In a previous blog we discussed the importance of getting stakeholders involved and keeping them engaged throughout the content creation process. Often we see companies trying to create product or solution marketing content as a siloed team.
When it finally comes to the approval process, they are often blindsided by eleventh-hour feedback.
As a best practice, we always recommend that key stakeholders be involved early and often. Often these stakeholders are industry experts and have primal knowledge about industry trends, customer challenges, and how information is best received.
Involving key stakeholders
Not consulting these stakeholders can easily make more work for you and your team. As a product marketing manager, there are 4 key stakeholders to include in the content creation process from the get go.
Product manager
Dealing with product managers is crucial but often tricky. While they know their product or solution inside and out, and often hold the budget, they might not have as much first hand customer experience as other stakeholders. Balancing client needs and manager budget is critical for success. Some things to keep in mind:
- Prioritize the roadmap.
- Boast about the product benefits but don’t forget about the features. Find the right balance between the two.
- Establish a regular review cadence. Avoid last minute feedback by getting incremental feedback along the way.
- Align on the key differentiators. Author Doug Hall talks about the importance of recognizing the dramatic difference that consumers actually care about in Jumpstart your Business Brain.
Field seller
Field sellers are the key to customers and what they're concerned and asking about. They’re also seasoned in their sales environment and know what works.
- Consult field sellers about what’s been successful in the past and what the current trends they’re observing are.
- Discuss feedback that you’re hearing from other stakeholders to keep the vision of your content aligned and on track.
Technical Marketing Expert (TMEs)
Knowing the speeds and feeds of your product, tech marketers will keep everyone honest and ensure that consumers know the facts. They’re a wealth of knowledge. If they’ve been in the industry for a while, discuss tactical and strategic trends with them.
Partner lead
Partner’s may or may not be involved in your product or solution strategy, however, we’ve often seen project marketing managers overlook the partner marketing team during the content creation process. This can be detrimental as partners are key to many company’s success. Partner teams can be similar to field sellers in the sense that they are constantly working with consumers. When working with partners make sure you:
- Show them where the profit is for them. This will help get them on board and aligned with your product or solution initiatives.
- Use their customer experience and expertise to shape your marketing content.
- Explain how they can leverage your resources to accelerate their revenues.
It’s not always about making everyone happy
At the end of the day, it is impossible to make everyone happy. But it is possible to include all of the necessary parties, or at least extend the invitation. Just remember to:
- Prioritize seller opinions – they work with customers on a day-to-day basis and can help guide product marketing in a positive direction.
- Push product marketers for relevant product benefits – going straight into speeds and feeds isn’t for everyone.
- Keep in mind that a partner relationship is a two-way street – it’s not just about what you want your partners to do. Your partners need to understand and see the benefit of working with your company.
If you’re able to juggle all of the necessary moving parts of these 4 stakeholders, your content will greatly benefit from all of their thoughtful input.
Want to know more about our approach to successful content creation? Get in touch with one of our Connected Communications specialists.
