The Boy Scouts Had It Right
It seems that I’ve been mowing the lawn every five days, most likely because I probably am. Before the mowing begins, I dutifully pick-up all the sticks, no shortage of them this summer, along with some waste from the neighbor’s dog who obviously prefers our yard to his, or maybe it’s a her. Over the years, this type of preparation has no doubt spared me a trip or two to the walk-in clinic. But it also allows me to focus on the art of lawn mowing, which is, of course, nothing more than winning the pennant for the best lawn in the neighborhood. Like the Cubs, I’m winless; the good news is that it’s only been for nine years.
I approach the writing of content the same way. Like the Boy Scouts say, “Be Prepared.” It doesn’t matter what the delivery platform is for your content – a TV commercial, newspaper ad, brochure or Web site – if you’re not practicing the process of VOC, you’re not developing content the way the pros do. VOC is Voice of Customer and it’s where all good content begins, and ends, because your approach to VOC shouldn’t ever end.
Content that might be compelling to you isn’t necessarily compelling to your customers. But how would you know one way or the other? You wouldn’t unless you asked them. How frequently do your customers want to receive your content and in what delivery form? You won’t know until you ask them. And how do you know what subject matter resonates the strongest so you can purpose your content accordingly? You won’t know unless there’s a mechanism for your customers to respond to you — like a blog, a feedback loop or a social media portal or gateway.
All of this VOC work is done upfront when you’re launching a content marketing strategy, but it’s also done all along the way to make certain your content remains on target. And there’s no shortage of acquisition strategies to compile and synthesize your VOC data. Focus groups, less formal listening sessions, one-on-one interviews, on- and off-line surveys, trade show intercepts are just a few of the techniques for acquiring VOC.
So, now’s the time to stop selling and telling and start listening. Preparation is critical to great content marketing; in fact, it’s the only way to play it safe. So is picking up sticks and other unwanted debris before you mow, which I’ll take any day over shoveling.




