Terry Piercy and Samantha Todd advocate for content strategy and advise practitioners to talk about their work in straightforward, non-technical terms to engage others. They provide examples of how to explain content strategy simply and give an example conversation where Terry secures a new client by avoiding jargon. They encourage advocating for content through blogging, social media, speaking at events and other avenues. Terry shares his personal story of how advocating his work as a blogger led to opportunities with Chevrolet.

1. Terrence Piercy
&
Samantha Todd

2. Advocate
No Matter who you are!
Practitioner, executive, manager, student, or even
just a curious bystander….
It is within your power to assume responsibility for
improving the content that you create and manage.
There are multiple ways to advocate the content you
create.

3. Talk Straight, Not Tech
 Find the right words to explain what it is
and why it matters.
 Doesn’t matter what level you are, there is
no way around this conversation.
 You’ll have to discuss this in every
scenario. Clients, family, colleagues, etc.
 Don’t confuse people and make them
uninterested with too much technical
mumbo jumbo.

4. What NOT to do
Samantha : “So! What do you do?”
Terry: “I’m a content strategist.”
Samantha: “Oh! What does that mean?”
Terry: “In many companies, the content lifecycle is totally undefined and
ignored. Content is constantly getting produced in silos, and no one is
fully accountable for its governance. And the problem is just getting
worse, because no one understands that content requires strategic
consideration and dedicated resources. So I analyze, strategize, and
implement solutions that help businesses realize their goals while
ensuring users are able to successfully meet their objectives.”
Samantha: “I think I’m getting a call on my cell.” [Hurries away
uninterested]

5. Talk Straight, Not Tech
 You don’t want to alienate someone with all
those complicated insider terms.
 They may actually need your services and
you may have just chased away a potential
client.
 Unfamiliar words tend to freak people out.
 Technical mumbo jumbo just doesn’t work.
 It’s a sure way to make sure that no one
ever invites you to a party again.

6. A better way to converse
Samantha: “So! What do you do?”
Terry: “I’m a content strategist.”
Samantha: “Oh! What does that mean?”
Terry: “You know how, on lots of the websites you go to, most of the
information is hard to find, or inconsistent, or totally irrelevant, or just
really bad?”
Samantha: “Yes, it is! In fact, my own company’s site is straight-up
embarrassing.
I’m so frustrated that no one is fixing it.”
Terry: “That’s what I do. I fix it.”
Samantha: “And how might I acquire some of this so-called ‘content
strategy’?
Because I happen to be the CEO of this company, and we have
millions of dollars that I would like to pay you as soon as possible.”

7. Talking Straight
At this point, you have an opening to explain basic
principles using constraints (website vs. company-wide
content lifecycle) that make it seem achievable.
When you’re talking to clients and colleagues, this
initial exchange ends up being a very sensible and non-
scary starting point for the much larger discussion that
inevitably arises.
You secured a new client and major money making
opportunity by keeping the conversation less
complicated and more understanding.

8. Champion “Content Always”
When a website is in it’s building phase, there’s usually no content on it.
Websites tend to use “lorem ipsum” as a placeholder for content. If you
launch your website with no content, it will make you look pretty foolish
as the creator.

9. Champion “Content Always”
Many web designers tend to design with the mindset
“get the copy first then design for it”.
Unfortunately, many web designers have no control
over the content so they are forced to design with
placeholder text.
Try to look at things this way: “content first” isn’t “copy
first.” It’s about considering content— its impact
factors, goals, and lifecycle from the very beginning of
the design process.

10. Take to the Streets!
 Get out there and advocate your
content!
 Let your voice be heard.
Say this to yourself: “I hereby swear to
never, ever, ever say I can’t blog or speak
at conferences or write articles or give a
presentation or tweet or speak up at
meetings because I don’t have anything
interesting to say.”

11. Take to the Streets
 When you work at a job day in and day out, you tend to forget
that there are many, many other people out there who don’t
know what it is that you do…or that do what you do and need
ideas about how to do it differently or better.
 You think you don’t have anything to talk about only because
the stuff you do seems so obvious and ordinary. But it only
seems that way to you. There are folks who would very much
like for you to explain to them what you do, why you do it, and
what you’re discovering along the way.
 After all, you want to know what they’re up to, too, don’t you?
 Be brave, people. Get out there and do something.

12. Utilize your tools of trade
 Blog it
 Share it on social media
 Be Engaging

13. A real-life example of Advocacy

14. Met a Chevy rep at a Klout Party

15. Chevy Sonic For A Week

16. Chevy Sonic Blog Post

17. Invited to Various Events

18. Studio with Gyptian for MTV x
Chevy
"Hey, I'm a blogger", "If you're a barber then why do you
have that beard?" "No I said a blogger, not barber!"

19. Tweet From Gyptian

20. Park A Spark Challenge in NYC

21. Trip to Nevada To Film Corvette
Commercial

22. Chevrolet & Tweet & Custom
Landing Page
Vimeo.com/Corvette

23. Corvette Stingray Commercial

24. Terry’s Billboard in Time Square

25. Be Seen and Be Heard!
 When it comes to Advocacy, there’s
something out there for everyone.
 What will you do? What will be your
calling?
 Let the world know your content exists.
It can truly be a difference maker.