Turn Your ‘Normal’ into (Gold) Nuggets

We see it all the time; we’re told “what we do here is normal”, “we only manufacture widgets, it’s not interesting” - or words to that effect.

And it’s true, the work you do has become normal. But only to you because you see it every day. The same processes taking place, the same people, the same machine tools and the same products being made.

So when it comes to creating some exciting, thought-provoking and inspiring content for your marketing, you may feel lost with where to start.

When we come into manufacturing businesses, we’re usually seeing what our clients do for the very first time. It’s totally new to us and as we’re shown around, our jaws hit the floor when we see what goes on - the capacity, the knowledge and skills that have been built up over the years.

From that perspective, it’s far easier to find interesting content ideas. The same would be true if you came to shadow us making videos for a day. No doubt you’d find the process interesting and have a load of questions throughout the day.

So how can you see things from this perspective and come up with ideas for your own content? Here are 3 things to ask yourself:

1. What did I find interesting during my first week/month??

Think back to when you first started in your job or industry. No doubt you were shown around and introduced to all the processes taking place. You saw how things were done for the first time, the techniques, tools and methods for creating the products you manufacture. Put yourself back in those shoes and write down everything that comes to mind.

2. Why was I drawn to the work I do?

When you first applied for the job, or decided to start your business, there was a reason. Now, many people get tripped up here, because they think they came to the job out of necessity or simply because they were bored with what they were doing before. But there’s always a reason for your choices. In a recent workshop, someone said this and then explained they were drawn to this particular company because of their great reputation for being a great employer. BAM! There’s some content already - communicating what a great employer your company is. That’s a fantastic and relatable piece of content.

3. What do other people ask you?

When you show people round or talk with friends about what you do, what questions do they have? Which aspects do they find interesting and want to know more about? These questions are gold dust for you because they’re literally telling you what to put in your marketing materials. Think back to what people have asked before and make a note of what they ask you from now on. You’ll soon have a list of video content ideas!

Start your list now - open up a note in your preferred app (or a notepad will work too!) and keep adding to it - give yourself permission to brainstorm EVERYTHING without overthinking it.?

Then simply start working through the list and create content around each subject or question. See what gets the best response and eventually, you may want to create even better content on those popular themes.

You’ll soon have a toolbox full of digital assets to help accelerate your sales and marketing processes.

Hi - I'm Dan Barker — a former aerospace engineer who now runs a video production company for manufacturers. Follow me for posts on how to leverage video in your business.