If last night’s penultimate episode of Breaking Bad did anything, it left viewers on the edge of their seats, wondering just what’s next for Walter White and the remaining characters. Will Jesse Pinkman make it out alive? Will there be a final shootout? Will cancer drop Walter before he does… whatever he’s planning to do? And will Baby Holly ever live a normal, non-PTSD life?
B2B technology is certainly no high school chemistry teacher turned meth kingpin, but with the right content marketing, it can be just as exciting. (Well, maybe not “stomach dropping into your toes during the Baby Holly scene” exciting, but still “edge of your seat, can’t live without it” exciting.) Here are the content marketing lessons from last night’s episode of Breaking Bad:
- Have consistent characters. From Todd Welker’s unwavering politeness while conversing with Lydia and threatening Skylar to Flynn’s outrage at his father’s actions, Breaking Bad‘s characters have never done anything out of character. Not once did I think, “This is not something Saul Goodman would do.” Your content marketing should take the same path: a consistent message, whether it’s being able to shave 25 percent off testing times or increase profits or be the easiest to use interface around. Think of your product as a character and assign attributes to it. Now, what would your Marie Schraeder do?
- Don’t give up too much, too soon. One reason why viewers tune in to Breaking Bad is because the episodes always leave you wanting more, such as a recent episode ending in a gun fight between Walt’s merry band of neo-Nazis and DEA agents Hank Schraeder and Steve Gomez. Blazing AKs may not work in B2B technology, but teasing your readers can. While you’re creating content, think of the biggest problems they’re facing: reduced IT staff, shrinking budgets, demanding internal customers. How can you solve those problems – and get your readers excited enough to call you for help?
- Don’t forget your sense of humor. Last night’s episode was jam-packed with tension, no doubt about it. But Breaking Bad, even last night, has never forgotten its sense of humor: last night, it was Jesse’s characteristic “b*tch” as he struggled with a latch. I don’t recommend calling your readers that, but your content can and should have a little bit of subtle humor, whether it’s describing the trends in your clients’ industry or a quote from a satisfied customer.
Like a good TV show, your content should draw in readers and make them want to take action: read more, sign up for a demo, or start talking to your sales managers. Contact me today to find out