The content behind content marketing.

We all have something to say. The next time you find
yourself in a conversation, just listen and wait for the game of ‘Can you top
this?’ to ensue. You know how it is. People listen to a story and quickly try
to find another one in their vibrant memory banks that might be a bit more
interesting, or in their view more relevant (on a side note, check out Brian
Regan’s comedic comments about wisdom teeth on YouTube – a trip well worth your
time).

A series of monologues is not true conversation. It is not
dialogue. If all we do is craft our next response, we are only listening to the
point where we can build our next point. This exercise creates distance instead
of dialogue.

Content marketing can easily fall into the same trap. If all
you are doing is talking to your customers through blogs that are subtle sales
pitches (or sometimes not so subtle) you are not influencing opinion. You are
simply delivering your own story – over and over again.

Take time to think about what you post in your blogs and on
your web site. Envision how you are connecting with customers before you try to
convince. Walking just a few feet in their shoes turns “Can you top this?” into
“Can this information help?”

The old adage is true. Seek first to understand before you
try to be understood.