If your company works like most, before you can implement an inbound marketing program you need the green light from the C-suite. After all, while content marketing is proven to deliver tremendous business-boosting benefits (name recognition, lead generation, thought leadership, and the list goes on), it does require a sustained commitment of time, effort, and resources. However, if buy-in is all you’re looking for from your executives, you are missing out on the enormous value they can add to your efforts.
As you are pitching content marketing to upper management, you should also emphasize the importance of their involvement in the program. To whatever degree possible given their busy schedules, you should capitalize on their background, business acumen, and authority and use it as rocket fuel for your inbound program. What can they provide?
Experience. You don’t get into the C-suite without having been around the block a few times. Executives—even those with no marketing background—have a breadth and depth of industry knowledge that can prove very useful as you are creating content.
Credibility. When a member of upper management collaborates on a piece of content and allows their name to be attached to it, or simply lets you quote them, that item automatically has a level of credibility that even the most in-depth research and outstanding writing can’t impart.
Intel. Details on planned product enhancements, new service offerings, and other important company information tend to filter down from the top. Having an executive in your corner gives you more direct access to those details. And content that has a “breaking news” aspect is very enticing to prospects.
Resources. One of the biggest challenges content marketers face is getting the assistance they need from subject matter experts throughout the company. When the C-suite speaks, people tend to find time in their previously “booked solid” schedules to help with content development projects.
Connections. Whether it’s their pull with business partners, trade organizations, or the media,
and generate interest with influencers that you want to take notice of your content.
Bottom line: Executives can do so much more for your content marketing program than simply authorize it. As you are crafting your strategy, be sure to give some thought to how you can involve them. Need some ideas? We work with leading companies throughout Colorado and nationwide to help them maximize the effectiveness of their inbound programs using all the tools at their disposal. Give us a call.