It’s British Science Week starting on March 9th, an incredible opportunity for innovative content. The purple cow of content.
No, really.
I get it, yours is not a technical product or service. You don’t think of yourself as a science based business. But most businesses are at some level.
Baking. Brewing. Distilling. Glass making. Perfumery.
All based in science. And it’s fascinating stuff. Your fans, your tribe could really enjoy the story of how your product comes to life.
But how?
Experience it
Years ago I went to a lecture on the science of Christmas dinner with Peter Barham. I think it’s so long ago that Heston Blumenthal hadn’t yet discovered him. It was three hours of entertainment rooted in science. And we got a delicious dinner at the end.
Could you invite customers in to see your product being made? Could you do something special? I think Burleigh’s Gin did this very cleverly when they built a gin school alongside their distillery. That’s an experience, and I’ve never had the science of distilling, or a number of EU directives, explained in so much detail or made to sound so fascinating.
Make videos
Slow motion. Stop frame. Double speed. What makes your product process look the most exciting?
I was thinking of bread rising, or cakes cooking. If you’re a cake decorator then a speeded up version of a spectacular cake being put together could really stand out.
You can make it serious, you can make a spoof. Or you can make a mini documentary. Which do you think your customers will respond to best?
Take great photos
Share photos of the process if you’re not keen on, or great at, making videos. If it’s not the process, then what about the raw materials or the ingredients? Break it down into the building blocks (science is surely based on building blocks) and show the build up of the product.
Tell great stories
Write the story of your product process. You can intersperse it with your photos or your video. This is definitely where you’ll repurpose content across different channels. So your photos start out on Instagram, and then illustrate your blog post and Facebook posts. You could also write about the pioneers in your industry or field and what advances you’re grateful to them for.
Say why you find what you do fascinating
What got you into what you do? Which step do you love the most? Be human, tell your own story. People are fascinated by other people’s business stories, from the startup to the trials and tribulations. Tell your story in your own way. Make them laugh, make them cry, make them stop and think.
So, what’s with the purple cow?
If you’ve never read Seth Godin’s book Purple Cow, then I highly recommend it. Simply put, it’s about being remarkable, about standing out.
Now, you might think British Science Week doesn’t have much to do with a food business, or a drink business, or a coffee shop. But then maybe most other brands in your sector think the same, so your content could be the purple cow. Done right, that gets people talking about what you’re up to.
So, show everyone just what science has ever done for you. I think you have a real chance to do something a little bit unexpected if you’re not in a traditional “science” industry. What do you think? What’s science got to do with your business? What purple cow will you create?
