Reframing the value of content strategy in a panicked market (aka 2023 😱)

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There is so much fear and uncertainty swirling around in the business world.

Anyone else picking up on this? 

From the layoffs at big tech companies to the Silicon Valley Bank fiasco for small businesses, the business world is in a mild state of PANIC 😱

As a result, work is weird. You may be experiencing any/all the below:

  • Your pipeline is drying up

  • Clients have lower budgets

  • Clients are more risk averse

I get it. I’m seeing it myself. 

And I’ll just say: I don’t have the solution. 

But I do want to share a way we can shift the narrative more in our favor. 

REFRAMING THE VALUE OF CONTENT STRATEGY

Let’s reframe how we talk about content strategy, so it aligns with business’s mindsets today. 

Here’s an example of what I mean…

For the past few years, the startups I’ve worked with have been all-in on growth. 

Their investors want them to grow rapidly and at all costs. Growth is the near-term goal, even over profitability. 

So, businesses wanted content to support that rapid growth. And I pitched my content strategies accordingly. 

Now, startups are asked by investors to reach profitability as quickly as possible. 

Couple that with the scares going around… and I’m no longer framing my content strategies as helping you achieve your growth goals. 

Here are some ways I’m posing it instead

  • Content is a cost-effective way to market your business. 

  • Content is a low-risk marketing effort that, if done strategically, is almost guaranteed to work.

  • Content provides a return on investment for years to come, supporting your profitability by driving down customer acquisition costs.

Essentially, content is a safe bet — one perfect to focus on in today’s environment. 

Both things are true. In a growth mindset, content can help you scale. In a holding mindset, content is a safe, low-cost way to improve marketing’s margins. 

I’m not saying this is a magic bullet for finding work in a tough environment. 

But I am saying that this tough environment invites us to think about the opportunities presented to us. 

Ask yourself: How can I reframe what I do, to clarify how content addresses my client’s pain points TODAY?