Folks like to hate Steven Singer.
That “hate” is so pervasive that the jewellery retailer’s web site is: IHateStevenSinger.com. The corporate is so dedicated to celebrating “hate” that it does not even personal the StevenSinger.com area.
What’s behind all this “hate” permeating the Philadelphia airwaves and satellite tv for pc? (The corporate says it is the longest-running advertiser on The Howard Stern Present.) It is the story of buyer suggestions (presumably apocryphal) that launched a advertising and marketing marketing campaign that lasted for years.
It is also a narrative in regards to the energy of contrarian considering—a useful reminder for content material entrepreneurs.
@IHSS (I hate Steven Singer) shows the power of contrarian thinking, a useful #ContentMarketing lesson, says @AnnGynn via @CMIContent. click to tweet
The contrarian technique stands out in a gift-driven market
The web site’s Historical past web page relates the origin story: A Steven Singer consumer returned 20 years after buying an engagement ring to buy one other diamond ring for his or her anniversary. Some 9 months later, the couple returned to the jewellery retailer to indicate off their new child. The spouse exclaimed, “I really like Steven Singer,” to which the husband responded, “Right here we go once more. We’re up all evening with feedings and diaper modifications. I HATE Steven Singer.”
(This is the audio rationalization used of their commercials.)
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Steven Singer Jewelers turned that humorous remark right into a standpoint of the model.
A weblog put up known as Why They Hate Steven Singer explains why main jewellery retailers hate Steven Singer:
- Steven Singer Jewelers says it does not low cost as a result of it affords the perfect value up entrance and scoffs at different jewellery shops’ deep reductions
- The unbiased jeweler criticizes the lower-quality diamonds offered by huge field shops, referring to them by their commerce title, “frozen spit.”
- Steven Singer permits prospects to improve firm purchases by giving them a trade-in worth equal to the value they initially paid.
The opposite message continues all through the location. The location lists the enterprise tackle as “the opposite nook of Eighth and Walnut” in Philadelphia. Even the Oops message (proven beneath) continues the theme, stating: “Steven hated this web page… so he moved it. Attempt these as a substitute.
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How one can Design a Contrarian Content material Advertising Method
A opposite or unfavorable method can remodel your content material advertising and marketing technique.
The aim is to make your viewers say, “Wait, what?”
Subverting bored audiences’ expectations with related messages provides them pause and prompts them to determine what you are speaking about.
You’ll be able to apply opposing or unfavorable considering parts to particular person belongings or make it the “voice” of your content material, like Steven Singer does.
A opposite, unfavorable, or opposite-thinking technique is daring: some individuals could not perceive what you might be doing. Simply ensure that your model management does. In any other case, they may cease it virtually as quickly as you put up it.
Listed here are some methods to place that technique into motion (as soon as it is accredited).
A contrary or negative #ContentStrategy is bold. Not everyone will get it. Just make sure your leadership does, says @AnnGynn via @CMIContent click to tweet
Write an surprising clue
Begin small by crafting article introductions utilizing opposing messages. This small step can assist you take a look at whether or not your viewers is receptive to this method.
Do this train internally to verify your staff understands what you need them to do: Give writers an article you’ve got already revealed and ask them to rewrite the headline following the other, unfavorable, or opposite-thinking technique.
Instance:
Quick Firm revealed an article with this introduction:
After almost three years of a world pandemic and months, if not years, of working from house, the primary factor that attracts staff again to their workplaces is the need to easily deal with their work. However on the identical time, workplaces within the US have hit a 15-year low relating to their effectiveness in enabling targeted work.
This worrisome mismatch is without doubt one of the principal conclusions of the 2022 US office survey of the Gensler Analysis Institute, the analysis arm of the worldwide structure and design agency Gensler.
Counter Technique Evaluate:
American staff do not know what they’re speaking about.
That is the revelation from the Gensler Analysis Institute’s 2022 US Office Survey.
Their survey discovered that the preferred cause staff wish to return to the workplace is to deal with their particular person work. Nonetheless, he additionally finds that US workplaces are at their lowest level in 15 years relating to their effectiveness in enabling targeted work.
The unique model focuses on what individuals say they need. The unfavorable technique model exposes the mismatch between what individuals say they need and the truth of workplace environments.
The tone is strikingly unfavorable, and the sentence piques the curiosity of the US viewers to search out out why they is likely to be mistaken.
Delve into thought management content material
You’ll appeal to a bigger viewers in case your thought management shouldn’t be the identical because it all the time is. However that does not imply you need to take an reverse standpoint for those who do not consider it.
The following time you deal with a thought management asset, analysis what has already been written or stated on the subject and the way it’s sometimes phrased. Then ask if their opinion on the subject differs from that of your content material opponents.
In that case, brainstorm the probabilities and select the one most related to your viewers. If not, you’ll be able to nonetheless create one thing totally different by on the lookout for an underdeveloped or unaddressed level or angle on this matter.
When reacting to revealed analysis, most individuals write thought management articles across the first stat or two. To create one thing that goes towards the mainstream (with out taking an opposing view that you do not consider), dig into the outcomes. Discover totally different statistics related to your viewers of curiosity and body your content material round that.
You’ll attract more attention if your approach to thought leadership avoids the same old story, says @AnnGynn via @CMIContent. click to tweet
Instance:
Let’s use the 2022 US Office Survey once more. The Quick Firm article targeted on the office effectiveness graph featured on the report webpage (because the screenshot beneath reveals) .
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Sudden different:
However you’ll be able to dig deeper to discover a special approach.
With most individuals targeted on the primary or most blatant chart, search for one thing much less anticipated buried deeper within the analysis.
The graph on the backside of the report internet web page (as proven within the screenshot beneath) breaks down the “excellent combine” of respondent experiences for a corporation’s office. The chart reveals percentages for eight classes: Clubhouse, Cafeteria, Library, Artistic Lab, Boutique Resort, Residential, Convention Middle, and Company.
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A content material marketer in a related business might create a thought management piece across the workplace experiences staff need.
Suppose past content material creation
Whereas Steven-Singer’s technique is smart for content material creation, it may possibly work for different elements of your content material advertising and marketing program as nicely.
Entrepreneurs typically wish to know the perfect time and day to ship an electronic mail, put up on social media, and so forth. You do a Google search and discover that Tuesday is the perfect day to ship emails. That very same report signifies that the perfect time to ship electronic mail is between 9 am and midday.
In fact, since many others will see that very same window on the checklist as a finest observe, electronic mail inboxes flood between 9am and midday on Tuesdays. Why not ship your emails later within the day or on a distinct day of the week?
Take a look at alternate delivery timing for just a few weeks to see if that opposite-thinking technique works to your viewers. If not, you’ll be able to all the time change again.
Do not forget in regards to the codecs of your content material, both.
CMI’s newest B2B analysis discovered that almost all of entrepreneurs (89%) use articles and posts underneath 1,500 phrases for content material advertising and marketing. Different generally used codecs embrace:
- Movies of any size (75%)
- Case research (67%)
- Digital occasions/webinars/on-line programs (62%)
- Infographics/charts/information visualization/3D fashions (61%)
- Lengthy articles/posts (greater than 1500 phrases)
- eBooks and white papers (59%)
- Face-to-face occasions (49%)
Then again, solely 17% of entrepreneurs use print magazines and books.
That’s an reverse technique alternative. Might you develop a print journal to your viewers? Given how few entrepreneurs do, your content material would stand out.
If print is not possible, contemplate different, less-used sorts comparable to audio content material (utilized by 33% of entrepreneurs), analysis stories (utilized by 30%), or dwell streaming content material (16% ).
TIP: An opposite-thinking technique for content material codecs does not require you to desert the unique format. Search for methods to repurpose content material deliberate for fashionable codecs into less-used ones.
You can apply an opposite-thinking content strategy without rejecting common formats, says @AnnGynn via @CMIContent. click to tweet
Turn into essentially the most ‘hated’ content material marketer
Your content material opponents will proceed to develop within the months, a long time and years to come back. The necessity to stand out and appeal to the eye and curiosity of your viewers by no means goes away.
With that in thoughts, it is smart to undertake a Steven-Singer technique to your content material. And who is aware of? It could possibly be the ticket to the outcomes that everybody likes.
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