The Mary Poppins Blogging Principle

What’s more important – a good man or a good idea? That’s the question Michael Banks, the father in the Mary Poppins story, faces when deciding to whom his bank should offer a loan.

The same question might be asked when it comes to blog marketing.  What’s going to have the greater likelihood of converting searchers to buyers: writing about the product or service, or writing about the business owners and service providers?

Choosing the man over the idea marked the end of Michael Banks’ banking career and the beginning of a new, happier life for him and his family. Fortunately, creating compelling business blog content can – and should – incorporate both people storytelling and product storytelling.

The Mary Poppins Principle, of course, is that the boring can be magical when approached with the proper frame of mind.  Corbett Barr, writing in thinktraffic.net, appears to agree, encouraging blog writers to “embrace your encouraging side.” There’s plenty of cynicism and negativity in the world, Barr says, and sometimes readers just want to be encouraged.

I recommend including anecdotes about customers, employees, or friends who accomplished things against all odds. That shifts the focus to the people side of your business, highlights the relationship aspects of your practice, plant, or shop.

Share what you’ve learned as a set of rules, Barr advises. “Your readers would love to know the 10,000-foot view of things.” When your content includes not only HOW  your product or service benefits users, but gives insights into the WHY, talking about industry developments and how you feel about those, that’s a way to address both the “good man” and “good idea” elements of what you have to offer.