At Grammar Chic, Inc., we truly believe that content marketing can deliver meaningful results for any company, no matter if you operate in a boring industry.
But some may have to work a little bit harder for it than others.
Simply put, some industries more naturally lend themselves to fresh, exciting, compelling content. But what happens if you sell annuities? What happens if you prepare tax returns? What happens if you’re an estate planning lawyer? We’re not saying these things are unimportant! We’re just saying they may not seem as flashy or as exciting to the average reader.
It may cause you to wonder what can be done to turn your “boring” line of work into really rich, persuasive content—content that people will actually want to read.
Here’s our advice.
Always Be Helpful
A good rule of thumb: If your content is helpful, someone out there’s going to find it interesting.
Take our example of an estate planning attorney. You may write a blog post about how to draft a will; when a living trust is necessary; or how to choose guardians for your children.
Those topics may not jump off the page, and sure, some may say they’re unglamorous. But people want to know those things. They need to know those things. And if you can provide that information in a clear and actionable way, there will be readers who find great value in it—
period.
Maybe the best advice here is to change your way of thinking: If you can’t make your content exciting, just make sure that it helps someone.
Write Without Jargon
One thing that can stand between you and an engaged readership is reliance on industry jargon.
We see this a lot when working with insurance companies, who trot out a bunch of words and phrases that may be foreign to the layperson. Of course, that’s the quickest way to get eyes to glaze over!
Don’t think (or write) in terms of industry buzzwords. Instead, come at it from the customer’s point of view. What are their pain points? What answers do they seek? And how can your company benefit from them? Focus on those things, with as much clarity as you can.
Inject Some Personality
Your business may be boring—or at least, that may be how people perceive it.
But you’re not boring!
Feel free to inject some personality, even humor, into your content. Sometimes, that’s all it takes to make your content come alive.
This might mean throwing in some personal anecdotes, some gentle self-deprecation, or even some specific examples from past clients (ensuring you keep things anonymous, of course).
Another strategy is to draw connections to shows, movies, or other pop culture reference points that might mean something to you. Remember our posts invoking Mad Men and The Walking Dead?
Get Help from the Pros
It’s frustrating to feel like your industry is just a dead space for compelling content—but we honestly believe that any field can be made enticing, or at the very least valuable, to the reader.
We’d love to show you how. Reach out to Grammar Chic, Inc. to schedule a content consultation today. You can reach us at www.grammarchic.net or 803-831-7444.
Amanda E. Clark founded Grammar Chic in 2008. She is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University and holds degrees in Journalism, Political Science, and English. She launched Grammar Chic after freelancing for several years while simultaneously leading marketing and advertising initiatives for several Fortune 500 companies.