The content strategist elevator pitch
I thought I’d follow up on this post where I was given the opportunity to share with a colleague what I do and how we can work together efficiently. It’s a beautiful gift, really. How often are we given that opportunity? Most of us (yeah, I’m including myself in the “most”) are often so wrapped up in our own disciplines we forget to inquire about what others bring to the table. And yet, how indignant we become when those others just don’t get what we do (um… guilty again).
So it’s great to have a little 90-second elevator pitch ready to go for those times when you’re invited to talk about what you do (or even when you’re not). It’s also handy to have a version of this speech at the ready when someone outside of your industry, like a family member, asks what you do for a living (see Brain Traffic’s awesome example of this).
Here’s my speech:
“My job is to help figure out what our content needs are based on business goals. I help determine if there’s old content we can repurpose, or if new content needs to be created. I also work on things like voice and tone, so we can make sure we’re using the appropriate language and creating the right feel for our audience. What works best for me is coming in at the beginning and working directly with the entire team to help shape the overall project. In my experience, what doesn’t work well is trying to determine content needs after everything’s been designed, and then trying to find, create, and place content into predetermined spaces.”
After my little speech, I then ask my own questions, including:
- What is your role?
- Have you ever worked with a content strategist before? How did it go?
- What works best for you?
- What do you think the business goals are for this project?
- Who is our audience?
- How would you like the content delivered?
- What would success look like?
Both the speech and the questions will vary depend on your own role, your audience, and the project.
Looking ahead, it’s my hope that when a content strategist walks into the project meeting, cries of, “Ah! The content strategist is here! We can begin now!” fill the air. Until then, it’s up to us to make sure our teams not only understand the value we bring to a project, but also to recognize their roles and help make it easy for all of us to work together.
