As content and thought leadership continues to play a greater role in engaging with our chosen audiences, here are my thoughts on some of the risks to mitigate.
Gluttony
The overindulgence of talking about everything.
It might be a fascinating topic. It could be what everyone is talking about. You feel pressured that your organisation should have a public opinion.
Do you offer any product and/or solution in that area and/or does the subject need addressing to inspire confidence in your clients and staff? As we look to differentiate and position ourselves through content, there is a danger that we can lose focus. If an article, in short or long form has no relevant connection in what you do or what you can offer, irrespective of how interesting it might be, why are you spending time on it?
Greed
A rapacious desire and pursuit by others to be in the spotlight.
A plethora of articles published in trade publications have not been penned by the individual its attributed to. Nine out of ten times that is acceptable given the need to promote the expertise of client facing individuals. While the subject matter expert will turn towards marketing for our expertise, they will proactively share their insight, help review and comment on the drafts, assist in finessing the final piece. Then there is a minority who are not proactive for one reason or other but unfortunately expect to have their name in in the public spotlight.
Set the expectations with all stakeholders from the start. Their input will be required. Even if you think you have a strong grasp on the subject, it's always best to seek second, if not third opinions. If the article is not appearing in the media, do you need an author attributed? A brand is much bigger and important than any individual looking to be in the spotlight.
Sloth
An absence of interest or habitual disinclination to exertion on a boring topic.
Let's be honest, drafting technical pieces or subjects that do not interest us can sometimes be excruciatingly painful. It is irresponsible to not strive in producing content better than Shakespeare could have done. Otherwise it borders on disrespect to your audience and yourself, and can dent brand reputation.
If it is that boring, gain validation your chosen subject will not provoke the same negative opinion with your clients. If it does, choose something else. Think about re-purposing and refreshing previous successful pieces to fill the gap.
Wrath
An uncontrolled feeling of anger, rage, and even hatred towards that critic.
After hours of researching, drafting, and finessing, the critic strikes. They broadcast that they do not believe the article to be as good as it could be – usually a few hours before deadline. There is no constructive advice or ideas, just a condescending suggestion that it needs more detail or it is off the mark.
Always stay professional and most of all calm. Ask the critic for some specific detail, ask if they could spend some time to help. If he or she remains obscure in their detail, Gather a consensus from other people to understand whether the issue lies with work or with the individual.
Lust
An intense desire to interact with everyone.
Casting as wide a net as possible in attracting as many followers and dramatically increasing click through rates and impressions is tempting but to what end?
Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in justifying the success of the content program using statistics and metrics, that our purpose in nurturing the right relationships is moved aside. Always remain focused on the right audience.
Large numbers on a metrics report will look good unless a little scratching on the surface reveals the sinful data that most of your readers are not prospects, clients or influencers.
Envy
A resentful covetousness towards the traits of your competitor
There is one constant in financial services marketing. If you are talking about something, so too will your competitors. At times - hopefully, their content will be better.
Learn from this rather than resenting it. Review their work in detail to gain a better understanding of what led them down the path they chose. Be honest with yourself that their version was superior but strive to make your next piece better.
Do not resent your competition for trying to be the best they can be. Competition is healthy for the industry and your clients. It also keep you on your toes to keep trying.
Pride
The mother of all sins if you’re not careful.
We all want to be proud of our accomplishments, but too much of it is not healthy and could result in a loss of focus.
Writing articles, especially the long form kind, is hard work. If like me, writing is only part of your daily role but is time consuming. It is though usually a team effort over weeks and months gathering research, translating the data, reviewing and editing drafts, formatting artwork, the numerous dialogues with compliance and legal, and so on. It gets published, the pride begins to swell.
Was it promoted with the same amount of enthusiasm? Are you releasing trailer snippets to entice the right readers? Social media feeds? Trade press notified? Have sales been informed and briefed so they understand what it is and the connection to the appropriate product/solution? Have your go-to market materials been updated so they can successfully talk around the connected products and services? Has your client service team been informed? Will your existing KPI's be appropriate in measuring it?
Always remember, that content marketing exists to build relationships and to provoke an action with your target audience. It should ultimately help drive business towards your organisation. This is what marketing is and what it should be measured upon.
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