Turning Trivia into Business Blogging Treasure – Part III

Inspired by the wonderful trivia book, The Book of the Bizarre, this week’s Say It For You blog posts are devoted to suggestions on ways to use the “freaky facts and strange stories” author Varla Ventura presents to freshen up blog content writing.

What’s the point of using trivia in business blogs?

• To help explain what problems can be solved using that business' products and services
• For defining basic terminology
• For putting modern-day statistics into perspective
• To spark curiosity about your subject
• To explain why the business owner or practitioner chooses to operate in a certain way

Some favorite examples from the book:

Ventura lists among the “weirdest”, yet still on the books, laws in the world:

• No bees are allowed to fly in Kirkland, Illinois
• Elephants can’t drink beer in Natchez, Mississippi
• Catching sharks is not allowed in Oklahoma
• It is illegal to orally ingest duck dander in nine American states
• Frogs may not croak after 11PM in Memphis, Tennessee

How could bloggers for a law practice use this material to capture interest.  These two attorney sites, each emphasizing the importance of keeping up with all the new laws, could benefit from incorporating those humorous examples.

“We all need to keep up with the new bankruptcy laws in Indiana and with recent judges' decisions in bankruptcy courts around the country."

“Tax lawyers need to keep up with all new developments in both the law and the economy as a whole. This is especially important for a young lawyer, who needs to build expertise. The law is always changing,” explains Chambers Associates.

 The anecdote, I teach new blog content writers, would serve as the “attention grabber”, leading to a discussion of how the advice, services, and products offered by that business or practice help improve the lives of its clients and customers.

Realtor blogs could certainly make good use of Idaho’s “Ghost in the Attic” statute. The provision, enacted in 1998, explains Ventura, states that neither a home’s seller nor the seller’s broker is obligated to disclose that a property may be haunted.

”The whole point of having the blog is to demonstrate to prospective clients that I am knowledgeable, and to build trust — which isn’t easy over the Internet,” says real estate blogger Teresa Boardman.”When I meet with prospective clients, they sometimes quote my blog posts. I know they are paying attention.”

Whether you’re a funeral director, a realtor, or a professional blog content writer, we know at Say It For You, trivia is no trivial matter!