Would you Gain from Some Content Strategy & Production?

THE KEY POINTS

• There’s an odd reluctance to admit there’s no content plan or that content isn’t “working”
• Powerful content requires vision from an internal leader
• There are numerous gains to be had from getting clarity around content
• No one expects you to be staffed with entertainers and journalists, so there’s no shame in reaching out to some

YOU THINK YOU’RE COMMUNICATING CLEARLY. BUT ARE YOU?

Still haven’t contemplated bringing on a content strategy & production resource? Maybe it’s because you’ve got it totally figured out, you’re firing on all cylinders, everyone knows the plan and messaging, and your content has your audience doing exactly what you want them to do. Or…it could be the fog is so thick around the issue of content you’re just groping around trying to get by another day.

 

Circle the items below to see if your brand has anything to gain from getting clarity around content.

 

• There’s not a company-wide understanding of what is meant by “content”.

 

• There’s no knowledge of who in the organization or which department is in charge of content.

 

• Content is run simultaneously and in different ways in different departments.

 

• There is no C-suite executive who understands the importance of content or is championing it.

 

• Content is placed in the hands of multiple ad-hoc agencies who frankly, are most invested in securing larger engagements.

 

• No one is sure how to get content made.

 

• Nobody seems to know, or care, what kind of content customers and prospects want to get.

 

• Content is not being strategized and made to move the sales (or even retention) needle.

 

• All content being made is safe, sterile, corporate, and compromised to satisfy a cast of executives instead of the customer.

 

• There is no documented content strategy. You’re winging it and hoping to get lucky.

 

• There is no serious budget for content. You still think it should be free and magic.

 

• There is no acceptance that in 2017, content IS communication. So if you’re not dealing in content, you’re failing to communicate externally and internally, with all the chaos that brings.

 

• For some reason, all the truly creative employees you have are deeply frustrated and unhappy.

 

• You don’t think video is a modern-day business mandate. You’re waiting for those YouTube and Facebook Video fads to just go away.

 

• You don’t believe that content can be made cost effectively at scale .

 

• You don’t believe that “less and more effective” is better than “make lots more lame stuff.”

 

• You don’t know WHY you should make content; that there should be a specific mission and purpose behind every asset.

 

• There’s no understanding of how to tell if a content asset is successful or not.

 

• You have a generalized anxiety that your competitors’ content is much better than yours.

 

• Nobody knows who your execs are because they have not put themselves out there via content as leaders in their space.

 

• Staff does not retain or react to a great deal of the internal comms pushed to their inboxes.

 

• The business press isn’t covering you.

 

• You’ve actually been pretty happy with your content efforts, but there’s a next level you’re not quite sure how to get to.

 

• You throw your customers and prospects into FAQ, Knowledge Base hell instead of quickly responding with a content asset(s) that directly addresses what they’re looking for, and in their preferred format.

 

• All you’re doing is listing your features and selling stuff. You’re not crafting or telling your story…which is what humans connect to.

 

• You’ve invested big money in marketing technologies and platforms, but it’s just sitting there collecting dust because you don’t have the content strategy or production to power it. You’ve got the veins but no blood.

 

• Your social media channels are sharing others’ content, because you don’t have much of your own.

 

If you’re seeing circles even when you close your eyes, don’t feel bad. Like any other business function, content creation and emotive storytelling is a specialized craft. Unless you’re staffed with entertainers and journalists (and few brands are), it’s not fair to expect a lot of entertaining and informative output. What you can expect is MORE ad hoc marketing material. So whether it’sus or another qualified content strategy and communications planning consultancy, it’s healthy to at least have the conversation about your current content state of affairs . 

 

In a bad fog, seeing even a little light can be pretty encouraging.