Cracking the Code For Outstanding Outsourced Content Jeff Walker , - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Cracking the Code For Outstanding Outsourced Content Jeff Walker , Founder and CEO Content Carnivores

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Introducing the “HIT” Men (and Women). Different types of writers possess varying levels of skill. ● Generalist ● Category Experience ● Category Expert ● Published and bylined Expert ● Someone’s Niece How do you determine which is the best fit?

What to have in place before hiring. The following will impact both cost and quality: ● Source and background material. ○ A clear voice for the company, ideally a written example. ○ Links to relevant material (but not too many) ○ Internal access codes (if necessary) ● Contracts and terms ○ Pre-approved internally ○ Payment Terms ○ Rights for all content will go to Company unless using a real ‘heavy’ ○ Service Level Agreements ● Internal processes ○ Revision and Approval ○ Plagiarism and Proofreading Check ○ Posting procedure

Hiring the right HIT Man (or Woman) We’re going to breakdown the process to match: ● Skill Level to Outcome ● Outcome to Outsource Channel ● Channel to Rate ● The Importance of Fit

Why are you publishing content? Match the Skill Level to the Desired Outcome ● Do you want to generate leads? ● Increase reputation? ● Boost thought leadership? ● Create eBooks? ● Help provide a valuable resource to your customers, prospects and community? ● Fill the social channels?

Where do I find the right caliber of writer? ● Online services. Generalists. ● LinkedIn Groups and Twitter Lists. Experienced. ● Academia. Experts. ● Established Publications. Bylined Experts. ● Friends and Family and Marketing Contacts. Someone’s Niece. You can find any level of writer thru any of these. We have found that the more basic the need, the less personal the source can be.

What do you get for xCents per Word? Matching the Writer to the Assignment to the Pay Rate. ● Content Calendar gauges frequency ● Word Count estimates effort required ● Internal commitment determines service level expectations ● Basic Site Analytics measures impact Now let’s play Who and How Much?

The Blurb: Example: You need insightful LinkedIn posts that are more than just rehashes. 10 per week. 50 words per blurb. Increase Followers 10%. Who: Generalist, Category Experience, Expert, ByLined Expert, Niece? How Much: By the word? By the Piece? By the Contract?

The Blog Post Example: You need timely blog posts to stay in front of search, prospects and analysts. 2 posts per week. 1,000 words total. Minimal Supervision. Who: Generalist, Category Experience, Expert, ByLined Expert, Niece? How Much: By the word? By the Piece? By the Contract?

The Guest Blog Example: You have a ghost-written bylined story in a reputable publication or blog. 1,000 words. CEO’s name is on it. You have a very tight outline/draft. Who: Generalist, Category Experience, Expert, ByLined Expert, Niece? How Much: By the word? By the Piece? By the Contract?

The eBook Example: You want to create a series of thought pieces that will form a longer piece. 5,000 words. Used in blog, newsletters, email. Research required. Who: Generalist, Category Experience, Expert, ByLined Expert, Niece? How Much: By the word? By the Piece? By the Contract?

Who is the ‘Face’ of the Content? ● Is it from the Company? ● Is it ghostwritten and attributed to someone or multiple people from your company? ● Should it be bylined by an outside expert that adds value? ● Should it be the actual writer?

What about Someone’s Niece? Hire her as a Paid Intern to do the following: ● Internal Process Management (outlined earlier) ● Social and Blog Posting ● ‘All About Eve’ Back-up Coverage in case of missed deadlines ● Ongoing outreach to writers at all skill level

‘How’ is ‘Who’ turned inside out. Finding the right fit makes the entire process a joy instead of a pain. ● Identify writers you like ● Think about using writers ‘outside’ the specific area ● Reach out to them ● If they pass on your project, ask for referrals ● Be upfront with your budget and needs ● Let them know you have your act together ● Always do a Skype or Phone call for a Personality Check ● Be precise and professional ● Always be developing the next writer relationship

The Key to Outsourcing ‘Great’ ● Create a win-win where you get the ‘right’ level of quality for the ‘right’ rate. And where the writer gets a fair process that calibrates skill to end use. ● Remember: Everything you learned at this conference is optimized by the right content. ● ‘Right Content’ means creating a process and pricing that is in line with the business objectives.

Questions Jeff@ContentCarnivores.com @ContentCarnivor Thanks for supporting great writing.