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 the “hate” that it doesn’t even personal the area StevenSinger.com.
What’s behind all that “hate” pervading Philadelphia radio and satellite tv for pc airwaves? (The corporate says it’s the longest-running advertiser on The Howard Stern Present.) It’s the story of buyer suggestions (probably apocryphal) that launched a advertising and marketing marketing campaign that’s lasted for years.
It’s additionally a narrative concerning the energy of contrarian considering – a useful reminder for content material entrepreneurs.
@IHSS (I Hate Steven Singer) exhibits the ability of contrarian considering, a helpful #ContentMarketing lesson, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. Click on To Tweet
Contrarian technique stands out in a gift-driven market
The web site’s Historical past web page recounts the origin story: A Steven Singer buyer returned 20 years after shopping for an engagement ring to purchase one other diamond ring for his or her anniversary. About 9 months later, the couple returned to the jewellery retailer to indicate off their new child. The spouse exclaimed, “I like Steven Singer,” to which the husband responded, “Right here we go once more. We’re up all night time with feedings and diaper modifications. I HATE Steven Singer.”
(Right here’s the audio rationalization used of their commercials.)
Steven Singer Jewelers turned that humorous remark right into a model perspective.
A weblog put up referred to as Why Hate Steven Singer explains recounts why large retailer jewelers hate Steven Singer:
- Steven Singer Jewelers says it doesn’t low cost as a result of it gives the most effective worth from the start and mocks different jewelers’ large low cost gross sales
- The impartial jeweler criticizes the lower-quality diamonds offered by the massive shops, referring to them by their business title, “frozen spit.”
- Steven Singer lets prospects improve purchases from the corporate by giving them a trade-in worth equal to the value they initially paid.
The contrarian messaging continues all through the location. The location checklist the enterprise tackle as “the opposite nook of Eighth and Walnut” in Philadelphia. Even the Oops message (proven beneath) continues the theme, declaring, “Steven hated this web page … so he moved it. Strive these as a substitute.”
The best way to craft a contrarian content material advertising and marketing method
A contrarian or unfavorable method can remodel your content material advertising and marketing technique.
The purpose is to get your viewers to say, “Wait, what?!”
Subverting the expectations of audiences dulled to related messaging offers them pause – and entices them to decipher what you’re speaking about.
You’ll be able to apply components of reverse or unfavorable considering to particular person property or make it the “voice” of your content material, as Steven Singer does.
A contrarian, unfavorable, or opposite-thinking technique is daring –some folks might not perceive what you’re doing. Simply make certain your model’s management does. In any other case, they’ll cease it virtually as quickly as you publish it.
Listed here are a couple of methods to place that technique into motion (as soon as it’s accepted).
A contrarian or unfavorable #ContentStrategy is daring. Not everybody will get it. Simply make certain your management does, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent Click on To Tweet
Write an sudden lead
Begin small by crafting introductions to articles utilizing reverse messaging. This small step may help you check whether or not your viewers is receptive to this method.
Do that train internally to make sure your crew understands what you need them to do: Give the writers an article you already revealed and ask them to rewrite the lead following the contrarian, unfavorable, or opposite-thinking technique.
Instance:
Quick Firm revealed an article with this intro:
After practically three years of a worldwide pandemic and months, if not years, of working from residence, the primary factor drawing staff again to their places of work is the need to easily give attention to their work. However on the identical time, places of work within the U.S. have hit a 15-year low on the subject of how efficient they’re for enabling targeted work.
This troubling mismatch is without doubt one of the high takeaways from the 2022 U.S. Office Survey from the Gensler Analysis Institute, the analysis arm of the worldwide structure and design agency Gensler.
Contrarian-strategy revision:
U.S. staff don’t know what they’re speaking about.
That’s the revelation from the 2022 U.S. Office Survey from the Gensler Analysis Institute.
Its survey discovered the preferred purpose for staff desirous to return to the workplace is to give attention to their particular person work. But, it additionally finds U.S. places of work are at a 15-year low in how efficient they’re for enabling targeted work.
The unique model focuses on what folks say they need. The negative-strategy model exposes the mismatch between what folks say they need and the fact of workplace environments.
The tone is eye-catchingly unfavorable, and the sentence makes a U.S.-based viewers curious to find why they might be improper.
Dig deeper for thought management content material
You’ll entice a much bigger viewers in case your thought management isn’t the identical outdated usual. However that doesn’t imply it is best to take an opposing view for those who don’t imagine it.
The following time you sort out a thought management asset, analysis what’s already written or mentioned concerning the subject and the way it’s sometimes expressed. Then, ask in case your view on the subject differs out of your content material rivals’.
If that’s the case, brainstorm the probabilities and choose the one most related to your viewers. If not, you’ll be able to nonetheless create one thing completely different by searching for an underdeveloped or unaddressed level or angle on this subject.
When reacting to revealed analysis, most individuals write thought management items across the first statistic or two. To create one thing that bucks the mainstream (with out taking an reverse view you don’t imagine), go deeper into the outcomes. Discover completely different stats related to your curiosity viewers and body your content material round that.
You’ll entice extra consideration in case your method to thought management avoids the same-old story, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. Click on To Tweet
Instance:
Let’s use the 2022 U.S. Office Survey once more. The Quick Firm article targeted on the office effectiveness chart offered on the webpage for the report (because the screenshot beneath exhibits).
Surprising different:
However you’ll be able to dig deeper into the analysis to discover a recent angle.
With most individuals targeted on the primary or most evident chart, search for one thing much less anticipated buried deeper within the analysis.
The chart on the backside of the report internet web page (as proven within the screenshot beneath) seems to be on the respondents’ “supreme combine” of experiences for an organization office. The chart exhibits the odds for eight classes: clubhouse, espresso store, library, artistic lab, boutique resort, residential, convention heart, and company.
A content material marketer in a related business may craft a thought management piece across the workplace experiences staff need.
Suppose past content material creation
Whereas the Steven-Singer technique is sensible for content material creation, it can also work for different parts of your content material advertising and marketing program.
Entrepreneurs typically need to know the most effective time and day to ship an e-mail, put up to social, and so on. You do a Google search and discover Tuesdays are the most effective day to ship emails. That very same report signifies that the most effective time to ship e-mail is between 9 a.m. and midday.
In fact, since so many others will see that very same window listed as a greatest observe, e-mail inboxes get flooded between 9 a.m. on midday on Tuesdays. Why not ship your emails later within the day or on a distinct day of the week?
Take a look at the alternate ship time for a couple of weeks to see if that opposite-thinking technique works to your viewers. If not, you’ll be able to at all times change again.
Don’t overlook about your content material codecs, both.
CMI’s most up-to-date B2B analysis discovered that almost all entrepreneurs (89%) use articles and posts of lower than 1,500 phrases for content material advertising and marketing. Different generally used codecs embody:
- 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 1,500 phrases)
- E-books and white papers (59%)
- In-person occasions (49%)
Alternatively, solely 17% of entrepreneurs use print magazines and books.
That’s an opposite-strategy alternative. May you develop a print journal to your viewers? Given how few entrepreneurs do, your content material would stand out.
If print isn’t possible, take into consideration different lesser-used sorts, comparable to audio content material (utilized by 33% of entrepreneurs), analysis stories (utilized by 30%), or livestreaming content material (16%).
TIP: An opposite-thinking technique for content material codecs doesn’t require you to desert the unique format. Search for methods to repurpose content material deliberate for fashionable codecs into less-used ones.
You’ll be able to apply an opposite-thinking content material technique with out rejecting widespread codecs, says @AnnGynn by way of @CMIContent. Click on To Tweet
Grow to be probably the most ‘hated’ content material advertising and marketing
Your content material rivals will solely proceed to develop within the months, many years, and years to come back. The necessity to stand out and entice consideration and curiosity out of your viewers by no means goes away.
With that in thoughts, adopting a Steven-Singer technique to your content material is sensible. And who is aware of? It would simply be the ticket to outcomes that everyone likes.
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Cowl picture by Joseph Kalinowski/Content material Advertising and marketing Institute
