This Is What I Just Sent One of My Best Clients About Their Content Marketing

Okay, here’s where we are in this story …

I am a marketing coach, adviser, trainer. I also create and write marketing campaigns. And I own the business.

I am sharing my marketing leadership insights with you in this article because this is a new client of mine. We just wrapped up our third, weekly meeting as we build our action plan. What we are dealing with are issues that either make or destroy a marketing team.

Success in business boils down to people, product, process, including the digital, content and marketing automation technologies that seem to be driving everyone mad. The best way I have solved this problem for my clients over the years is taking the team through my process called The CME Sales & Marketing Success Builder. (Check out the short video of yours truly.) It’s a coaching program and workshop.

When teams use my system the always get better results. The key issue is always getting the people to use the system, follow the plan, trust the experienced leader or Pathfinder, in our realm.

My client needs serious lead gen. This one needs it yesterday. (It’s really urgent.)

They also need a new list of ideal prospects we can email, direct mail, call, love, entertain, educate, nurture and close as new customers.

This all must be done as fast as humanly possible. After all, this is a very small business. They need customers and cash flow. But where would they start now after so many train wrecks in the past getting this right?

A critical part of my process and system is accountability. Same for focus, clear communication and letting people shine doing what they do best.

We hold a weekly meeting with a tight agenda. We focus on PERFORMANCE and activities, actions. We have a great plan that unfolds over months, not days like some think it must. All of this is about the plan we create, projects we define, scope and manage, and systems we use to tie it all together. Plus people.

We have to have the right people and we have to communicate clearly, trust each other.

Each week we focus on performance results. “Did you get your action items done? If not, where do you need help the most to get the job done by our deadline?” We wait for clear answers. We support each other when one falls down.

Isn’t a sales result what you are really after when you invest your hard-earned money into any marketing campaign, person or piece of software? This is what my system and this email follow up I am about to share with you all about …

Keeping the team focused, aligned and accountable.

Here is what I wrote to the team, including the owner of the company with the most money at stake …

(The names have been changed to protect the identities of the people who are now part of my process.)

Hello everyone. This is a long email. Please read it when you have time.

To summarize my call this morning with Sally, we confirmed the lists we are building today in Prospectify and setting up a new Timetrade account for automation of appt bookings. Our goal is to have the new campaign fully approved and ready by the end of next week.

We will review progress Wed am.

As I mentioned, no great content can be created until we define the list. Now we have that part resolved and pretty know what we are going to write and pitch … schedule a time to talk with Steve.

Using list building software is the only efficient way to build the kind of list we all need and want. Remember, this little best practice of mine routinely saves my clients tens of thousands of dollars they would other waste on non trackable marketing and selling expenses.

Here are my follow up thoughts about yesterday’s meeting and how we as a team call can all make the progress we need and want to make while allowing each person on the team to do what they do best toward the common goal.

In this regard, let’s define roles again. In the instances where even I request more clarity, please fill in the blanks. Keep in mind the goal is here is define PRIMARY roles so we get a benefit of being efficient, focused and goal oriented in realistic ways with as little disruption or potential for bottlenecks we see commonly in this process.

When any person on any team is assigned random, unplanned, spontaneous tasks the differ from the weekly plan of action we as a team must find a way to stop it. Otherwise, you will not be as happy with progress and results.

The content creation and list building are the two most challenging aspects for everyone. Next is the building of the systems at which I am a master.

Sometimes I can be tough as the marketing leader of a team, especially when we get off the core focus and action steps we agree to take each week.

Also, if you have an existing plan or org chart you would like to share with me, this would be helpful. Again, if I’m off on any of the roles, team, help me out.

1. Joe, primary, lead executive of company, team. Strategy, financials reporting, etc.
2. Steve, primary sales and bus dev executive. Sales, customer acquistion, retention.
3. Sally, list building, content writing, sourcing, campaign building.
4. Mark, tech, reporting, SharpSpring lead admin if Cliff gets hit by bus.
5. Jane, 
6. Jan, 
7. Cliff, (Me!) marketing lead, sometimes bad guy. Get’s teams to work as high performance teams so they don’t need him for too long.

One last item …

Please do not expect sending emails to the new list to produce a meaningful result measured in opens and requests to talk with Steve for at least 6 to 7 weeks best case scenario.

The better the content and more irresistible the offers, the better the conversions. This is why creative talent and SharpSpring like systems are essential. We must also call these people and direct mail them to accelerate results if so desired.

That is the art that melds with the science of the tech and psychology of leading and managing a high performance team.

Hope this helps.

I hope this helps you too.