How to: get started with your content plan
Thinking about what content will help you sell? By getting to know you – your ambitions, your culture, your set up, your customers – I can design and put into action a content marketing programme that will make an impact where you need it.
Step 1: Pinpoint your story
I identify and develop the story you have to tell – something really compelling to talk about. It’s what makes you different and which appeals to your customers. Spoiler alert: it’s not enough to say that your people and experience make you special.
Inputs
To garner insights on you, I:
- Meet with people at all levels of your organisation
- Carry out customer / client / prospect interviews
Competitor messaging research
Agency-wide creative brainstorm
Outputs
Collate findings
Draft story / messaging
Test and adapt story with senior team / customers
Final story / messaging
Step 2: Assess your assets
I look into what you’re already doing and find out how your business works so I can recommend what content you need and how we can deliver it together.
Inputs
Run practical workshops with the people involved in marketing and sales*
Analyse your existing marketing and results
* whatever ‘sales’ could look like for your organisation – it could for instance be donations, applications, customer satisfaction…
Outputs
Identify where in the process marketing support is missing, or missing the mark
Short-term and long-term marketing plan designed to build your story
Step 3: Communicate your story
I get the strategy down and immediately make it practical. I can carry out one-off pieces of work or build ongoing programmes, for instance:
- Write a narrative / content architecture for the year
- Rewrite your website copy to be more relevant to your key audiences
- Write a piece of bite-sized content that can be easily shared with customers and provoke sales interest
- Write weekly blogs to improve SEO and ensure customers have the content they need
- Develop regular campaigns to build brand awareness – everything from developing the concept to writing copy for a white paper, email marketing and social media
If that sounds complex, I’ll make sure it doesn’t feel it.
To work out the best approach, at the start of each programme, I ask a set of tried-and-tested questions about your business. At the very least, they may help you think about one aspect of your content in a new way. Set up a seriously non-salesy face-to-face discussion based on these questions:
- Email askmetheqs@lightningbug.co.uk
- Call on 01273 843322
- Or fill in the contact form here