11 Apr Crawl, Walk, Run
The biggest mistake you can make in content creation is trying to run before you learn how to crawl. That will only lead to frustration, burnout, and you giving up.
I see this a lot with prospects. The conversation starts with a plan to create content for their website and social media. Once they start to understand the power of content marketing, they want to go all-in and start big. I used to fall for the trap of the “client is always right,” and I would sell the client what they were asking for, no matter how big the project. On paper the money was great, closing a multi-thousand-dollar deal. But in the end, the clients who jump to run before crawling and walking never fulfilled their end of the contract. They always wanted out early and, in some cases, they could not pay what our team worked hard to fulfill.
I was reminded of this truth the other day when visiting with a prospect. When we first started talking with the lead, they wanted us to help with some videos for their social media. This is what we do. So, we put together a plan to help them create some videos during a couple of days of production that they could use over the next six months.
At the very least this project would cost thousands a month to get launched off the ground. We would have to hire additional staff to help the prospect fulfill their dream.
Before the contract was signed, the prospect came back with a grand idea of starting their own internet TV channel with multiple shows. Keep in mind, this prospect doesn’t even have a single video they have created, and they were ready to start a full media company of several shows! At the very least this project would cost thousands a month to get launched off the ground. We would have to hire additional staff to help the prospect fulfill their dream. Could we do that for the prospect? Absolutely. We have launched several internet and linear channels. I have a team that has the necessary experience. Is that what is best for the prospect? No; at least not yet.
I should mention their idea for a channel was a great one, and I hope one day we can help them see their dream become a reality. But our recommendation for now is to start with the crawl plan and create some videos for their social media and website.
I would say the same to you. For us at Centerpost Media, it is not about signing you to the biggest deal we can get you to sign. We want you to succeed, and that usually starts with a simple plan to get you creating content. If you are already creating content and ready to go to the walk plan of hosting a podcast or being an expert on our TV shows, great. If you are walking and ready to run and host your own TV show or your own channel, we can scale quickly and help you. But don’t be surprised if we dial back your dreams, if only for a little bit to make sure your content marketing plan is wildly successful.
Scott Miller is the CEO of Centerpost Media, host of the Create. Build. Manage. show (seen on BizTV, heard on BizTalkRadio, and available wherever you listen to podcasts,) and a member of the Forbes Agency Council, Entrepreneur Leadership Network, and Dallas Business Journal Leadership Trust. You can find Scott on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter via “@scottmillerceo” or on LinkedIn via “@scottmillermedia.” Centerpost Media is a content marketing agency with a vision to help every business they encounter with their media needs by providing outstanding quality, service and value. Centerpost Media is the parent company to BizTV, BizTalkRadio, BizTalkPodcasts and Bizvod.