How to Make a Boring Industry Sexy and Appealing A "boring" company with a purposeful and consistent personality will bring about a positive emotional response from its target audience.
By Ron Sheth Edited by Micah Zimmerman
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
Some industries are tougher to market than others. Industries like hospitality, real estate, development, construction and the list continues. If you find yourself at the helm of a business in any of these fields —don't fret — because you're in good company. You just need to think more outside the box regarding digital marketing strategy.
The label of a "boring" company is subjective and doesn't mean one iota that your business is that or unmarketable. It means that a cookie-cutter action plan won't work for you, and that's perfectly okay. Taking a "dull" or, dare to say, "unsexy" enterprise to the masses (or at the very least your target audience) means that creativity and looking at what you do with fresh eyes is going to be the thing that gets you noticed. When you look like everyone else, there's no way to stand out from the crowd.
Related: 10 Marketing Strategies to Fuel Your Business Growth
Introduce yourself
The best way to start the conversation is to introduce yourself. Have you ever met someone who starts telling you about their work yet somehow missed that vital step of telling you who they are or the backstory about how they got started? Even when communicating with your target audience, they still want and need to get to know you. How else will you build trust and show expertise in your field?
Humanized marketing focuses on the personal side of the consumer-business relationship, and it's essential in the age of automation and artificial intelligence. All businesses have brand personality, or a set of human characteristics that shape how people feel about their mission, services or products. It pays to take the time to figure these out or revisit what you already know before tackling any future marketing campaigns.
A "boring" company with a purposeful and consistent personality will bring about a positive emotional response from its target audience. When an audience can get to know these companies, they start to see how they differ from similar companies in the area. This makes your company more likely to be chosen to work with when the time comes to use your services or products.
Not everyone will like your content
All businesses want to create content that appeals to a broader audience. It's how they continue to build and attract attention beyond their usual customer base. While "boring" businesses might want to try all the latest marketing trends and be on popular platforms, they still need to create content that matches their company's personality, targets the base they can best serve, and do it in a way that feels authentic. While that sounds like a lot, consider the opposite: pursuing anyone and everyone in a marketing free-for-all that leaves you overwhelmed with tough-to-carry-out content ideas and very little return on time investment.
Many businesses underestimate how interesting they are, so ditch the worries about the content being too humdrum to make an impact. A veterinary clinic might have more cute and furry faces to include in its marketing. Still, "boring" industries have many opportunities for eye-catching visuals and community connections. Get nerdy about your work, aim to educate people who might be curious, and use photos and videos. Need help doing it? Hire a digital marketer who understands your field and is well-versed in what works. Try the trendy stuff when it fits into your overall strategy. Let your company show off its expertise, and that weekly blog post or clever TikTok or Instagram Reels series might be what makes it all come together.
Related: 6 Content Marketing Tips for Non-Sexy Industries
Become an expert
Businesses in the quieter industries might be concerned that they're giving away too many details in their marketing. Sharing a day in the life of a real estate agent or common mistakes a contractor fixes when re-tiling a bathroom won't necessarily inspire competition or make someone drive to a big box store in search of their next DIY project. Instead, it will provide value and position your business as one that helps earn trust and establish you as an expert.
The competition is still going to do business. Focusing too much on others, the digital marketing content they're putting out and their follower counts only leads to losing focus on the goals of your business. Growing an audience takes time, and a dedicated following who knows and understands what you do will ultimately convert to revenue. Ask what people want to learn more about, focus your content on serving their needs and help people understand how a job in your industry gets done. Chances are there's an audience for you who will appreciate it and turn to your business when they need support.
Your industry knowledge might seem mundane to you, but it's exclusive insider information for an audience of potential customers. When your digital marketing content has a purpose, someone is bound to find it interesting. Think of all the times you've interacted with marketing focused on sales pitches and lead generation. People are likelier to stick around when a business offers way more than concern over its bottom line.
Know what you need
No matter the industry, an effective digital marketing strategy comes down to finding balance. It is not difficult to underestimate the time needed to plan social media posts, create newsletter content and engage with the community a business owner hopes to build. They are there to help business owners focus on what they do best to get where they want to go. Remember, there are marketing professionals who work with companies in industries that need a little more sparkle and shine to stand out. They will help your business share your skills and successes, so it can attract the attention it deserves.
Related: Your Business Can Be Boring But Your Marketing Can't
