How to hold Content Strategy Framework Meeting

For any type of digital marketing campaign, you need to make the Content Strategy. While the first step to make the content strategy, is to hold content strategy framework meeting. So that, all the stakeholders and relevant people in the organization are on the same page. First of all, you need to get the right people in the room. And this team together in a room, will set and align the content strategy with your campaign objectives. Holding content strategy framework meeting, is necessary from the beginning of your project, for two reasons:-

• Have the baseline determined, as Sometime you need to change the objectives.
• Sometimes, the team or board needs to be reminded, as what all they agreed in the              beginning.

Before we dive deep into the content strategy framework meeting, keep these four important points in mind. As, these will  help you to understand the things better.

• People and process
• Turn problems into opportunities and quantify these.
• Think like a business person
• Calculate the risks

Core strategy quadrant

Brain’s four core strategy quadrant, can not be ignored when considering content strategy for your digital marketing campaign. Because, it exactly explains the role of content and the people in framing the content strategy. Furthermore, it will help you freshen up your mind, as how the content strategy works:-

In framing the content strategy, two elements are very important;

• First is the Content
• And the second is People.

Content need structure and substance, whereas, for people you need workflow and governance. Content strategy framework meeting aims to integrate all these elements, in your content strategy. We will have have little deeper look into  content and people.

Content

Substance in the Content:

In the meeting, you will define the substance for the content, as;

• What content the organization should produce?
• How it should sound and its tone?
• Why it’s meaningful or relevant to the user?

Structure of Content:

It refers to as,

How you will organize and display the content?

So that, users can find it easily and find it useful for their need.

People

Work Flow: 

Once you have decided the substance and structure of content. The next step is to decide as how the content flows through the organization — from ideation to publication to ongoing maintenance. Make a proper flow chart.

Governance:

As decided, in the content strategy framework meeting, it describes, as;

• How the organization makes the decisions about content?
• What to finalize, what media, and on which platform to publish?

Governance will determine and ensure, as, every thing moves in line with the Content strategy.

Preparation for Content Strategy Framework Meeting

Finally, you have decided to hold the content strategy framework meeting but flabbergasted. As, who all to attend and what other steps to carryout. No worry, I will help you;

• Below four easy to understand boxes, will help you in your work to hold the meeting. You just need         to plot the relevant people, at the appropriate places in the boxes. Either way, number of attendees       should not exceed 12. Probably, exceeding 12 will become a crowd.
  

  Who to Attend Content Strategy Framework Meeting

   

• Plan your meeting well, before going into the workshop session.
• Send meeting invitation to all attendees.
• Patronize the Stakeholders, by sending personalize email to every stakeholder separately, from        the meeting invitation. Explain them little about the purpose of meeting and how their help is of            paramount importance. But do watch your tone; it should sound patronizing and formal.            “Read it aloud before sending”.

• Make the agenda points, as, what all you want to achieve during the session.

Points to be considered and decided in the content strategy framework meeting

Set the scope of the project.

Objectives to be agreed.

Time-line to follow.

What will be the roll of each person present in the meeting?

Starting the Meeting?

• Somebody relevant to explain the importance of content strategy, for digital marketing campaign.
• How much work has been done so far, that lead the project to approval.
• Introduction of person or a team, as there may be some people in the group, who are first time             getting together, especially in case of larger organization.
• Before wrapping up, give the details of communication among the participants during the process of       project, so as, to provide updates. And as well, ask for their help and input.

“As a consultant, advisor or even facilitator, your primary job is to create clarity about the project” and note that as, there are always problems, in this”.

Setting the Ground Rules

Give reminder for ground rules before the commencement of formal meeting.These rules may be like below but not limited to;

• Ensure, No Laptop, No phones (Unless needed).
• Avoid interruption until extremely necessary, asking for clarification is OK.
• No idea is a bad idea, everybody is at liberty to express his/her idea.
• Opinion of everyone is valid.
• Everyone talks and everyone listens.
• Restrain from side conversation, address to the facilitator.

Role of Facilitator in Group decision making:

In the meeting, you will notice as the things are falling apart. But nothing to worry, it happens in the group decision making. Facilitator, has to play a big role. He/She has to connect the dots of all discussions, build on idea and identify the agreement and disagreement. Follow some of the following techniques, to achieve the best results from your content strategy framework meeting:-

Paraphrasing:

It is necessary so that participant should know that you are listening. Say like “I think what you’re saying is … is that what you meant”

Help to Articulate the ideas:

Facilitator should help the stakeholders to express their ideas. As, they may be finding it difficult, to articulate their idea. Ask like “Can you think of an example”, “Tell me a little more about it”.

Track the conversation:

Ensure that people are not getting involved in side conversations. To avoid this, just interrupt and say “It seems we’re discussing a few different thing hare” Let’s talk about them one at a time.

Understanding the consensus:

It does not necessarily mean total agreement what all we discussed and decided. It is that:-

• People in the room are agreed to move forward, with a set of objectives, what the group       came up.
• When all participants feel that this idea has been heard and considered.
• All people in the room feel, this as right. And are likely to stand behind the project                   and stay engaged

Now, as the stakeholders are agreed on the objectives to be achieved, what next?

Move on to work, to run the project and frame the content strategy.

Framework for the Content Strategy

Following elements will help you to get set go, to frame the content strategy:-

Setting the editorial calendar and time line-sample.

Determined Your approach to the project.

Checklist for Project Preparation.

Preparation of  plan for the project.

Bring all the stakeholders on board.

Get to know your audience and users.

Content landscape list.

Insight work task for Content strategy

User understanding matrix.

Research workshop activities for users.

Audit spread sheet.

Carryout the User test.

Case presentation.

Design sample stakeholders matrix.

Create sample communication management plan.

Craft sample email to kick-off the project.

Stakeholder interview guide.

Consider non monetary lose as well.

Make your argument.

Just Reminder:

• Carryout the market research and user research, also, compare these and find gaps.
• Asses the user appetite, in addition, nice to know them.
• Make yourself familiar with your content, by understanding the content landscape and document the details.
• Find out what problems to look for in planning and process.

To conclude,   Team produces the results, once all are on one page. Content Strategy Framework meeting is the first step, to bring all the team to align themselves, with the organizational objectives. It is important, to get the right people in the room and set, align the project objectives at the beginning of your project. It is the step leading to organizational success.