…what would you build?

It’s worth thinking about.  One, because I write for digital marketing.  Two, because I play with lego A LOT with my kids.  There’s probably not a better toy out there to get our imaginations flowing than Lego stuff.  BTW, you don’t need kids to play with Lego (but it’s a nice excuse).

Here’s the thing:  I see most business building exactly the same things they built before digital marketing existed.  It’s a terrible waste.  All these beautiful, genius tools laying around, and what do people make?  Billboards.

I have some ideas about the parts and pieces of digital marketing as they might relate to the world’s greatest toy.

First, take an inventory of what you’ve got.  Every single Lego set you ever open starts with exactly the same instructions: separate pieces according to color.  When you start to build, the organization you institute at the beginning of the day will help make something amazing.  If you don’t organize, on the other had (this is coming from someone who willfully ignored the instructions once), you can look forward to spending all that creative energy searching instead of building.

Also, follow instructions.  No need to reinvent the wheel when you just start building.  There are tried and true steps to making something recognizable that people can appreciate and use.

As any Lego builder can tell you, having a prescribed set of steps allows for a rhythm, which can be incredibly helpful in some of the more tedious parts of the process (be honest: it’s not all lightning bolts of creative genius).

Once you’re there, and you’ve got some good models set up, experiment.  Create.  Try.  Fail.  Participate.  Those legos won’t build themselves.  They’re tools; you’re the maker.  Make something that represents you.  If you’ve got no idea how to start, ask a six year old.  They’re pros.

And, if you’re not into reading between the lines, here’s how I’m imagining the pieces:

Strategy:  Big, wide flat pieces.  They’re the ones that form the foundations.  In those huge models, this is usually what you see at the bottom.  They tie everything together.

Content: Big, thick blocks.  These are the ones that give structure to your shape.  They’re bulky and they take up space.  Use these to make what you’re building bigger.  This is your blog, your photo stream, your video channels.  Every piece that you add helps give you more substance.

Connections:  Those stick-things.  We didn’t really have them when I was growing up, but every model I’ve built with my kids has the Lego rod-and-nut connectors.  We’ve started to build our own creations with them, too, and they’re a strong way to bring different elements together.

Ratings: Let’s call them greebles.  These are the little odds and ends that you put on your creations to give them character.  They’re not absolutely necessary, but they make things interesting.  And they’re there whether you use them or not, so you might as well get creative and break up the surface a little.

So, what do you think?  Is this a stretch?  Or does it “click”?  (sorry, couldn’t help myself)

Tags: content, Lego, marketing mindset, marketing strategy

This entry was posted on Monday, June 21st, 2010 at 2:07 pm and is filed under Digital Marketing. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.