Content Marketing Strategy in a Box - The Write Idea

Content Marketing Strategy in a Box

Interested in the Content Marketing Strategy in a Box package?

Read on for more information about what the package entails, why you might need it, and what you'll get from a Content Strategy in a Box engagement.

Or, if you're in a hurry, read the "too long; didn't read" version!

  • CONTENT MARKETING STRATEGY IN A BOX
  • TL;DR VERSION

Content marketing strategy services -- sans the spiel

Most companies selling content marketing strategy services typically begin talking about their services by giving you a data-loaded spiel to convince you why you need a content marketing strategy in the first place. In the interest of saving you time (and being different), I'll spare you the looooong list of statistics. If you're curious, and were actually hoping for data here on this page, then get yourself a cuppa and dig in to Hubspot's Ultimate List of Marketing Statistics for 2017. Scroll down a bit to see the Content Marketing statistics section.

I've been working on content with business owners and marketers for the last 15+ years. In that time, I've seen a great deal of content, and a surprising lack of content marketing strategy. That "lack" typically makes itself known by questions and one-off requests like these:

  • Can you create a conference handout for us? Oh--and we need it in two days.
  • We need a nurture sequence for our sales team, linking the emails to our existing content assets [even though they're old and terrible; we have no time to fix them and have to send something...].
  • We need a super-unique ebook. Oh, your sources? Just grab your information from content we've already published. And from the Internet.
  • We just onboarded this new customer. Can you write a success story for us?
  • We need this content to be compelling! [But yeah, we need to leave in those $1, jargon-y words.]
  • We haven't blogged in a few months and need to put something fresh up there. Can you write three or four posts?
  • We want to create an infographic; they're hot these days, right?

Sadly, these hit-and-miss content efforts are all too common because large numbers of business owners and marketers still seem to believe that they're "doing content marketing" by throwing up a few success stories, or blogging once a quarter (or when the muse hits), or creating one-off ebooks or infographics. They've either been blinded by, or are throwing, smoke.

Content strategy -- is it magic, or not?

But you're not those people, right? That's why you're here.

You're here because you get it. You get that creating truly effective content--the RIGHT content that reaches the RIGHT people at the RIGHT time and helps you reach goals--isn't magic. It just takes research. It takes dedicated noodling. It takes planning. It takes content expertise.

And that's exactly what I offer through the Content Strategy in a Box package.

Content Marketing Strategy in a Box: Everything you need to launch the right marketing content to the right people at the right time

The Content Marketing Strategy in a Box package gives you a sound, repeatable, 90-day content marketing strategy for your business. And the whole process, from start to finish, takes at most 45 days.

During the work, I'll help you:

  • See what competitors are saying and how they're saying it through a competitive content audit
  • See what the market is saying and thinking through a broad market analysis
  • Uncover hidden differentiators through a deep look at your content and offerings
  • Know what to say and how to say it with messaging guidance
  • Know which content to send at each stage of the buyer's journey with a repeatable, 90-day content plan

Content Marketing Strategy in a Box: What's included

What you get

The specifics

Launch questionnaire

Shortly after you book the engagement, I'll send you homework: the launch questionnaire, a brief set of questions whose answers will orient me to your business and allow me to conduct preliminary research in preparation for our first phone session.

Session 1 - Orientation and goal-setting call

To kick off the project, you and I will connect to discuss the engagement. I'll have done my preliminary research, which means I'll be prepared to ask about your company, your audience and their journey, and your goals. In this 60-minute call, either by phone, Skype, or Hangouts, I’ll pick your brain in preparation for the work ahead.

Discovery

During discovery, I dive deeply, shining a light on your competitors, differentiation, audience, and company. The work I do during discovery -- a competitive content audit and market analysis -- will inform the content audit to come, and lay the foundation for your content marketing strategy. I'll take notes, jotting down questions, concerns, objections, and thoughts. These notes, in turn, become a discovery questionnaire, which we'll walk through together during our next call.

Session 2 - Discovery call

During the discovery call, which usually lasts about an hour, we'll work through the discovery questionnaire together. The goal of this call is to access the information and insight I need to conduct the upcoming QuickAudit, provide recommendations, and create your 90-day strategy.

QuickAudit

The QuickAudit is a high-level review of your marketing content and any content-related data you have. The goal is to understand what's there, what's not, what's working, what's not, what's good, what's not. I present my findings in a QuickAudit report.

Session 3 - QuickAudit call

The QuickAudit call tends to be one of our shorter phone sessions. We'll discuss my findings, areas where you can improve overall, and how our work together so far will affect the shape of your content marketing strategy.

Strategy

Now, filled to the brim with an understanding of your content, your place in the market, and what you and your audience want, I'll create your content marketing strategy for the next 90 days. The strategy will include both broad strokes and fine lines, stretching from overarching goals and monthly themes to daily actions and tactics. It's the content marketing plan you've always wanted but never had, all designed to help you achieve the goals you set out to begin with. When the next 90-days roll around, simply tweak the strategy based on your environment at the time.

Session 4 - Strategy call

During the final call of our engagement, I'll go over the first strategy with you, answering questions and fine-tuning as needed. You are now ready to go forth and create the right content!

Ideas for new content and new presentation methods from a fresh set of eyes

As I work with your content, I'll invariably have many ideas: for new content, new forms of content, new ways of presenting content, new ways of recycling existing content. Think of me as your content maestro, orchestrating and conducting on your behalf.

Stronger, clearer messages for your brand, products, and services

As I work with your content, I'll also ask many questions that help us get crystal clear on the benefits of what you offer and why people should choose you instead of anyone else. And because I love to share what I learn, I'll naturally share insights and messaging recommendations with you.

Improve more than "words;" improve content readability and usability so people actually want to -- and enjoy -- reading your content

My mad desire is to create readable, enjoyable content that proactively answers reader questions, tackles reader objections, and smooths out whatever rough edges might cause the reader to work harder than she should to consume your content. In my eyes, YOU, the business owner or marketing professional, should do the work to make your content as easy to consume as possible. During our work together, I'll nudge you in the direction of creating that kind of content -- the kind that seamlessly, smoothly, leads readers ever closer to YES.

Is the Content Strategy in a Box package right for you?

Because of the in-depth, personal attention I provide through the Content Strategy in a Box package, spaces are limited. I'm specifically looking for business owners and marketing professionals committed to content excellence and willing to do the work it takes to get there. If you're interested in a seat for next quarter, let's schedule a call; see if the program is a good match for both of us. There's no obligation; the call is simply to identify fit. Please choose a time that works for you on the calendar that follows.

P.S. If you run into problems with the calendar (technology, you know!), please email me so I can get it fixed--and you scheduled.