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?