Rachel Parker
“… the, uh, the 2015 Content Marketing Strategy? Uh, yes sir … I have it around here somewhere … will send it over as soon as it turns up …” [STARES BLANKLY INTO SPACE AS PANIC SLOWLY CREEPS IN]
Sound familiar? Sure, in a perfect world, we would have all started working on our strategies back in October and wrapped them up by mid-November. But if your days are anything like mine, that very good intention probably got buried under an avalanche of emails, meetings, and deadlines until … well, until now.
First of all, in the immortal words of Douglas Adams, don’t panic! You still have time to put together a killer content marketing strategy before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, and here’s your first step: Read through your 2014 strategy and make note of what has changed since you wrote it.
It’s OK if it’s been a while since you last looked at that gleaming beacon you were oh-so-proud-of back in January — just brush off the dust and give it a good once-over.
As you go through your 2014 strategy, here are a few key questions to mull over:
1. What has changed in your company?
- Have you added new products or services since you created your strategy? Have you retired any?
- Has anything changed in your branding? Does your strategy include any outdated language that you no longer use?
- Has anything changed in your team? Have you brought on new team members, or have roles and responsibilities shifted?
- Have you had to revise the image of your ideal customer? Or have new products or services generated the need to reach a totally new audience?
- Have there been any shifts in your existing audience’s preferences regarding how they discover and consume content?
- Have any new audiences come on the scene that would be a perfect fit for your product or service?
- Have any new competitors come on the scene? Have any old ones gone away?
- What changes at Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networks might be driving you to re-think your social mix?
- (For regulated industries) Have you learned of any new government or regulatory requirements regarding what you can and cannot say in your content?
2. What has changed in your target audience? 3. What has changed in your environment?
Once you’ve reviewed your 2014 strategy with these questions in mind, you’re already well on your way to creating a powerful plan for 2015. And stick with us all through the month of December for more helpful tips and advice to help you hit the ground running come January 1!
OK, your turn! How are you addressing (or, for our overachievers, how have you addressed) adjustments to your strategy for 2015? Tell us about it in the Comments — we’d love to hear from you!
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