It’s back-to-school season, and each year I’m reminded of just how much I love the crisp feeling of possibility that hangs in the air at this time.
The idea of a fresh start is synonymous with the first day of school – for students, parents, and teachers alike. But the late summer/early fall is also an ideal time to review and refresh your thought-leadership program.
Most B2B companies begin strategic planning in the late fall for the coming year. By getting a jump start on the process now, content marketing teams will be better equipped to weigh in on corporate strategy.
With a tip of the hat to some of our favorite teachers, let’s look at five ways you can reinvigorate your thought-leadership program.
1. Conduct an audit.
Evaluations are just as crucial for content strategists as they are for educators. All too often, we’ll draft a thought-leadership plan and jump into its execution. Most content teams move from one project to the next without barely taking a breath. With so many demands on us, there never seems to be enough time to stop and do more than a cursory check of results.
Yet measuring results is incredibly important. Back-to-school is a good time to audit all content and thought-leadership activities. Be sure to:
- Look at the number and mix of content types you’ve created.
- Evaluate quality – both of content and your spokespeople.
- Analyze results – identify what’s gained traction and what hasn’t.
- Identify gaps – are there opportunities you’re missing?
An audit provides concrete insights into the current state of your thought-leadership program – and provides smart guidance for your refresh.
2. Secure essential supplies.
Hands down, this was always one of our most favorite parts of back-to-school season. My kids and I would hit the aisles at Staples, looking for the right notebooks, pencils, and calculators (the fancy kind!). And, of course, we couldn’t forget the all-important Trapper Keeper®.
Your thought-leadership program may not require a fully stuffed backpack, but it does need some essential tech and services. Project management software will ensure you manage workflows and workloads – and stick to deadlines. When you take a position on a topic, you’ll need proof points. Subscriptions to research reports and trusted media are the right resources to have on hand. A content marketing agency can help you meet your production goals.
I’ve relied on tech for so much of my writing career, it’s hard for me to imagine any draft without it. Microsoft Word, Visual Thesaurus, spell and grammar checkers – the internet! – are all table stakes today. Yet, over the last couple of years, another innovation has made its way into my toolbox: generative AI. If you’re not yet using it, it’s time to experiment.
3. Refresh your plan.
No teacher goes into the school year without a clear idea of what they want students to learn and how they’ll communicate lessons. Content marketers are no different. We need the right messages delivered in the right formats and channels.
You may have started the year with a well-constructed strategy that aligns to your organizational goals. But if your plan to execute it isn’t delivering, it’s time for some changes.
Why don’t thought-leadership plans quite live up to expectations? Often, it’s lack of resources to execute on every part of your plan. Change is a regular factor too. Organizations shift strategies midstream constantly. People come and go for all kinds of reasons, from reorgs to resignations. Markets are dynamic. Tech is always evolving.
A fresh look at your plan will help you see how these forces have impacted it – and what adjustments you need to make. Revise it to fit the moment.
4. Revisit your messaging and buyer personas.
Since we’re getting a fresh start on things, now is also a good time to take a close look at your messaging and buyer personas.
Are they out of date?
Content is most effective if it has an emotional hook. If your personas don’t reflect your buyer’s current reality, your thought-leadership program probably isn’t making the impression you’d like. Buyer pain points are the foundation for effective messaging. Show how your solution solves your buyer’s problems, and you’ll find interest in your products and solutions will soar.
It also makes sense to tackle an update of buyer personas and messaging in the late summer. When your organization begins its planning cycle, you’ll be ready with the data and insights to advise and inform next year’s strategy.
5. Get inspired and creative.
Educators don’t get nearly enough credit for their creativity. It’s a lot of work to keep students engaged and school spirit high. Teachers and administrators build activities around themes, hold spirit days (dress like a superhero!), or invent games and challenges.
In content marketing, we take it for granted that creativity is a skill we bring to the table. But let’s face it: Inspiration is sometimes hard to come by.
Sometimes, we’re tired of looking in the usual places.
I’ve always found a scene in the 1988 movie “Working Girl” to be very relatable. The main character (Melanie Griffith) reads widely – far beyond the business and trade journals. She reads the city newspaper and music trades. It’s in one of these publications that she finds a story that inspires her to propose a merger of a radio network and a TV network.
When it comes to thought leadership, it pays to look for inspiration in places you might not expect.
Review, Learn, Refresh.
I always look forward to the back-to-school season. There’s so much to learn and experience. With these thought-leadership planning ideas, you can transform that crisp feeling of possibility into reality – and get an A+ in content engagement.
