I found Seth Godin’s article on bonus content and multimedia spot on (as usual). The experimentation with using multimedia inside a book has large possibilities. We are enamored with our mobile devices and tablets and their special effects. Seeing bigger budget special effects in movies continues to awe us. However, tampering with the medium of a book and seeking to monetize it with heavy embellishments lacks economic sensibility.
Books are about ideas that change us. At their core, this is what the value proposition is. The lure of using technology and media to augment the book is naturally appealing. However, these can also be toys and distractions without a true return on investment.
Just because we have access to amazing innovation does not mean that it makes our offering more special. It can be distracting, costly and damaging. If you blast the world with spam, post on trivial matters on your Twitter and Facebook and go overboard with Photoshop, you can create more noise than true value.
When I read a book, I want to engage deeply and read the content. I want to learn something.
When buyers engage your brand, they are looking for something beyond hype. They want to know if they can trust you and if you are for real. They want to mitigate risk. Your credibility is critical to establish trust. Substance with style is important. What if you connected by:
- Saying it simply and plainly?
- Making it easy to find out what you do?
- Provide convenience at every touchpoint?
- Emphasizing what you stand for?
- Being real?
We are all buyers and we have seen a lot of embellished marketing. There’s a temptation to add on more bells and whistles as they become available. The social media bubble has created a craze for companies. So has email marketing, ghost blogging and YouTube video production. It may be social, but is it building a relationship and trust?
You are one of thousands of choices. Stand out by focusing on the content and substance of your message and value proposition. Let others pollute with the noise and chaos of the latest fad. It is a lasting and working strategy for success.
What are some areas you can focus and get more substantive on?
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