Content. It’s the new black. It’s the solution to all of our marketing problems and challenges. If we just produce more, it’ll magically sell more exhibit space and sponsorships. NOT.

Content is a pain to produce. New ideas don’t grow on trees. The smaller the company, the harder it is to produce new content daily, weekly or sometimes even monthly. Think about updating your website. Not the auto-news or twitter feeds, but the actual copy. How often does that happen? Once a show cycle? Twice?

Content is on overload. Everywhere we turn, we’re bombarded with it. How many e-newsletters do you get a day? A week? A month? Of those, how many do you actually read? How many do you read from top to bottom (versus front to back)?

I think the “experts” have it wrong. We don’t need to produce tons of content, and then throw it at the wall to see what sticks. Instead, we should produce and disseminate relevant, targeted content for our audiences. We should appreciate their inboxes are just as cluttered as ours are. We should be strategic in our efforts to share knowledge while selling our shows or conferences and sponsorships.

What are your thoughts?

Stephanie S. Selesnick is president of International Trade Information, a longtime global exhibition industry specialist helping U.S show organizers increase international participation in their exhibitions and a well-known speaker and trainer. Follow her on Twitter at @stephselesnick.

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