Edutainment

Oh, the endless parade of marketing buzzwords. You know what I'm talking about – "synergy," "thought leader," "edutizing," "advertainment." They are obnoxious when you hear them all day long. Unfortunately, they're usually based on a principle that has actual value. That's what I'm going to talk about today, a word I use to describe a vital concept that can make or break your online marketing strategy: Edutainment.

Let's begin with a rough definition.

Edutainment: marketing materials that offer the dual benefit of educating and entertaining consumers, resulting in improved engagement and increased leads

Let's talk about what isn't edutainment. Sending a "Just Listed" eFlyer to a recent buyer client isn't either educational or entertaining for them. Neither are customized sports team fridge schedules, agent calendars, recipe post cards, or QR codes on digital eCards. "What's wrong with those examples?" you may ask. Well, the biggest problem is quite simple: they aren't taking the recipient into consideration. If your marketing materials don't provide value to consumers – in the form of entertainment, education, or both – they are not going to pay attention.

Now that we've talked about what isn't edutainment, let's talk about what is.