Content Marketing Inspiration from Kevin Smith

Could there be a better way to end our inaugural Content Marketing World than with a keynote presentation from Kevin Smith? If you are unfamiliar with Kevin Smith, here’s a great post that explains some of his work. Kevin is not for the faint of heart, but his points were surprisingly relevant to content marketing. 

The power of Twitter

Kevin started the session by talking about his experiences directing movies. As he explained, directors traditionally create the movies and then hand them over to the studio to market. However, in his experience, this wasn’t working. He felt that the marketing efforts the studios were creating were not relevant to his target audience – and they were spending far too much money in the process.

“Why would you look past who we can easily sell to?” Kevin asked. He also mentioned that he believes fully in the power of Twitter. Not only is it free, but it also lets you target an audience that is receptive to your message.

Why podcasting works

Of all of the projects Kevin is currently working on, he says that podcasting brings him the most joy. I love how he described his desire to live in the “nooks and crannies” in people’s lives. Unlike going to the movies, which requires full attention, people can listen to podcasts whenever they want it. If you are interested in hearing some of Kevin’s work, you can check out his Smodcasts.

Free content reigns

Kevin believes in pumping out a lot of content, and he admits it’s more than anyone can consume. However, by giving away all of this free content, he has been able to monetize (one of his favorite words) other opportunities. For instance, because he has done so much free podcasting, he’s been able to extend that outreach and tour the country doing Q&A sessions with groups. And where can fans find out the details on these events? His podcasts, of course.

Find your passion

One of the points that resonated with many of us was Kevin’s passionate plea for us to go out and try new things. Here are some of my favorite soundbites from his talk (some are paraphrased):

• “Who is going to speak more passionately about your movie than you?”
• When you are playing hockey, don’t go where the puck is. Instead, go where it’s going to be. If you go where the puck is, you can compete, but you can’t excel.
• The only thing you need to do is be honest and candid.
• You need a reasonable amount of unreasonability.

Were you at Kevin’s talk? What were your favorite points?