The First Step to Every Content Strategy

My writing game needed a serious makeover. As my readers know, over the years I’ve written a full-length play—thanks to my version of NaNoWriMo!—so hard part’s been done.

Or so I thought.

There’s more work that goes into the hustle of getting that piece out there than the actual creation of it.

Just ask any writer. In content marketing, the team pulls together the strategy to publish and promote the writing. In publishing, the writer must figure out how to get their writing published and decide who to contact to make that dream happen.

And let’s not forget all the networking and contract signing that happens in between.

For my play, that means finding the right theatre to produce my work—and knowing when to reach out.

(Content strategists: Keep reading. You’ll soon see how this matters to you.)

I’ve had a submission strategy in place for some time. But now I was able to unleash the second phase of it. It wasn’t that I was hesitant or that I needed more information. It was because now was the right time.

I’ve done my research on the venues best suited for my play’s audience. And now that these theatres are starting to plan their next season, I’ve decided to jump on the opportunity by making my own introduction.

Gutsy? I think so.

I’ve actually wanted to get this going for some time. But if I reached out too soon, I would’ve received these kinds of emails:

• An email saying that they’ll keep me in mind when they do play their next season, then letting my email disappear in the chaos of their inbox
• An email asking for me to reach out later in the year without a specific timeframe
• No email at all

I had to commit to my plan of waiting for the right time to reach out in order to increase my odds of starting an optimistic conversation with a theatre committee.

Because the first step to any content strategy is committing to the strategy you created.

That sounds like an easy step. I’m sitting down at my desk writing or typing up what I plan to do to get this piece of writing out. Isn’t that enough commitment to the project?

Not quite. Sometimes we like the ideas that we brainstorm more than the actual grunt-work that makes those ideas happen. So ideas that could expose your writing to thousands of readers stays locked away as words on a piece of paper.

I’m also not saying to stick to steps on the plan that simply won’t work anymore. If you’ve done some research after your plan that makes it clear that one of your strategies isn’t a valuable option, then the obvious decision is to cut it.

What I am saying is to commit to carrying out this plan. Don’t make the strategy to hang on your fridge. Don’t make a strategy to show your peers that you have intentions. Commit that you will start the plan from start to finish, even if that plan needs revising.

And plan for that plan to start immediately—even today.

What is the first step to your content strategy? Share your thoughts below.