Anyone who knows me will know that I’m a bit of a Potterhead. Harry Potter came out in 1997, when I was just 6 years old. As an avid bookworm, I had my head in the first book almost as soon as it could get from the book shop shelves and into my eager hands. I grew up with Harry, Ron and Hermione, and even now as an adult, 20 years on, the world of wizardry holds a special place in my heart. And it was while I was re-reading one of these books that it struck me – J.K.Rowling created a schooling system with 4 houses, sorting children based on their most prominent qualities. Those house values are all grounded in reality, and create the framework for a selection of compelling and contrasting characters, each with their own appeal. And for many content marketers, their approach to content will fall into similar categories. So the question is, which House does your content belong to, and which House would you choose to be in?
Gryffindor – The Brave
“You might belong in Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart. Their daring, nerve and chivalry set Gryffindors apart” Let’s start with the ‘star’ house of the series. The three stars of the show all belonged in Gryffindor, thanks to their courage, spirit and bravery in everything they do. No Gryffindor is afraid of a challenge, and will try anything at least once. For the marketing world, that means you need to be willing to try new things. Don’t just stick to the same one or two marketing strategies you always have. Instead, face your fears and delve into the unknown. That could be trying out a new platform, posting new types of content or even hitting the ‘send’ button on an experimental new campaign. Be a beacon for the bold, the bright and the adventure-loving, and they will come to you.
Hufflepuff – The Empathetic
“You might belong in Hufflepuff, where they are just and loyal. Those patient Hufflepuffs are true and unafraid of toil” Hufflepuffs might be the butt of many jokes, but their values are something everyone should aspire to, regardless of if you’re in marketing or not. Hufflepuff house is all about hard work, loyalty and trustworthiness. Which is exactly what you want out of a brand. If you lean towards Hufflepuff, your content marketing will be naturally focussed on honesty, integrity and crafting a genuine connection with your readers. Empathy is an amazing quality, and true Hufflepuff marketers can understand their customer’s pain points and offer real solutions that appeal to their emotions.
Ravenclaw – The Clever
“Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw if you’ve a ready mind. Where those of wit and learning will always find their kind” I’ll put my hand up here, I’m definitely a Ravenclaw girl – academic through and through. To even get into the Ravenclaw common room, students have to answer a complex logic riddle – something like: ‘What came first, the phoenix or the flame?’ The answer of course is that a circle has no beginning. Ravenclaw marketers are all about data, statistics and analytics. To embrace the Ravenclaw, you need to produce content that is well researched, logically sound and compelling. Research your competitors, see what they do, and use that data to do better. Not only that, but you will need a strategy for promoting it and a way to analyse and measure its effectiveness so that you can improve for next time. When you think about it, it’s no wonder that the Ravenclaws of the marketing world nearly all end up being strategists!
Slytherin – The Ambitious
“Or perhaps in Slytherin you’ll make your real friends. Those cunning folks use any means to achieve their ends” And finally, Slytherin. The house in general has gotten a pretty bad rap, mainly due to spawning so many evil witches and wizards, including the infamous Voldemort himself. However, there is nothing about the inherent values of Slytherin house that’s evil. They are cunning and resourceful, with big dreams and a willingness to break the rules to make them happen. While you shouldn’t go breaking any actual laws, good marketers should never be afraid to colour outside the lines when it comes to their content. Try something that’s never been tried before, do that thing you’re ‘never supposed to do’, and never EVER settle for ‘good enough’. Instead, always strive to be better, and inspire your customers to do the same. Of course, as a copywriter, I need to not only understand, but write in all of these styles. After all, it’s my job to help you figure out which house you’re in, and then write fab content for you to reflect that. If you’d like to find out more, then just drop me a line and we can have a chat. If you quote this blog, I’ll even bring you some Harry Potter themes biscuits!