MIMA is holding a blog carnival in advance of its Interactive D.C. summit. One of the questions posed by a speaker: “Where does content start or marketing begin?” That got me thinking…

Content begins like the quark. It’s attractive. And interactive. It’s a small idea that often goes unnoticed. It has a short life and flames out. Much of what we have to say is only interesting to ourselves or a small circle of family, friends, and colleagues around us.

But every now and then content, like the quark, gets noticed. Someone records an idea and sparks a dialogue. And then we generate more and more energy as the content spread outwards.

Marketing starts where content reaches relevance. If you don’t have something worthwhile to say, solicit, or sell, what’s the point? Share away, but don’t try to convince me it matters. Only after enough people are paying attention can marketing effectively shape and reshape the perception of, and conversation around, your idea.