Got an execution problem? We can solve it.
As you scale up your content initiatives, you’ll likely run up against a challenge that many marketers have had to contend with.
You might be running email campaigns, newsletters, blogs, etc., on top of all the day-to-day deliverables, campaigns and product launches – and conducting weekly (or even daily) brainstorming sessions to generate awesome content.
Your team is building a solid reputation for engaging content. This is success. And with success comes this problem: you’ve run out of time to produce the content you need.
What you have is an execution problem. Trust us, we’ve been there.
“What you have is an execution problem. Trust us, we’ve been there.”
The big picture
In the grand scheme, an execution problem is a manageable problem to have. A worse problem is an idea problem. You’re in trouble if your marketing team doesn’t have any ideas.
An execution problem is manageable because you can take measured steps to solve it. There are three things you can do: hire more people, improve your processes and/or outsource.
There’s a good way and a bad way to do any of these. Let’s explore what we’ve done in the past and what we now know is the right thing to do.
1. Hire more people
The bad way
Hire whoever comes knocking at your door first, and give them a trial by fire. This approach is appealing because it’s immediate. But we all know that good talent is hard to find, And too much turnover means your content team can’t gain the traction they need to plan effectively, among many other issues.
The good way
Hire talent. Hire a specialist. Hire a culture leader. Here’s why. You’re going to run into this same execution problem again in the future if you don’t find the ideal fit. If you’re already working with the best, you’re starting from a position of strength.
“If you’re already working with the best, you’re starting from a position of strength.”
2. Improve your processes
The bad way
A top-down initiative, like implementing a new content management system without really, palpably feeling the problem, may seem like a good idea because, again, the solution is immediate. However, while an execution problem is a relatively good problem to have, it is still a nuanced problem that’s in need of a robust strategy.
The good way
We believe that bottom-up initiatives are best. So, interview everyone producing content. Solicit their feedback immediately and regularly to stay on top of the challenges they face. Here’s a tip: start by finding your content team’s bottlenecks. Relieve this pressure and watch the content flow.
“Here’s a tip: start by finding your content team’s bottlenecks. Relieve this pressure and watch the content flow.”
3. Outsource
The bad way
Outsourcing to many independent contractors. This sounds appealing because you’ll have access to a diverse set of ideas. But this approach can be painful. Managing the admin, like invoicing, will steal hours of your time each week.
And the content you receive from this disparate group will likely be inconsistent, meaning different qualities of work, different styles and tones, etc. Not a good use of already strangled resources.
The good way
We’ve been doing this for a while and we can honestly say that the best approach is to hire a specialist agency that already has the teams and processes in place.
An agency that specializes in financial services content will have a minimal learning curve. They’ll be able to hit the ground running and tap into best practices and insights that individuals or generalist agencies can’t access, apply or even know. Here are nine more reasons to work with a content partner.
When things get tough, remember: an execution problem is manageable … if it’s managed well.