Live The Design Process

What’s to come next?

Content Marketing… this phrase alone conjures up those confusion elements we all trip over when trying to figure out where content marketing is going. Well, there is no replacing it, that’s for sure. In fact, it’s constantly changing and evolving. However, from a foundational level, the same basic principles regarding content marketing are as relevant today as it was years ago… in print. Targeted relevant and compelling content follows the flow of the buying cycle from the beginning to the end.

Again, the process of designing online content is determined by what your end goal is for designing it or having it designed in the first place. Years ago, I heard a wise old man ask a friend, “If you don’t know where you’re going… how are you going to know when you get there?” That struck a note in my mind because it was so profound. I used to say, “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way.” The one thing that was guaranteed was I would end up somewhere, but was that the end goal or just an arbitrary place to end up? I didn’t know, because I didn’t plan on the end destination. That sure makes for total confusion when thinking about what to take or how to prepare.

What come next… or where should I start?

We should keep a weather eye on the horizon, but only after we have determined which horizon we are chasing. Where will we go? How will we get there? What do we need to do to prepare for the journey? I look at preparation as if it is a behavior pattern. I do this because then it creates a statistical probability of enhancing my chances of getting where I’m going. In other words, focus on what you are putting into the process and let go of your attachment to the outcome. If you’re throwing in the right ingredients, the probability of good food is almost guaranteed. Marathon runners know what they need to do to compete in marathons. They’ve broken it down to a series of specific behavior patterns that prepare them for the race, which work to enhance their chances of success. Successful business people do this as well. Its all about statistics-driven to likely succeed because of their behavior patterns. The ones with the most success have these behavior patterns figured out and they use statistics to give them the feedback they need to determine what, if any, course direction or changes they may need to take, and how to prepare for those changes. However, the same principle holds true… they knew where they wanted to end up. Do you know what you want your website to end up doing the most?

Website design and content creation is just part of the process, but in today’s “Virtual” consumer-driven world, the two are the foundation of an efficient and effective marketing plan. Online Video-On-Demand does so much to help get the message across, but if it’s not easily discovered, it’s useless. You want to use video in combination with motion graphics and quality Audio-On-Demand to quickly capture & keep the attention of the average consumer. If its a spectacle, we’ll look at it or listen to it, if it’s not… we won’t. That’s just as true for mobile media consumption… even more so. More than half of all online content is consumed via mobile devices. Are you capturing prospective leads or sales online and on mobile?

If you don’t know where you are going… how will you know when you get there?

If you watch the video below, you will see an animated video I made for Ambient Media in Columbia, SC. They are an event lighting, drapery, staging, and display company, performing their services at all sorts of events in South Carolina. Where are they going with this motion graphic video? The concept is to get folks to consider the painful situation they could end up in if they try to cut corners and do the lighting themselves. I’m not saying they couldn’t do it, but there are so many more things that require their attention when planning a successful event. Look back and see your mother when she was just getting ready for a Thanksgiving dinner… much less a wedding or a concert. What could go wrong at the worst time, during your event? Lighting is not something we do on a daily basis, so it’s best to stay away from rolling the D-I-Y-ce and let the pros do it. Can you figure out where they are going with this? Have you figured out where your marketing strategy needs to go? Is it working? If you would like some sage advice and/or an evaluation of what you currently have, please give me a call. You have nothing to lose, and I won’t waste your time… I promise.