I came across an article in the LATimes.com titled, “Disney Opens Membership To Exclusive Club 33 And 1901″.

The article reveals that, “Officials say invitations are being offered to 100 people on a waiting list for the secret Disneyland hideaway, and a new California Adventure facility. Price tag: $25,000 plus annual dues of $10,000.”

This is a perfect example of what I wrote about in my last post “Shhh… One Of The Most Powerful Forms Of Content Marketing.”

• Would there be ANY way they could charge this much if it was accessible to everyone?  No.
• Would there be this much of a demand? No.
• Would there be as much of a buzz?  No.

Exclusivity and secrecy create value  and enhance your actual product or service  and they also boost your content marketing.

Disney is smart enough to harness this power.  We need to be just as wise.

Photo by Taylor.McBride™

One of the things I love about Netflix is that I end up trying out shows I never would have if I had to pay to watch each one separately.

And because of that I end up watching and liking shows I never would have.

One of the ones I just started watching a few days ago is called “Decoded.”

It’s a show from author Brad Meltzer.

The whole premise of the show is to reveal secrets about signs, symbols and codes that are hidden in plain sight.  

They focus each episode on an object or organization that is purported to have some secret influence.  These are things that most people don’t even know exist.

They discuss organizations like the Masons, the Illuminati and others.  They look at conspiracy theories from the past and present.
I’ve only watched the first two episodes, but it has already taught me two things that are important lessons for content marketers.

Two things that both tie into one of the most powerful forms of content marketing ever used.

Are you ready to hear what these lessons are and to learn this powerful form of content marketing?

Ok then, lean in close and I’ll tell you…  :)

1.  The first lesson I’ve learned is that private or exclusive organizations/clubs are more in demand than public ones.

Each of the first two episodes of this show has focused on these types of clubs.   The second episode was about a “Bohemian Club.”

Supposedly powerful men from around the world gather at a secret location in Northern California to set the agenda for our country.  This club is an all male,  invitation-only club.   Membership costs $25,000.

2. The second lesson I’ve learned is that when you don’t reveal everything  about an exclusive club or item, then it fuels speculation and increases people’s interest.

The reason people are interested in the Masons is because they don’t tell you everything about what they teach or do.

The reason people care about “Area 51″ is for this reason.  The less  the government revealed about it the more  the legend spread.  And the more people wanted to know about it.

Both of these lessons tie in to one of the most powerful forms of content marketing.  What is it?

It’s the power of secrets.

Apple seems to know this power.  They’ve learned to limit the amount of information they reveal whenever they release a new version of a product or a new product.

 Mac owners don’t just own computers, but they feel a part of an exclusive club.  They have a way of talking and a common understanding that those without Macs don’t.

It’s almost like they know a secret that PC users don’t.

That is how you harness the power of secrets.  Create content that is intriguing.  Content that teases.  Content that describes something, but doesn’t show you it all.

By the way, did you notice that I wrote this post in a way that indirectly implied you were going to get privileged information?  That is one way to create content that harnesses this power.

Can you think of other companies who have harnessed this power?  Comment or contact me and share examples.  I’ll share the best ones.

Photo by olga.palma

P.S.  Do you want to learn more about how to harness this powerful form of content marketing?  I’ve left you clues in the italicized words in this post.  Write them down as a list and you’ll have some hints and types of language that will give you clues on how to use this power yourself.

P.P.S. Notice that blue, “My Page” FB button at the top of this post?  Have you ever clicked on it?  If you did, then you know the secret about how well I’ve promoted my Facebook page.  Well just so you know… if you go there and “like” my page, you’ll be able to see something that others who don’t won’t.  You’ll see when I reveal (only on my FB page) some more of the ways to implement the “secret of secrets.”

I want to give you two simple reasons you should be using content marketing.  Ready?

1. It gives people a reason (and an easy way) to “share” you with others.

2. It gives people a reason to keep coming back to your site.

Let me explain…

• We all want our business to experience the power of “word-of-mouth.”
• We all want our website to be linked to, and tweeted, and posted on Facebook.
• We want people to “like” or “+1″ us and our business.

But what current reason  do people have to do these things in regards to your business or website?

One of the things people love to do online is to share great information (content) with others.  When you create content you give people a reason to share you and your business with others.

What?  You don’t have time to create content?  You’re not good at writing?

That still shouldn’t stop you.

You can still curate content.  You can begin to post excerpts of interesting news, articles and blog posts (with links to the referenced source) on your site.

Creating or curating information will make you more “shareable.”
But that’s not all.

It will keep you on people’s radar.  They’ll remember you when they need/want what you sell.  Why?  Because the great content you post will cause them to keep coming back to you to see what’s new.

It will make you and your business “sticky.”

And those two things are some of the most important keys to success today.

Photo by Lovin Scoopful

How you view the good and bad that happens in your life will affect your response to the events of life.

And that ultimately changes your long-term results.

Let me show you what I mean by sharing with you a story that I came across…

We all know that Thomas Edison was a pretty amazing inventor.

He invented the phonograph, the microphone, the storage battery, the incandescent light, talking movies, and over 1000 other things.

But don’t be fooled.  That doesn’t mean that all his inventions came to him easily.

By December 1914, he had worked for 10 years on a storage battery.  And because of this fact, his finances were severely strained.

One evening the worst thing imaginable happened.

Spontaneous combustion broke out in the film room.  In just minutes, all the packing compounds, celluloid for records and film, and all the other flammable goods were up in flames.

Fire companies who came from eight surrounding towns showed up to try to save his possessions.  But they were halted in doing so.  Why?  Because the heat was so intense and the water pressure so low.  It made all their attempts to put out the flames useless.

Everything was destroyed.

With all his assets up in smoke what would his response to this tragedy be?

The inventor’s son Charles, who was 24 years old at the time, searched frantically for his father.  He finally found him.  But he was surprised at what he saw.

His Dad was calmly watching the fire, with his face glowing in the reflection and his white hair blowing in the wind.

Charles said, “My heart ached for him.  He was 67–no longer a young man–and everything was going up in flames.”

When Edison saw his son he yelled, “Charles, where’s your mother?”
Charles told him he didn’t know where she was and Edison told him, “Go find her. Bring her here. She will never see anything like this as long as she lives.’”

If that wasn’t amazing enough, the next morning, Edison looked at the ruins and said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God we can start anew.”

And what affect did his view of this tragedy have on his life?  I can’t tell you all the ways it affected his life, but I can tell you this.

Three weeks after the fire, Edison managed to deliver the first phonograph.

What Would Happen If?
We can all guess the effect that viewing some positive thing in our lives as a negative thing would have on us.

But what would happened if we began to view some negative things in our lives as positive?

(Or if you can’t get up the strength/courage to do that, how about viewing them, at least, as things that aren’t permanently debilitating?)

In what areas of your life can you change your view of things?  What things would change in your life if you did?

The only way to really know is to try it out and see for yourself.

P.S.  And if you are saying to yourself, “Yeah, that’s easy for you to say.  You probably haven’t been through any bad things.”  

Have you read the story about the day I was kidnapped?

Related articles

• The Secret To Becoming A Person Of Influence (recessionsolution.com)
• VIDEO – Content Marketers: The Thing You Must “See” To Reach Your Goals (recessionsolution.com)
• The Legend Of Cliff Young And The Overlooked Ingredient For Success In 2012 recessionsolution.com)

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR MY “RECESSION SOLUTION BLOG” UPDATE LIST.
You don’t want to miss updates or special content from me, right?  

Scott Aughtmon is a “business recession solution expert“, a “content creation expert” , and a speaker. He’s spent over 12 years studying effective marketing and business methods (both online and offline). You can read some of his content marketing articles for “Content Marketing Institute“ here. He’s the author of two e-books called “How Your Business Can Survive And Prosper In A Recession” in which he interviewed 38 top business, marketing and sales experts and got them toreveal their methods to help business owners survive and prosper in a recession. Scott has also been interviewed on radio shows and asked to share his wisdom to help business owners survive and prosper in a recession.  Read more of Scott’s insights on his blog. Follow Scott on Twitter @rampbusinesses or on Google Plus at +scott aughtmon, +content creation methods, or +recessionsolution.com 

Today I have a few quick lessons for you.

As content creators and content marketers we are on a constant search for new content and news ways to create fresh content.  

What if told you we could learn a lesson from Snow White about content marketing and content creation?  

What if it was a lesson that released you from the terror of always having something NEW to say?

You’d like that?  Ok good.  I think you’ll be happy!  :)

Let me explain what I mean…

We all know the story of Snow White, right?  There are the 7 dwarfs, the apple, the prince, the kiss, etc.  There doesn’t seem to be much else you could do with the story, does there?

Well 2 upcoming movies prove us wrong…

1.  ”Mirror Mirror”

From Wikipedia: “A wicked enchantress (Julia Roberts) schemes and scrambles for control of a spirited orphan’s (Lily Collins) throne and the attention of a charming prince (Armie Hammer). When Snow White’s beauty wins the heart of the prince that she desperately pursues, the Queen banishes her to the forest, where a ravenous man-eating beast hungrily awaits. Rescued by a band of diminutive highway robbers (the seven dwarves), Snow White grows into an indomitable young woman determined to take back her realm from the treacherous Queen.”

2. “Snow White And The Huntsman”

From Wikipedia: ”In a kingdom ruled by tyranny, the vain and selfish Queen Ravenna (Charlize Theron) learns her stepdaughter Snow White (Kristen Stewart) is destined to surpass her as not only the “Fairest One of All” but the kingdom’s future ruler. But the Queen then learns from her Magic Mirror (Christopher Obi) that the only way to remain in power is to consume Snow White’s heart and achieve immortality. Snow escapes into the Dark Forest and Ravenna recruits the Huntsman Eric (Chris Hemsworth) to kill Snow. Eric, however, takes pity on the young princess and teaches Snow White the art of war. Now, with the aid of eight dwarves and Prince William (Sam Claflin), Snow White begins a rebellion to bring down her stepmother once and for all.”

Both of these films are based on the basic story but they each come at it from a whole different angle.

One comes at it from a comedic angle and one comes at it from a fantasy-drama angle.   One is more family oriented (PG ) and one is more grown-up oriented (R ).

And if these movies don’t prove that we were wrong thinking there was nothing else to be done with the Snow White story, you need to know there have been 19 Snow White movies made (including these 2) since 1902!

Here are the lessons we can learn:

• There is always something new that can be said about a topic/subject.
• The audience you choose effects (should effect) what  you say and how  you say it.
• Choosing a different angle (context and presentation) can make any topic seem new and interesting again.

Stay Tuned:

I have an upcoming post that will tackled this topic of “the terror of always having something NEW to say” from a different angle and with some different lessons.  It will be called, “The Content Creation Secrets Of Stand-up Comedians.”

I haven’t decided if it will be just a straight blog post or if I will do a video of it.  (**If you have a preference, let me know in the comments or email me: recessionsolution AT gmail.)

Related articles

• Christmas Songs And The Surprise Content Marketing Lessons (recessionsolution.com)
• The Benefits of Content Marketing [INFOGRAPHIC] (contently.com)
• VIDEO – Content Marketers: The Thing You Must “See” To Reach Your Goals (recessionsolution.com)
• Favorite Content Marketing Lessons from 2011 (contentmarketinginstitute.com)

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR MY “RECESSION SOLUTION BLOG” UPDATE LIST.
You don’t want to miss updates or special content from me, right?  

Scott Aughtmon is a “business recession solution expert“, a “content creation expert” , and a speaker. He’s spent over 12 years studying effective marketing and business methods (both online and offline). You can read some of his content marketing articles for “Content Marketing Institute“ here. He’s the author of two e-books called “How Your Business Can Survive And Prosper In A Recession” in which he interviewed 38 top business, marketing and sales experts and got them toreveal their methods to help business owners survive and prosper in a recession. Scott has also been interviewed on radio shows and asked to share his wisdom to help business owners survive and prosper in a recession.  Read more of Scott’s insights on his blog. Follow Scott on Twitter @rampbusinesses or on Google Plus at +scott aughtmon, +content creation methods, or +recessionsolution.com 

Just wanted to tell you a quick story that should inspire you to use content marketing to sell your product…

Do you know how Chocolate-Chip cookies were invented?

According to Nestle, Mrs. Wakefield (owner of the Toll House Inn) was making chocolate cookies one day, but ran out of regular baker’s chocolate.

She didn’t know what to do until she came up with the idea to substitute it with broken pieces of semi-sweet chocolate.

She thought it would melt and mix into the batter, but it didn’t, and that’s how the chocolate chip cookie was born.

What does that have to do with content marketing?  Nothing at least at this part of the story.

But what happened next matters to us as content marketers…

Wakefield sold the recipe to Nestle in exchange for a lifetime supply of chocolate chips (instead of patenting it and making billions!)  And what genius thing did Nestle choose to do with that recipe?

Simple.  On every bag of Nestle chocolate chips sold in North America ever since, they included a variation of her original recipe printed on the back.

They didn’t sell the recipe.  They didn’t lock it away in a safe for only a few to see it.  They gave it away…  on the back of  every bag of chocolate chips they sold.

• And what did those people with the chocolate chip cookie recipe need?  Chocolate chips.
• What happened when friends ate these cookies and asked where the recipe come from?  They were told to go buy a bag of Nestle’s chocolate chips.  (That made their chocolate chips unique and more desirable than other chocolate chips that would later be sold.)

Content marketing lesson:  What information (content) do your prospects or customers need to use your product most effectively  or in new and exciting ways?

Now that you know that, go create that content (or get someone else to create it) and give it away!  

This will do two important things:

1. Help your customers.

2. Make your product/service more valuable and desirable.

Image from Wikipedia.org

My oldest son Jack (who is about to be 11 yrs old) saw a new phonebook on our door step and brought it in. He asked me why they gave us a new one.

I told him they had some new stuff in it and that’s why they sent us a new one.

I then told him that people used to use them a lot more before Google was around. 

He asked, “Why do they still make them if no one hardly uses them anymore?”
I explained that the companies that make them are still trying to survive and make money.

He then sat down and began looking through it to see if we were in it. We were.

He then went on to look for other friends he knew. He was really excited to see our names and other people he knew in it!

It was such a foreign object to him that he sat there for awhile in amazement over this strange thing.

P.S.  What’s the Content marketing lesson?  Simple.  Your content is important, but what it is also important is the “container” you choose to use to put your content “in.”  If you choose an outdated “container,” then your content will never be seen or consumed.

Many of us work hard on presenting quality content through writing and/or speaking. We work hard to make what we communicate as powerful and relevant as we can.

And we should.

But most of us never think of the almost invisible impact that anticipation and expectation has on the content we present.

Watch the video to learn  more…

OR read the rest of this post below…

Let me give you an example:

Imagine Chris Rock stepping onto a stage. (Really imagine this.)
He says, “Have you ever thought how dumb people are?“ (Hear it in his voice.)

And some people start laughing immediately and nodding, agreeing in their minds thinking… “Hahaha! We ARE dumb!! He’s so right!”

Then he says, “I’m mean SERIOUSLY dumb!” (You are imagining his voice, right?) More people are smiling and nodding thinking, ”You know he is right. We really are SO dumb!”

Then he finally says, ”We’re so dumb they have to write instructions on toothpaste!”

And crowd goes into hysterics!!! They’re all thinking, ”He’s RIGHT! They DO put instructions on toothpaste!! Oh my goodness! How crazy! We’re IDIOTS!!”

Now what just happened here?
Anticipation and expectation made Chris Rock funny to the crowd.

But is Chris Rock actually funny? I think so!

I crack up whenever I hear him. But he’s even FUNNIER because I expect him to be funny!

Let me prove it to you… If I got up on the stage and said, ”Have you ever thought how dumb people are?”

People would stare critically at me – judging to see what I was going to say next. Most would be thinking, ”This dude better be funny!”

Then imagine I said, “I’m mean SERIOUSLY dumb!”

People in the audience are sitting there with slightly frustrated looks on their faces thinking, “We get the point. People are dumb. Now get to your POINT, dummy!”

Then I finally say, ”We’re so dumb they have to write instructions on toothpaste!”

And the audience doesn’t applaud. There is maybe a courtesy laugh or two but that’s it. Nothing, except crickets making sounds in the background.

And everyone is sitting there thinking, “That’s IT? Toothpaste. Oh man. Can’t wait for the next act. This person is LAME!”

How come no one laughed? Was my timing bad? Maybe.

But I said the EXACT same joke that Chris Rock did!?!

(Disclaimer: As far as I know the above is NOT an actual Chris Rock joke, so don’t blame him on whether it’s actually funny or not. I just made it up off the top of my head.)

What was missing? Anticipation and expectation.

This doesn’t just apply in the world of comedy.  It’s true in all arenas of life.  Let’s take business and marketing as an example.

Seth Godin is one of my favorite authors and bloggers.

But sometimes I’ve noticed something interesting happen. Like all of us, Seth has some days where his content is better than others.

But the interesting thing is when he writes one of those average posts it will still gets tweeted and shared by a bazillion people.

Is it because it was really that awesome of a post? No.
It was just average.  But because SETH GODIN wrote the post, it carries a level of anticipation and expectation that causes people to feel it is better than it is.

If I took the same post and put the name “Joe Schmoe” on it, I probably couldn’t get even one of the same people who tweeted it with Seth’s name on it to tweet the same exact post with “Joe Schmoe’s” name on it.

Now is Seth an awesome thinker and writer? I think so.  Do most of his posts contain better insights than the average blogger? I’d say, “Yes.”

But we still need to realize that the power of anticipation and expectation is giving Seth a leverage with his content that most new-comers don’t have.

This is what we need to learn from this…

We need to focus on presenting good content, but we need to remember that without anticipation and expectation we might get less of a response to the content we present than we had hoped.

How do we change or improve people’s expectation and anticipation of our content?

3 Ways To Improve Anticipation & Expectation Of Our Content:

1. It comes from people’s’ previous experience with your content.
That means we still need to do our best presenting ideas in the best way we can.  There’s no way around it.  Anticipation and expectation won’t make lame content better. It might make good content seem better.  But it’s not magic. Sorry.

2. It comes from how you carry and present yourself and your content.
Pay attention to how you dress, your posture, how you speak or write, because it creates anticipation and expectation.  But it not only comes from the way you look, it also comes from the look and the layout of your blog.  Make sure that the “you” you portray gives off the correct anticipation and expectation for what you are saying.

3. It comes from what people have heard about you from others.
If everyone says you are funny, or smart, or great at something, then people will believe and expect you to be.   (This is even more true if the everybody is the “media.”)  You need to think about how many people share what you say with others on Google+, or “Like” your content, etc.  Do whatever you can to get people who think highly of your content to share their opinion with others.

Alright, your turn.

What other things do you think can improve the anticipation and expectation of our content?

Related Posts 

• VIDEO: Content Marketing Secrets From The Grammys (RecessionSolution.com)
• Lethal Generosity: The Key To Your Online Content Strategy (Junta42.com)
• “60 Minutes” Creator And An Effective Content Marketing Formula (RecessionSolution.com)

DON’T FORGET TO CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP FOR MY “RECESSION SOLUTION BLOG” UPDATE LIST.
You don’t want to miss updates or special content from me, right?  

Scott Aughtmon is a “business recession solution expert“, a “content creation expert” , and a speaker. He’s spent over 12 years studying effective marketing and business methods (both online and offline). You can read some of his content marketing articles for “Content Marketing Institute“ here. He’s the author of two e-books called “How Your Business Can Survive And Prosper In A Recession” in which he interviewed 38 top business, marketing and sales experts and got them toreveal their methods to help business owners survive and prosper in a recession. Scott has also been interviewed on radio shows and asked to share his wisdom to help business owners survive and prosper in a recession.  Read more of Scott’s insights on his blog. Follow Scott on Twitter @rampbusinesses or on Google Plus at +scott aughtmon, +content creation methods, or +recessionsolution.com 

Hey everyone.  I’m alive.

Sorry you haven’t seen a post from me recently.  I had a workshop on “Social Media 101″ that I was preparing for a local veterans hospital.

(And it wasn’t just your average “Social Media 101″ type of content.  I shared deeper concepts such as how social media allows us to tap into what I call “The Power Of Together.“)

Right after that, me and my 3 sons were hit with a crazy bad cold.  (The kind with the never-ending cough and where you are just so achy and sore, that even your hair hurts!)

Anyway, I’m back today and I hope I don’t get too deep for you.  But try to follow along, because you will learn about the most potent form of content and why it’s so powerful.  

————————-
What is content really?

• It’s just different groupings of letters joined together on a piece of paper or on some digital screen.
• Or it could be a group of sounds formed and expressed into the air, which are presented in-person or in an audio recording.
• It could even be sets of images shown in still form or on video.

Average Content  VS Extraordinary Content
When you create content in an average way you see little results.
But when you do it in an extraordinary way the content you create can almost take on a like of its own.

(*You’ll see what I mean in a moment by watching this film.)

The Most Powerful Form Of Content Ever Invented
The most powerful form of content is the kind that forms a story.  Why is it so powerful?  I’ll get to that in a second.  But first, let me just say that it just seems to be something we were created to respond to.

Think about it.  People are looking – even fiending for - powerful stories.  This is as true today as it has been since the beginning of our existence.

People want them so badly today that they pay $10 or more to discover a new story in a movie theater each weekend. 

Alright back to the “why?” question…  WHY?

Of course, we could say it’s because they entertain us.  Stories are a break from the sometimes dark, dreary and boring life that surrounds us.

But I think it goes even deeper than that.

Great stories give us hope.  They give us answers.  They give us examples and inspiration.

Why People Would Care About Your Story

People don’t just want your story for the above mentioned reasons.  They want it for a more “selfish” reason.  They want to use it to add something to their own story.

But some people understand that something amazing happens IF you paint a powerful story.  It’s something so amazing that it’s almost unbelievable.  If you’re story is powerful enough.  If it has the hope of a compelling enough ending, then people might  just do the unbelievable.

They might choose to join you in  your story.

A Well Lived Story And A Well Told Story
But first you must live your story well.  Then you must tell your story well.

That’s your job as a business owner.  Create a compelling story about what you do or offer.  (Or share the compelling story that already exists.)  Then tell it in the most engaging and compelling way possible.

When you do that, people will want to add your product or service to the story of their lives.  And craziest thing of all, they will want to become a part of your story.

(Examples: Apple fans, Grateful Dead fans, or Disneyland fans.)

 ”The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore”
Below you will find an example of some powerful content.  It’s not just that.
*It’s an analogy of the power of story and it’s impact on people.

It’s the full Oscar-winning film “The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore.”  It’s a powerful little film co-directed by William Joyce (who many parents might know from “Rolie Polie Olie”) and Brandon Oldenburg.

It won this year for the category of “Best Animated Short.”

2 Things Not To Miss And The “Secret” About The Film:
1) For a specific point in the film where you’ll see the power of “story”
Watch the scene when the “black-and-white people” are lined up to receive a book from Mr. Lessmore.  Watch what happens as they leave with this new story. (10:53 – 11:03)

 2) For a practical example of how “story” can be used for profit
Notice how Joyce was ingenious enough to create an amazing story, produce an incredible animated short, and then monetize it by creating an iPad APP.  In a sense, he’s recreated digital story telling.

***What’s the “Secret” about this film?  THIS WHOLE MOVIE IS CONTENT MARKETING FOR THE APP they’re selling.  See more here!

STAY TUNED: In an upcoming video, I’ll continue to expand on the idea I shared in my video “Content Marketing Secrets From The Grammys” about how amazing artists don’t just share powerful content, but they create a powerful story built around themselves.

I’ll explain another aspect of this truth in my next video that will be called, “The Chris Rock Effect: The Amazing Impact Anticipation & Expectation Have On Our Content.”

Related Posts
The Amazing, Crazy Story Of How A Man Named Pearl Accidentally Became A Brand (RecessionSolution.com)
The Future of Content Marketing – 6 Differences Between Good and Great [Part 2] (Junta42.com)
A Branding Revelation From The Movie “Braveheart” (RecessionSolution.com)

Today, I want share some of the lessons that came to me from watching the Grammys last night.

Image via Wikipedia

These are lessons that content marketers and business owners can use to improve their content and their ability to engage their audience.

You’ll learn 3 things that singers understand about content that can help you use to boost your content

You’ll learn from the examples of:

Adele, Bruno Mars, and Lady Gaga