Showing You Know a Thing or Two

Indiana blog content writers can take a big tip from Farmers Insurance’s new “We Know From Experience” ad campaign. The new TV spots and interactive website use humor to get across to consumers that Farmers has the knowhow that comes from long and unique experience. “Through this new campaign,” explains Mike Linton, CMO for the insurance company, “we hope consumers realize that we know a thing or two…”

Business owners and professional practitioners (and the professional copywriters who work on their behalf) are striving for the same effect sought by Farmers’ agency of record – positioning the company as having “consumer-centric knowledge and insurance smarts”.

As a freelance copywriter, I couldn’t help thinking that if the power of story is to be directed towards the marketing strategy and tactics development of any business, there’s nowhere better than in corporate blog writing. Blog posts have the power of harnessing the emotional power of story in order to positioning the business owners as “knowing a thing or two” in their fields.

When Speaker Magazine posed the question, “Why do audiences want more stories, regardless of the topic, in the presentations they attend?”  Robert McKee was ready with the answer: “Story fits the mind.  It is how the mind absorbs, sorts, and structures reality.”

The Farmers TV ads use that very principle to make potential customers comfortable with getting on board.   They’ve seen it all, and have handled it all – and have covered it all, including the bear breaking into a customer’s vacation home and the deer getting stuck in a customer’s swimming pool.

Success stories and client testimonials play an important part in any blogging-for-business strategy. Webcopyplus.com explains that testimonials help your business in two ways. Customer success stories and client testimonials boost your credibility with new prospects, helping them decide to do business with you. But website testimonials “also foster commitment from those providing the testimonials.”

Business blogs, I’m fond of saying in corporate blogging training classes, are nothing more than extended interviews.  Just as in a face-to-face job interview, searchers who read your blog evaluate the content, judging whether you’re a good fit for them. And those visitors, I’m convinced, are “testing” your company or practice for the same ideal qualities job interviewers are interested in: Can you (the “candidate” in this scenario) quickly and effectively solve challenging problems?

Show them you know a thing or two because you’ve seen a thing or two!