Struggling to find a new angle to promote for your business or maybe got a rather dry subject to write about? One of the best ways to bring your article to life is to ask an expert.
Getting an informed opinion can bring credibility to your writing, building trust with your readership. The use of quotes will also liven up the material. And there’s the added bonus that if your expert likes what you’ve written they will share it with their own social networks, getting you more coverage and hopefully back-links to your website.
So who can you ask to bring that pizzazz to your piece?
Seek out experts who will add dimension to your article in ways you couldn’t have managed simply from researching online. They might bring an informed opinion or raise topical issues. They could challenge thinking or provide insights or insider secrets that your readers will relish. Or simply provide a humorous take on the subject.
Experts may be from within your industry, from overseas for a comparison or an alternative market where you can glean best practice. And they don’t have to be an expert in the traditional sense. Here are four examples of experts to approach:
1. The authority figure
This person may have publication credits or credentials backing them up – an academic, a well-known speaker, an author, a politician or a mover and shaker in your industry.
2. The position holder
Someone who holds a job or role relevant to your topic that offers them expertise or informed opinion. For example a CEO or Director, a government official or a business owner.
3. The representative voice
A person who represents a particular segment relevant to the article. A consumer or employee, a membership group, an influencer, a volunteer – someone who works in or knows your market well.
4. The non-expert expert!
While they may not hold a recognised position of authority, they may know the subject well and have a valuable insight to add. They could be a bystander, a user or simply a friend or relative. Their thoughts and contributions can bring different opinions, lively debate and amusing anecdotes.
Contacting your expert
With social media tools such as Linkedin, Twitter and Facebook at our fingertips, as well as the wider internet, it’s pretty easy to identify and contact experts who will complement your article.
Select their best quotes to use in your piece – placing them in the first and the last paragraphs to keep your reader engaged. And make sure you confirm your expert’s name, spelling and title. They won’t thank you for getting that wrong.
And finally, when you publish the article, tweet it, share it and tag them using their quote. Nothing like a bit of ego-massaging to encourage them to spread your message.
If you would like help writing an expert article, ask the copywriting expert, Lesley at Editing Edge today.
