it’s the practice of putting content first, ahead of the platform for distributing content (Web sites, brochures, videos and TV commercials to name a few), which is so old school.  It’s an approach that delivers relevant and compelling content to segmented audiences in a manner that actually makes them look forward to receiving your messages.  Oh, and by the way, it’s a lot less expensive than traditional efforts.

So, here are a few content marketing truths to consider: Forget your primary Web site as your most important communication tool.  It’s not.  It’s your blog, and the content on your blog is who you are and how you’re perceived.  And if you don’t have a blog, you don’t have a voice.

Nearly 90 million people generated content last year, and that’s only counting people and companies that did it at least once per month all year.  It seems to me that any company could and would benefit from a content marketing strategy, particularly when you know your audience is waiting to receive your great content.

It’s important to remember, patent laws aside, your competitors can mimic everything you’ve got with the exception of your brand.  And guess what?  Content is a huge part of your brand.  Your research, white papers, case studies, your insights, they’re all part of who you are, and they can’t take that away from you.

It’s a buyer’s market out there, and not just because of the recession, and it will be for a long time.  The entire sales motion is completely inverted from what it was.  Compelling content will allow you to be part of the sales mix, and your understanding of the industries you serve, and the entire notion of content marketing, will differentiate you from the pack.  If you don’t believe me, remember all those trade publications you read, or you used to read?  For the most part they’re thinner than ever.  Why?  Because you’re getting content elsewhere; so why not be your own publisher?

Make 2010 the year you “do some good.” Whether it’s donating to victims of the earthquake in Haiti or bowling for your local chapter of Big Brothers Big Sisters — social media platforms have leveled the playing ground, making it just as easy for a small entrepreneur or multimillion-dollar conglomerate to play a philanthropic role in the community.

Why should you expend energy on “giving?” Besides the obvious answer — because you can make a difference — there are some business advantages. Remember, “community” no longer defines a geographical region just outside your door. It represents a larger, virtual online community populated by your fans, customers and prospective customers. People talk about you in these virtual communities. And they share your links, events, white papers and postings.

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When it comes to social media, businesses usually make one of two mistakes. They rush into it faster than a doped-up sprinter without realizing the consequences of their actions, or they stick their toe in the water — ever so slightly — making it utterly impossible to see any results.

To avoid the predictable, which is no measurable results from your social media efforts, you must adopt a point of view, or POV.

Before you do that, it’s imperative that you subscribe to the philosophy that we spend so much time trying to be understood and not enough time understanding. If you have trouble agreeing with that belief, it’s almost a certainty that you’ll have trouble with social media.

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If you like the idea of New Year’s resolutions, but hate the thought of putting the pressure on yourself personally, make your company the focus of change in 2010. Here’s a short list of brand resolutions you may want to consider before the end of the week.

In 2010, I resolve to:

Help my brand lose that extra weight. It might be time to streamline your brand. Time to make it simpler to understand the unique value it offers your customers. Trim down your messaging to focus only on those that communicate the value of your brand. Create a three to five word phrase that becomes your 2010 “mantra.”

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It’s no secret that, in the United States, women make the majority of brand purchases — including big-ticket, high-tech purchases — with the Internet being their primary research tool. But recent research indicates that specifically focusing on moms, and those who use social media, is producing gains for a wide variety of industries, from health care and automobiles to stereo equipment, produce and retail.

Mothers’ use of social media is skyrocketing. Recent market research indicates a 462 percent surge in usage among mothers since 2006. Of those women, 44 percent use social media for word-of-mouth recommendations on brands and products. A primary channel for those product recommendations tends to be online communities that offer parenting or health advice.

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When the Internet was new, most Web sites were nothing more than online brochures. It took a while for people to adapt content for the web. Something similar is happening as businesses begin to experiment with social media. Eager to take part in the social media conversation, many businesses aren’t taking the time to consider just what their customers are looking for, or to deliver consistent messaging. That can disappoint current customers or drive potential customers away because you’re not giving them something of value.

Social media is an integral part of content marketing, which Chris Brogan aptly defines as “the ability to produce useful and entertaining information that is worthwhile on its own, but that might also be useful towards a sale or subsequent action.” You can’t engage your audience if your content — blogs, podcasts, web copy, videos, Tweets, Facebook postings, case studies, white papers, etc — isn’t relevant. As Joe Pulizzi notes, “The early movers in providing best industry and educational content will have a clear advantage and be able to position themselves as trusted content providers – which in the long run – will position them for sales and profit growth.” That means rather than saying, “Our product is best suited to meet your needs,” provide your audience with a non-promotional case study, blog, article, Tweet, or Facebook posting that shows them how to address a certain problem. Instead of selling, you’re providing valuable information.
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Ah, the Seventies.  The Gremlin, The Saturday Night Special, denim furniture and macramé.  If your logo hearkens back to this era and hasn’t been updated, it is time to consider bringing it into the modern era, Baby.

Will It Cost a Lot of Bread?
A logo can be a significant investment to a company, because a change may require new signage, vehicle graphics, packaging and trade show displays – in addition to the numerous correspondence and marketing materials you have in inventory.  Cost has to be considered, but also consider the cost of doing nothing and maintaining the status quo with a logo that represents a different company from the distant past.

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It’s amazing to me that many marketers still believe that branding is no more than a great logo and a snappy tagline.  Sure, a logo gives you a visual representation of your brand and a tagline should quickly communicate your value.  But a logo and a tagline are only the “cover elements” to your story — just the window dressing to a rich, powerful and engaging brand story.
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