Ah, the new year. A time when the calendar seems to stretch out like an ocean of days and project planning blooms. But, like a farmer who plants but never tends to seeds and sprouts, time is often a thief, and today’s grand plan becomes tomorrow’s meager harvest. What separates those who merely want to accomplish goals from those who actually do? Intentionality.
For lawyers, engineers, architects and accountants, there is no new iPhone to reveal, no cutting-edge product to wow the world. Instead, solid, timely, educational and actionable thought leadership content ─ in the form of byline articles, blog posts, client alerts, etc. ─ keeps a professional and their firm top-of-mind and perceived as sharp, current and a valuable business partner.
The late December through early January timeframe (particularly after the receivables crunch) is historically a period of widespread marketing and business development planning. The question then becomes how best to execute those writing and publishing plans throughout the year.
Begin with Goals
We are bombarded by notifications, information and tasks we need to and should do. Nearly every professional services leader or aspiring leader will express that they have goals of writing more articles, blogs or client alerts. Individuals and practice groups often create content marketing plans using the calendar year as a measuring stick (smart, as the best goals are time-bound). This resolution list is the first intention towards making tangible progress.
Ensure your goals are complementary, too. This means that your efforts today should build to bigger and better results in the future. For example, writing articles now may be aimed at pitching related speaking opportunities tomorrow and, for some, building to a winning “40 Under 40” or “Most Influential” profile in the future. The other bottom-of-every-funnel goal, of course, is to develop business.
Refine Content Goals
Simply declaring, “I will write three byline articles this year,” is a great start, but insufficient. Tap internal and external marketing and communications resources to refine your goal.
Who are the audiences we want to engage for business development?
In the legal industry, there is a circular phenomenon: lawyers writing for lawyers. Legal audiences are a key part of the desired “audience pie” ─ that is, if your practice generates a lot of new or expanded business from lawyer referrals. The same principle applies to accounting, real estate, construction and other professional services fields. By broadening your reach and targeting and landing content in industry-specific outlets, you can fish in multiple ponds stocked with key c-level decisionmaker readers and qualified referral sources.
Which organizations and media outlets target the folks we want to reach?
Beyond great content, reaching a broad audience requires two key ingredients. Start by utilizing internal and external communications resources to better understand which outlets exist (don’t overlook the targeted industry trade and organizational publications/blogs/podcasts) and how many people consume their content. Add to this knowledge base by looking at where client companies are quoted and, when you have a chance, asking them what they read. That’s where you want to be.
How can we create a content flywheel, where one article can become a client alert, bio update and be shared across firm and personal social media channels?
If you take the effort and time to research and write a byline article, don’t view the post on the outlet’s website and bullet on your bio as the end. It can be hard to be promotional or self-promotional, and that’s why (somewhat shameless) resources in marketing and communications are helpful. They can promote the article on LinkedIn and other shared or social channels. Consider repackaging with the content as a client alert, swapping out the examples for a different, industry-specific audience of BD interest, or massaging it into a speaking proposal targeted to an organization with potential clients as members. Get the most bang for your buck, or rather your time and talent.
Use the Calendar
Open-ended goals are destined to fail. We can always start getting in shape tomorrow, as it has no impact on today. The cheeky bar sign “Free Beer Tomorrow” is a perfect example. You’re never getting that free beer.
For a goal of writing articles, time can be helpful. Plan to do one article in fiscal quarters 1-3, in this instance leaving Q4 for typical, end-of-year crunch. Mark your calendar to create accountability by adding project milestones ─ such as firming up your topic, conducting research, finding a publishing home and creating an outline ─ in addition to a targeted due date for the final. Deploy internal and external resources to calendar and keep yourself on task, as well. Find ways to keep the goal visible throughout the year, not just during annual planning time.
And if you’re fortunate enough to have the support of a marcom team, leverage them to help identify media opportunities and pre-place your content. That means you ensure you are: 1) writing to specifications; 2) writing to a specific audience and the content has a home; and 3) adding an additional accountability partner. You have a commitment to an editor who is looking for your content.
Execute and Then Repeat
The process described is rooted in intentionality and accountability. Prove to your firm and yourself that resolutions can become intentions and reality. This is a virtuous cycle, as our brains reward us for organizing tasks and then accomplishing them ─ with a dopamine hit (all natural) for crossing off something on the to-do list.
Next year at this time you may have an entirely new feeling. Instead of feeling like plans are made but never completed while hoping that “things will be different next year,” you may see real progress.
Sadly, the promise of free beer or ice cream tomorrow will never come true. But the results generated throughout the year from intentionality and accountability are very real and powerful when it comes to your content goals.