One day I was having lunch with one of my entertainment clients. As we spoke of relationships she said, “My biggest fear is marrying someone like an accountant.” She then realized who she was speaking to and partially retracted the statement. Too late.
I write about 1-2 articles every week. People ask, “What do your write about in accounting? It is so boring!”
Well, anything can be boring, but Ekaterina Walter’s article, Content Generation for Small Businesses gives some good pointers on how you can promote your business through submitting meaningful content. She interviewed Ricardo Bueno and Lisa Horn, experts in this area.
- Content as Customer Education: She quotes Ricardo that you must educate your audience. That is true, but you must be careful of the level of education. In my case, to quote tax code sections will lose my audience, so I display my expertise in common terms and analogies. Your audience can grasp your message if it taps into an experience that are familiar with. As seen above, I displayed points with anecdotes, little stories that illustrate my point.
- Don’t Sell: Your web page should display your products, and your blog should display your expertise. Don’t be afraid to offer some tips in your industry.
- Engage, entertain, and build a community: I agree with her point, but many might find it hard to entertain. The first step is to not take yourself so seriously. Poke fun at yourself by writing about awkward experiences, if it supports your theme.
- Be consistent, and feed the monster: This is my suggestion. You must be disciplined. Once you established yourself as a noteworthy source for information, your followers will desire you to write consistently.
Any industry can benefit from content. Any business can benefit from content. The real question is whether you have what it takes to compete on this level in the 21st century.