Clarifying Expectations Between Clients and Service Providers
When you engage external firms, you need clarity on why. Do you need outcomes or just task completion? Do you need extra time and hands, or do you need expertise? I’ve been on both sides of this equation, and friction around these expectations is a common source of frustration. Things we should normalize: – Service […]
Ensuring Validity in Strategic Decisions
When you want to use research to support a strategic decision or marketing claim, remember a few things: – What people do is more important than what people believe. What they say they believe isn’t always a reflection of their full reality. Data about actions is more valid than data about survey responses and intentions. […]
Solving Writing and Marketing Dilemmas
Is it really a writing problem, or is it an organizational problem? Writing projects often stumble when there’s a lack of clarity around decision making, responsibilities, and who ultimately decides and approves the final outcome. So, ALWAYS engage the ultimate deciding stakeholders at the beginning of a project. Establish clarity on what decisions they will […]
So What?
I can give you the ultimate content algorithm hack in two words: “So what?” Stop playing a game whose rules you don’t control. Post how, what, and when you want. Cut your dependency. Say what matters. Write for people. Everything else? So what? Link: https://the-graceful-thought-leader.syncresis.com/the-ultimate-content-algorithm-hack/
Setting Your Worth
If you’re new to consulting/strategy services, I’ll share a secret. There’s a formula for pricing services as a small business or freelancer. It’s easier than it may seem. Use hourly bill rates even though you generally shouldn’t bill hourly. – Take the annual cost of each billable person. Salary, benefits, bonuses, etc. What you have […]
Liberating Yourself from Algorithmic Dependence
Time for a hard truth: most of the tips and tricks you read regarding the algorithm of a social platform are magical thinking AT BEST. More often, they are charlatanism. People take advantage of your desire to make uncontrollable forces seem predictable and manageable. Because lack of control feels precarious and scary. They are also […]
The Invisible Ink
Being a ghost can be as scary and sad as seeing a ghost. To be a ghost, you have to die first. And as the story goes, you stick around because there’s something you left unresolved. So what about being a ghostwriter? There you are, dead for at least some of the time, haunting other […]
More Than Just a Thought
In business, an idea is more than “just an idea.” The word needs redefinition. Here’s a helpful, if not somewhat dense, way to look at it: An idea is the intersection point between your prioritized strategic intents, differentiated brand theses, and demonstrated evidence of delivery. And it only counts as an idea for ideas-led growth […]
The Content Professional’s Guide to Value Creation
Content professionals have an opportunity to play a central role in creating value. But not on their current path. Imagine…people who can find and amplify great ideas that drive growth and change. They would be at the center of everything that matters to an organization, wouldn’t they? Senior leaders would trust them innately, seek out […]
Why Social Media Solutions Aren’t FDA Approved
Scenario 1: You see a pill on the floor at the grocery store. You pick it up and take it, right? It looks official enough. It must do something for someone. If you don’t take it, you might miss out. Besides, what if you’re sick and don’t know it? Scenario 2: You see a weird […]