For most of my life, I’ve been a complete sceptic when it comes to anything paranormal. Anybody who claimed to have seen a ghost was either having a vivid dream or simply making it up.

Then, around a year ago, I watched the first episode of the BBC show Uncanny. It differed from most paranormal investigations I’d seen on TV before because the presenter explored both sides of the story.

I was fascinated by the psychological tricks and environmental conditions that could lead a person to truly believe they’d seen something from the great beyond. In most cases, the logical explanations made sense, but there were some instances that seemingly couldn’t be explained, unless you entertained the idea that ghosts were, in fact, real.

For the record, I don’t believe that spirits are coming back from the dead to haunt us. However, I am fascinated by how these stories take hold and inspire such a strong belief in people, often becoming an important part of our culture.

The “Enfield Haunting” is one such story, and it’s become the most documented paranormal case in UK history. At the time, it made national news and has since been the subject of countless documentaries and dramatisations.

Surprisingly, exploring why the Enfield Haunting caught the imagination of the public in such a strong way could teach you some valuable lessons about creating engaging financial planning content.

Read on to learn more.

Make your content relatable to your audience

When you think of a haunted building, you likely picture a Victorian manor house or an ancient castle. The stories typically involve big characters from history, with dark secrets and traumatic deaths.

Yet, the Enfield Haunting was different. It took place in a council house in London between 1977 and 1979. Peggy Hodgson reported that her two daughters had experienced a strange knocking noise and seen objects moving around the house.

The story caught public attention because it was relatable. If this could happen to a normal family in London, then it could happen to any of us.

It’s worth considering this when creating financial planning content. Instead of jumping into the intricacies of pension tax rules or complicated analysis of global markets, start with problems that are relatable to your audience.

For instance, your clients might worry about whether they will be able to afford to live their dream lifestyle in retirement. Alternatively, they may be concerned about the legacy they can leave to loved ones.

You may find it easier to initially engage clients if your content begins with a narrative surrounding relatable circumstances, linking later to the financial aspects of these topics.

Speak from a place of authority

11-year-old Janet Hodgson was at the centre of the Enfield Haunting, making the most alarming claims about poltergeist activity in the house.

Naturally, many people initially dismissed her story. After all, young children have vivid imaginations and perhaps it was a game that got out of hand.

However, the story took on a life of its own when police constable Carolyn Heeps entered the house. According to the BBC, she reported seeing a chair move on its own. She said:

“It came off the floor, maybe a half-inch I should say, and I saw it slide off to the right about three-and-a-half to four feet before it came to rest.”

This testimony from a police officer – a person of authority who didn’t previously believe in the paranormal – gave more credence to the story.

Speaking from a place of authority is equally important in your financial planning content.

A vague statement about how increasing pension contributions could improve your quality of life in retirement may be received in the same way as Janet Hodgson’s testimony.

Yet, if you provide clear examples, demonstrating numerically how a 1% increase in contributions could affect the size of a client’s retirement pot, your words might carry the same authority as police constable Carolyn Heeps.

That’s why it’s important to substantiate your arguments with research and detailed examples to clearly demonstrate the value of financial planning.

Invite your audience to learn more

The most contentious piece of evidence in the Enfield Haunting case was a photograph, taken by Daily Mirror journalist Graham Morris.

If you search “the Enfield Haunting” on Google, the first image is a photograph that appears to show Janet Hodgson levitating in the air in the centre of her bedroom.

Believers point to this image as solid evidence that the poltergeist possessed Janet and threw her into the air. Sceptics, on the other hand, claim that she simply jumped, and the camera caught her at the right time.

Either way, this photograph remains one of the biggest unanswered questions in the case and, most importantly, inspires those on both sides of the argument to explore further.

The arresting image is one of the reasons I’ve watched countless documentaries about the Enfield Haunting and will continue to pore over any new details that come out in future investigations.

Your content needs to inspire the same feeling in your audience and encourage them to contact you, so they can learn more about the benefits of good financial planning. You can achieve this with a clear call to action at the end of your articles.

And the key difference between the Enfield Haunting and your financial planning firm – you can provide the answers your clients are looking for.

Get in touch

If you’re haunted by the prospect of creating engaging content for your clients, we can help.

Email hi@theyardstickagency.co.uk or call 0115 8965 300 to learn more.