Content Marketing and the Warrior Mentality
Posted by Beth Hrusch on Mon, Aug 24, 2009
What lessons can we learn about content strategy from the great conquerors of the past? Actually, a better question is, what is there
not to learn? From a leadership point of view, guys like Ghengis Khan and Alexander the Great did just about everything right. They motivated people. They accomplished their goals. They got things done. Not everybody liked them and to say they didn't care is an understatement. They certainly didn't let it stop them.
For content marketers the daily question is, how do we make the most of our resources in order to accomplish our goals? Some of us wear many hats during the course of our busy work week. What strategies will rescue us from becoming overwhelmed and inefficient?
Well, I think if anyone had bothered to ask Ghengis what he would do, he would have said that he learned along the way what works and what doesn't. Do you think he would waste his time on ideas that didn't pan out, or rely on past successes? You shouldn't, either. We talk about how content should always be fresh and updated. Your ideas should follow this formula as well.
Whether you're a project manager, copywriter or president of the company, learn to think on the fly. It's that moment when you're ready to give up, can't write another word, no ideas left, what am I going to do, that your brain kicks into survival mode and comes up with an original thought. Spartacus was vastly outnumbered by the Roman army and facing certain defeat when he came up with a brilliant strategy that overcame vast odds to bring him victory.
Content marketing challenges us to be creative on a regular basis. The old marketing formulas don't always work anymore and, just like Alexander, we have no road map available to us by those who had gone before. We must forge our own path.
New paths to reaching more customers for less marketing dollars have emerged. Inbound marketing and social media are two innovations that have changed the face of marketing forever, and it's up to us to find ways to use them in new ways.
Just like military strategy, content marketing strategy requires a warrior mentality. Stick to the principles that have brought proven success, but always treat each project and challenge as something a little bit different from the last one. Remember, you never fight the same battle twice.