INTRODUCTION
I'm not much of a mathematician, but here's a handy,
memorable formula that captures the sweet spot of your
quality content. The multiplication signs are important,
because if the value of any one of these things (Utility,
Inspiration, or Empathy) is zero, then the sum of your content
is a big fat zero, too. (Thanks to my friend and marketer Doug
Kessler for the multiplication inspiration.):
Utility × Inspiration × Empathy = Quality Content
This is a good time to mention that quality in the context of
your business doesn't necessarily mean writing with all the
beauty or gravitas or heft of Hemingway or Michael Chabon
or Joan Didion or George R. R. Martin or any other writer
whose work you happen to admire.
Rather, I'm talking about getting to the essence of
what makes those writers (or any writer!) great—whether you
write novels or FAQ pages. And the key to that essence is a
relentless empathy for your reader or audience.
One of the best, quality bits of content I ever
encountered was a neatly designed guide to dishwasher
repair I downloaded from an appliance website, because it
