C.C. Chapman and Ann Hartley have announced that they are writing a book Content Rules – How to Create Killer Blogs, Podcasts, Videos, Ebooks, Webinars (and More) That Engage Customers and Ignite Your Business.

Great Title!

Content Rules is not only the title of the upcoming book, it's an adage that is thrown around liberally by many in the new media game.  Now I am not arguing with the need to create content.

However it's not the whole story is it?

Like the quote at the top of the page says "She asked me for a Social Media Strategy, but that wasn't what she meant"  In the past if a client had asked me for a Social Media Strategy, I might have started by asking what content she had or what content we could create that we could share as part of the Social Media Strategy.

However I have learned that might not be the best conversation that I could have with her.

Because what my client really wants is not a Social Media Strategy. What my client wants is more traffic for her website, more customers for her products and services, more impact in her market, and almost certainly more income.

If you are looking to create more income, more impact in your market or more traffic to your website. To take things up a notch. Then perhaps the first question needs to be what value are you going to create and how can you clearly communicate that value to the people who care?

That's a deeper and a harder question to ask clients, and to ask yourself.

If you are feeling frustrated about your efforts to create more income, traffic or influence. Creating more of what you have been creating or spreading it further is unlikely to be the answer.

Remember 1995. Remember hearing people talk about the Information Super Highway. There was a notion that if you could just get a website, if you were "online". You would be magically connected to this global economy and people from all over the world would start buying your products and services. It was hard work then and while it's so much easier now the fundamentals don't change.

What people give their time to. What people feel compelled to share with friends. Is something they value.

If you want more impact/income/traffic, DON'T do more of what you are doing.

It's like jumping on the earth twice as much expecting to move the planet. Instead like Archimedies look for a lever.

Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world. Archimedies

The attention spans of your prospects are cluttered with lot's of stuff that is there simply so the creator can be heard. Your lever is value and your fulcrum is your purpose.

Posted via email from Byron New Media’s Live Blog @Posterous

Posted via email from Byron New Media’s Live Blog @Posterous