Announcing a new business blog or social media account can be similar to the mistake novelists fall into whenever they introduce something to their story referred to as “Chekov’s Gun.” If you’re unfamiliar with the term, it’s a dramatic principle based on writing advice given by Russian author Anton Chekhov.

“Remove everything that has no relevance to the story,” he advised. “If you say in the first chapter that there is a rifle hanging on the wall, in the second or third chapter it absolutely must go off. If it’s not going to be fired, it shouldn’t be hanging there.”

What this means in business: Setting up a Facebook business page, launching a customer newsletter or starting a video how-to series are the types of things business owners and their marketing managers often introduce in the first chapter of what they want to be a long story chronicling their journey with loyal customers.

However, if you don’t follow up by consistently and regularly delivering valuable content through such channels, you’ve broken Chekov’s law. You’ve focused your customers’ attention on a gun that you fail to fire.

As with any great story, your marketing efforts should be free of everything that has no relevance to serving your customer or supporting your brand.

(Note: A version of this post first appeared on the blog of Hammock Inc., the folks who bring you SmallBusiness.com)