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The numbers are coming out about the growth of custom publishing. The lowest numbers I've seen is 18% growth, with most in the mid-20's. Why you ask? Lots of reasons. But I believe what it really gets down is that companies want to be of significance, or "be real", to their customers.

Hey, marketing isn't easy, especially when so many people are bad at it. There are probably more bad marketers than in any other profession. Just look at the amount of spam you get and that should tell you something. I've even talked to some marketers about how they are trying to create better e-mail blasts to "trick" prospects into responding.

I believe custom publishing and communications is an answer to this kind of marketing. Marketers who really do this well focus on content that revolves around the customer experience. To create valuable content that elicits a behavior, a good deal of research an planning needs to happen to get it right.

So, as a Star Wars fan, custom is a move away from the dark side of the force. May the force be with you.

Labels: custom publishing

I'm in the middle of reading Seth Godin's new book, Small is the New Big. So far, I highly recommend it. Seth provides an excellent analysis of what's often missed in today's "big business" marketing.

The one area that really struck me was his analysis of the CMO. His take is that, it's no wonder Chief Marketing Officers last less than two years on average. Why? Most CMO's do not have responsibility over customer service and internal feedback channels, which Seth believes is the key to the real meaning of the brand. Thus, CMO's have no real control over the marketing of the company. Like Seth, Don Schultz, famed IMC guru and Northwestern professor, has been banging the drum for years on the need for corporations to focus more time and energy on internal communications. His take? Why even communicate your brand message to customers and prospects if you aren't communicating the vision to internal stakeholders, which truly control the brand.

Are you spending enough time and energy on your internal communications effort?

Labels: CMO, internal communications

I have the privilege of being involved in a number of trade associations, including the Custom Publishing Council, American Business Media, and the Society of National Association Publications. For the past year and a half or so, the same conversation comes up with those in the industry - "What is the name of our industry?"

Strange question, huh? The industry I'm talking about is custom publishing - otherwise known as sponsored media, customer media, custom media, branded content, branded editorial content, member media, corporate media, content marketing, customer publishing, and yes, custom publishing.

Most involved in the industry believe that custom publishing is too print-centric...and they may be right. For example, when you think of custom publishing, do you think of a webcast, or eBooks. Probably not. Well, let's try branded content. Sounds great, right? Not so fast. Branded content is a buzz term for everything from gaming sponsorships to mobile tie-ins. Try doing a keyword search for branded content on Google and you'll see what I mean. I personally like branded content, but I have to admit the term is very broad.

So what will it be? Custom publishing out? Branded content in? Content marketing on the rise? Only time will tell. The interesting part of all this...five years ago no one cared what the definition was, they pretty much ignored it. Now, whatever it's called, is a force in corporate marketing budgets across the globe. Well, at least it makes conversations with my parents over what I actually do a little more interesting.

Labels: branded content, content marketing, custom publishing, ebooks, webcasts

This afternoon I attended the funeral of a good friend of mine. Lou was in his mid-40's and died of cancer-related illnesses. He was well loved...which was shown by the attendance of more than 200 friends and family that were in attendance.

My friend taught me something about the importance of story that I believe I always took for granted. The Sunday before last I went to visit Lou for an hour or so before heading off to Church. It was the first one-on-one time I had with him since he really became sick.

He did most of the talking. We discussed life and love in between a television special on dealing with cancer, which he was very interested in.

But there was about 10 minutes in which he discussed the importance of story (his words). As he was contemplating how long he had left on the earth, he went into detail about how important stories played into his life.

"People underestimate how critical the story is in what we watch and do," he said. "Every word a person writes or speaks can have such influence as to lift someone to the heavens or hurt them beyond mention. I believe if people realized how important their own stories were, it would be a much kinder world."

As much as I'd like to tie this into something about custom communications, the heart just isn't willing. You can make your own conclusions.

Want to see a branded content site that is just the start of things to come? Home Made Simple is truly simple solutions for easy living. The best part for a branded content nerd like me...it's not a media-owned site...it's the brainchild of Procter & Gamble.

Check it out and let me know what you think.

Labels: branded content