Letter #32: 5 marketing lessons from Dr. Strange
Humor, emotions, and vulnerability go a long way.
HELLOO with a double O!
Do you hear the energy in my voice? It comes from going to the cinema after eons.
And it made me re-realize: movies are such a great way to disconnect and jump from your story into someone else’s. At least for a few hours.
Dr. Strange in the Multiverse of Madness started at 4:30 in the afternoon and ended at 6:30. Guess how many times I checked my phone during those hours? Zero! 💪
Anyhoo, let’s talk about what Dr. Strange has got to teach us about content marketing. Because that’s what marketers do, right?
Lezz go:
1. Build a content library — put together using internal links
All stories in the Marvel universe are connected. Dr. Strange, for example, was linked to WandaVision and What If.
It also brought in characters from other stories. But I’m going to zip it right there, so I don’t spoil anything for you (in case you’re a fan).
When creating your content strategy, make sure all pieces are linked to each other. Not only does this help with SEO but it also encourages readers to dive deeper into the topic they’re reading + learn more on related topics.
Example: An advanced readers guide on top of a basic guide.
2. Blend different content formats to offer an excellent experience
Most Marvel movies swing between Thriller, Action, Science Fiction, and Fantasy genres. This one brought in a bit of horror too.
Take this as your cue to bring together different formats on your blog.
Example: share quotes from the experts you interview on your podcast and embed an explainer video outlining the steps to take.
The goal? Offering a rich content experience to double, even triple the value you offer.
3. Cut the fluff
Get rid of redundancy and anything that’s even a tad bit useless.
Why? Because it helps respect your readers’ time. The same way Dr. Strange did. It moved fast. Blink and you’d miss something important.
And the best way to create fast-paced written content is to get rid of the fluff.
It’s only then that you can create easy-to-digest pieces that readers finish and look back to say, “wait that was 1500 words?”
4. Tug at those emotions
Everything in Dr. Strange was centered around emotions — happiness, loneliness, love, longing, deprivation — you name it.
The takeaway: talk about the struggle.
Tell people you’ve been through the same emotions. Maybe checking off items on your to-do list has left you feeling stressed lately? Tell ‘em.
Your readers are humans. The best way to connect with them is emotionally.
5. A bit of vulnerability and humor go a long way
Every now and then, the movie featured humorous dialogue and vulnerable moments (not sharing them, no no!).
Use both in your content marketing.
For example, don’t just talk about your wins. Instead, talk about mistakes you’ve made before you struck gold, stupid myths you believed in, your failures, and so on.
As for humor, that one can be hard.
But a simple way to add personality to your content is by breaking the fourth wall. That is: speak out your thoughts in brackets.
Aaand that’s a wrap.
Watched Dr. Strange? Hit me up, I’d love to discuss!
So long amigos,
Masooma