I read an interesting article the other day by Sujan Patel entitled, "Content Marketing in Boring Industries: 10 Tips from 10 Companies Doing it Right."
In his article, Mr. Patel discusses ways to deliver valuable content to your customers no matter what field you may be in.Granted, we all have are likes and dislikes and what interests me may not be on your “must read” list but the main ingredient for really good content is having a comfort level with your subject matter.For businesses wanting to pursue a content marketing campaign, finding the right person for the job is a real plus when it comes to writing about topics in their industry.No matter what you write about, if you’re not really interested in the topic, it’s hard to put together a really effective piece of writing because your lack of enthusiasm will be reflected in the tone of your article or post.
I’m pretty sure you can recall a time when you were in a class or attending a presentation where the speaker spoke in a monotone. Halfway through it, you were either asleep or constantly gazing at the clock, wishing it would end.Whether it’s writing, making a presentation or conducting a meeting, if you’re not resonating with the subject matter, it will certainly become apparent to those who either read your words or listen.I’ve summed up for you the 10 tips for writing content in industries that Mr. Patel considers to be somewhat boring on the content scale:Become an “Expert” in the Field – “Autodesk” a company in the sustainable design field (a software company entrenched in 3D design, engineering and entertainment software) is getting the word out about their company by guest blogging on other sites. By doing so, a number of people hear about them, see them across the internet and begin to perceive them as an authority in this industry. Educate Your Customers – Most of us like to learn something we didn’t know and if it hits home then all the better. There’s a lot of value in content that teaches and if you can find a way to work that into your business then have at it. Find related topics and write about them in addition to your main subject matter. This creates variety and keeps your readers interested and maybe even anticipating visiting your site more often to see what new topics are being discussed.Help Your Customers – think out of the box and provide other information that people can use and find value in. Patel uses “Bankrate” as an example of this. While some may consider the finance industry rather dry contentwise, Bankrate has developed calculators that people can use to determine various pieces of information for mortgage and auto loans. Because of this, they’ve actually made a name for themselves by assisting others.Take a Different Angle – Here, Patel discusses how a real estate company engages their readers by enticing them with attention grabbing headlines for their topics like: 25 Insane Things in Florida…………………… and 26 Experiences Everyone from Oregon………………….. This got my attention and I’d certainly check their article out! See how you can utilize this same tactic for your own content.Even though the crux of your information for your business may be on the dry side, you can find ways to make your site interesting and fun to visit for your readers.Write for the Enthusiast – racking your brain trying to come up with some interesting content for your line of business? Take a page from Caitlin Doughty, a mortician in Los Angeles who’s come up with a way to bring a little levity to a subject that’s very scary for most of us. Caitlin has created a YouTube video answering questions about things a mortician encounters in their world. 
Creativity goes a long way in developing content.Create and Share Great Videos – If you haven’t heard of “Blendtec” a company who manufactures of all things – blenders, you need to check out their “will it blend” videos. They throw some pretty crazy things in the blender but judging by their sales, it’s definitely working for them!Again, think out of the box and the stranger the better, apparently!Leverage Consumer Reports Data – You can use data to spin interesting articles for your subject matter too. Find out what kinds of questions people are asking about in your field and then find a way to turn those questions into survey tools. Many readers find statistics interesting and it’s a way to use content to delve deeper and provide valuable information.Tell Stories – in an offbeat and backdoor kind of way, Turbotax gets their name out there with this video clip. Another creative use of video marketing.Watch the News – use news-worthy topics to interest your readers. What’s happening in your field that you can make relatable to your audience?Showcase Your Personality – again, put on your creative hat and think about how you can get noticed. The example here is from Charmin Bath Tissue. Apply the same concept to whatever field you’re in.
So, here you have it. A host of ideas to take what you may consider boring subject matter and turn it into a real game changer.
Creativity is your biggest asset and you’re only limited by your imagination.
Read Patel's article in its entirety here:
http://sujanpatel.com/content-marketing
