Getting Noticed – How Provocative Are You?

What do you think are the reasons people come to read, listen or watch your content? You would probably agree with me (perhaps not) that the main reasons they show up are because the content is interesting, valuable, intriguing, educational or fun. Yet I would like to suggest that they show up not because you sound just like everyone else but because you uniquely stimulate their thinking, are provocative and often stir things up.

Here are some examples of provocative title or topics for your content creation:

• Instead of: “Are all customers good customers?”
• Provoke with: “Before firing your team, start firing your customers!”

• Instead of: “How to grow your business?”
• Provoke with: “Forget your margins and start with top line growth!

• Instead of: “Differences between Google and Yahoo”
• Provoke with: “Google and Yahoo – Same companies, 3 key differences”

• Instead of: “Best business practices”
• Provoke with: “From failures to victories – The importance of setbacks to success”

• Instead of: “Why you need a web site?”
• Provoke with: “Why the last thing you need is a web site?”

So before posting your next blog post, or creating your new product or even naming your teleseminar series or your upcoming book, are you making people stop and think, are you controversial and provocative?  If not, what’s holding you back?

© Chad Barr 2012. All rights reserved