Driving home from a video shoot for a client the other night, I switched on the radio. It was a short drive and I didn't want to get too involved in anything, hence the radio instead of my usual podcast.
When I need something other than podcasts to listen to, I turn to AM radio. Yep, AM radio 😜
The first channel I switch on, the host is taking questions from callers for his guest, a dentist.
I listened for a few seconds, got bored and channel surfed for a bit, then found myself turning back to listen in to the dentist.
I ended up listening the rest of the way home.
Did I just listen to a dentist for 15 minutes?
Yes, I did. 🤔
Why did I just listen to a dentist for 15 minutes?
As a marketer, I am fascinated anytime a business or business professional can hold my attention.
Especially in a field I couldn't give a toss about.
And so I analysed.
Was he talking about a topic I was interested in?
Was he discussing something innovative?
Was he talking about sport? (I love sport)
Was he hilariously funny?
Was he talking about social and digital marketing a dentist's business?
It was a resounding 'no' to all of these.
So, what was it that kept my attention?
After some thought, I put together the pieces.
1. Expertise
First and foremost, it was obvious from the get go that this guy was an expert in his field. This is the bedrock of his attention grabbing skills.
He did not hesitate, he needed minimal peripheral information and his answers were brief and on the money.
Moral of the story? Real expertise can be interesting, no matter what the subject matter.
2. Confidence
If you consider expertise to be the chassis of a content car, confidence would be the engine. It's what makes the content go, especially in an audio or video format.
This dentist was clear, confidant and to the point, which made it easy to appreciate his expertise.
Whether you are looking to create video, audio or written content, confidence and clear communication skills will allow the watcher/listener/reader to appreciate the message you are putting across.
3. Common does not mean boring
In thinking about this person's ability to hold my attention, it struck me that his field of expertise was a painfully mundane topic.
Teeth. Brushing your teeth. Dental hygiene. Not exactly Pulitzer Prize winning, Netflix movie worthy subject matter eh?
I surmise that the mundaneness of the topic was actually part of it's appeal.
It's an issue that everyone, literally every single person has to deal with, hence the questions being asked were probably questions that most of us would interested in hearing the answers to.
Here are some examples of the caller questions:
"How much does it cost to fix stained teeth?"
"Is there any special diet to help dental hygiene?"
"What causes tooth decay?"
"My young children refuse to let me brush their teeth, what do I do?"
"How can I cure my fear of the dentist?"
Everyday questions, answered with confidence and clarity can be seriously engaging interesting!
Just because your business and expertise may be on an everyday topic, does not mean it's boring. It's how you communicate the expertise that is key.
The Takeaway
Expertise, in any field, on any subject can be interesting when presented clearly, concisely and with confidence. In other words, no matter your industry, don't be afraid to start creating content around your area of expert subject matter. Not only will you be able to bring in consumers who are directly looking for that information, you will also be able to bring in consumers who will need your services in the future.
That's all for today folks, don't forget to subscribe for more updates on all things social media and digital marketing!
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