Do you struggle to continually generate engaging content ideas for your public relations efforts, newsletters, white papers and more? While generating original ideas on an ongoing basis can be a challenge, asking yourself and your team a few key questions can not only get you started but keep the ideas flowing. Here are a few questions to ask yourself and your team to start building an editorial calendar packed with content that attracts clients:
- What do you want your prospects and clients to know about your firm and your services that they don’t already know?
Chances are they know your main products and services, but maybe you have some services they do not know about? Or maybe they don’t know the reason you are in business. Or that your team has 25 years of experience doing what you do for a particular type of client. If you don’t tell them, chances are they don’t know.
- What is the most common misperception about your firm and what you do?
Set the record straight. Explain what you do, why and how you do it so that your audiences gain an understanding and perceives your business the way you want them to. We often hear from our clients that they only wish their clients understood something. Well…let’s help them understand.
- What are your clients’ most common questions?
Chances are, you can anticipate what questions your clients and prospects will ask in your meetings and calls with them. Client questions are an ongoing source of content, that can not only provide basic education but save you time by answering questions before even asked.
- What’s new?
New business, new employees, changes in the way you do business, new vendors are generally worth announcing. It helps you stay in touch, share the inner workings of your business, and show your pride in what makes it all work.
- What have you done for your clients lately?
Case studies that demonstrate what you have done are a great way to show, not tell, what you do. Prospects and clients will have a better understanding of how you can help them and may want you to replicate what you’ve done for others for them.
Your editorial calendar should ultimately be built from a basic messaging exercise to determine what you need to communicate and how. Communication strategy starts with the who, what, where, when and how you want to reach your audiences. Building an editorial calendar helps feed the strategy and plans you create so they keep going and going.
Want us to build your strategy, messaging and editorial calendars for you? (We can execute it all too.) Give us a call.