So, you’ve done your research and you know you need to launch a content initiative for your company. But, you also know that you aren’t the only one who needs to buy a ticket to board the content train to make that ride happen. So, to gain some traction and solicit fellow passengers for the excitement ahead, you need a clear strategy and tools to get that internal buy-in for your content initiative…and get your way.

Here’s how:

1. Have a clear goal and plan of action. If your internal decision-making team is comprised of more than just marketing gurus (which is often the situation), you are going to have to state your case and be very concise about it. Start with the end goal and explain exactly what a content initiative will do for the company (you know, appeal to your audience) and then work backward into your top-level objectives. Only drill down into the strategies and tactics if necessary, but be prepared to explain. Cite examples and use prominent companies to showcase strategies within your initiative that are proven and have solid stats to support.
2. Explain the ROI. When it comes to anything marketing, all most people want to know is the anticipated ROI. So, have a solid projection with how your content marketing initiative will contribute to your bottom line and use numbers and figures where it makes sense. For instance, if you are standing up specific industry-related microsites with SEO keyword integration, identify the goals of these pages in terms of traffic, leads, and conversions. Use specific numbers or percent increase within a measurable amount of time and of course, don’t forget to explain how these efforts will be tracked and when they will be measured.
3. Identify the necessary resources. If you can get past explaining the goal and plan and clearly show the ROI, the next questions will most likely revolve around costs and resources. The correct answer here is not, “I don’t know,” or “It depends.” Neither answer will get you anywhere. Instead, specifically, explain the internal and external resources needed to execute your primary strategies and provide a budget range for the investment. You can provide options or tiers (here is what we would do with X amount of money, and here is what we would do with X minus this amount of money) and then work to factor that into a larger budget if needed. No matter what, don’t blindly present this idea without having an idea of the cost and resource allocation needed from the company’s standpoint.

And if all else fails, pull the “everyone else is doing it card,” and drown your audience in case studies from companies within your industry and stats from credible resources such as Content Marketing Institute, Curata, and Hubspot.

Good luck!