I started out writing consumer catalog copy, then moved into healthcare communications and B2B direct marketing. Today, most of my work is Web-content related. Things changed and my business has changed with the times. Ten years from now, who knows what I’ll be doing? How about you? You can’t predict the future, but you can prepare for it by rejecting overly-narrow specializations and embracing flexibility.

I’m exaggerating – there are times when brochures are useful. But why are they the first thing that comes to mind when marketers are launching a new product/service, when they should be the very last thing to worry about? When was the last time anyone bought anything on the strength of a brochure? Worry about creating a real marketing plan that complements a workable sales pathway. Worry about creating content that attracts attention by addressing your audience’s interests. Only worry about brochures when you’re satisfied with everything else.

The fuel for every fad engine is the promise that this thing (whatever it is) will be the magic marketing bullet that every marketer craves – one that is simple, cheap and effective. But think about it: even if such a thing were possible, it couldn’t possibly last because everyone would do it and the competitive advantage would be lost. Truth is, you can only have two of the three virtues at a time: it can be effective and cheap (like blogging), but it won’t be simple; it can be effective and simple (like good PPC), but it won’t be cheap; and there are tons of simple and cheap things that aren’t worthwhile whatsoever. Abandon the fantasy. If you’re going to succeed, you’re going to pony up cash or sweat or both.

Speaking of perfection, remember “excellence”? That was the big thing businesses were supposed to achieve back in the 90’s. After all, the pursuit of excellence made Japan the rising sun in the global economy. Then Japan’s economy sank and that sun, set – and the “excellence” fad went with it. Today, there are gurus who’ll tell you that blogging, Twitter, Facebook, mobile, video or the social media app du jour is the must-have thing for any with-it marketer. Now, I’m not saying any of these things are bad, just watch the bullshit. In business, the real question isn’t whether a given thing is worth doing, but toward what ends and at what cost? If you’re not weighing costs against benefits, you’re just following a fad, not leading a business.

True story: I once worked for a bank on a direct marketing campaign that was delayed for well over a year as the client tweaked and retweaked the offer, the wording, the value prop, etc. Why? They wanted to get it just right. Here’s why they were wrong: while they spent months making incremental adjustments, they lost momentum, leads, opportunities and revenue. Had they taken action when they were 80% there – damn the remaining 20% — they would have gained new business and important lessons for improving their marketing program. Instead, they stalled and got nowhere. Moral of the story: Get moving. Perfection is for dreamers.

5. Have you created a pathway for further action?

In B2B marketing, the whole point of content is to move prospects further along the sales pipeline. But in order to create movement, you have to give prospects something to move to — a meaningful “next step” at the conclusion of every piece of content. Plan ahead. After prospects have read an article, is there a white paper or ebook they can download? When they reach your ebook’s conclusion, is there an invitation to a webinar or an online demo? Once they’ve participated in an event, is there an opportunity to speak to an expert one-on-one? Each step should mean a greater delivery of value on your part — and for the prospect, a deepening engagement with you.

4. Are your tactics really worth the time?

Part of the appeal of many content tactics — such as blogging, Twitter, enewsletters — is that they’re cheap. But what they save in money they can more than make up for in TIME. This is the brutal, ugly reality too many of today’s social media and content cheerleaders rarely acknowledge. You, however, cannot afford to be so blithe. Just as you measure ROI in bottom-line dollars and cents, you have to evaluate your efforts against the time they absorb. Are the hours spent on blogging and Tweeting really drawing an audience or improving your SEO efforts? If so, great. If not, you may need to budget your time as carefully as you budget your money.

Next post: Next steps.

3. Is your content distributed effectively?

Too often, great content is buried where prospects won’t ever find it. Please, don’t create a “resource center” on your website and expect visitors to dig through it to find relevant material — they won’t do your marketing work for you. On your site, distribute content links on pages with related subject matter. Better yet, reach beyond your site. Do the associations you belong to have sites and/or newsletters that could use your content? Have you formed friendships with bloggers who could post and/or talk about your material? What about, gasp, traditional media — are there journals or magazines that will run your stuff? Leverage the full value of your materials by being aggressive with distribution.

Next post: Time ROI.

2. Have we really tapped all our relevant areas of expertise?

This is more easily explained by example: I have a client who runs a repair depot service for point-of-sale technologies, such as debit card readers and barcode scanners. Now, the technology is the obvious center of their know-how. But in order to fulfill their services, they’ve become experts in logistics and transportation. When gas prices peaked in 2008, they were able to capitalize on their prospects’ concerns with an ebook about reducing freight and fuel costs. It was a different spin on their usual value proposition, but it tapped a complementary area of expertise to reach customers on an issue that mattered a great deal to them. Look outside of your usual messaging: what else do you know that customers care about?

Next post: Effective distribution.

1. Are we creating content our target market genuinely wants?

In the old push-advertising model, the desirability of our deliverable (the ad) wasn’t an issue — the audience was a captive prisoner and it was enough for our interruptions to be merely tolerable. But in a pull model intended to attract customers actively seeking information, our content must be compelling — if prospects don’t want it, they’re very free to ignore it. That’s why overt self-promotion is a no-no. Instead, our content has to either entertain or inform (or both). “Informing” is especially important for B2B marketers; our materials have to enlighten readers on new trends, show them new technologies, help them solve problems and/or achieve goals — they must be downright useful, one way or another.

Next post: Tapping all your expertise.