Writing insightful articles, blog posts, and whitepapers consumes time, but there is no doubt that marketing professionals know the value of better content. Still, getting leadership’s buy-in for spending time and resources on content marketing can be tough. So, how do you overcome the objections they may have?
Do you often find it tough to get leadership’s buy-in for content marketing spending?
You’re not alone.
Even though there are many good reasons why you need meaningful content in 2022, many marketing professionals still encounter a lot of pushback from their bosses regarding content marketing.
That is why we’re giving you four clever and professional comebacks, so you can prepare yourself if your demand for a bigger budget and more time are challenged.
1. “We don’t need content marketing.”
You already know all the benefits of crafting meaningful content, but the executives may not, and they may not have the insight into content marketing that you do. They’ve heard the term ‘content marketing,’ but they’ve also heard of TikTok, quantum computing, and the Top Gun movie.
Skepticism often stems from a lack of understanding, so as a marketing professional, you need to educate them on how content marketing can be leveraged.
Advice:
Let them see your vision.
There are plenty of statistics out there that prove that content marketing is a good investment (1). But if you want buy-in (and a bigger budget), you need to be specific about your ideas and how you will implement them in the company.
Do you want to launch a blog? Show them your editorial calendar and how you will get the work done.
Do you want to share new business insights on your landing page? Scope out the article themes and the research that can back up your content.
Do you want to drive more visitors to your website? Show them how adding more meaningful and valuable content will help you reach this goal.
Show them, don’t tell them.
2. “Can’t we just do what we’re used to?”
Doing something new can be daunting. But Einstein once said, ‘We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them’ (2).
As cliché as it may sound, companies need to do something different and think outside the box, to get new (and better) results. So, if your company is unfamiliar with content marketing but expects more revenue, you need to turn the unfamiliar approach into a company need.
Advice:
Consider psychological principles like FOMO.
Using the psychological principle of ‘social proof’ is one strategic way marketing professionals can persuade their boss to adopt an unfamiliar approach and try something new (3). The term ‘FOMO’ (Fear Of Missing Out) was coined by the social psychologist Robert Cialdini back in 1984, and is essentially the idea that people will conform to be part of the majority so as not lose out or be left out. But remember to use this knowledge with responsibility.
Find examples of your competitors succeeding in content marketing, show the traction of an article and explain how that drives traffic to a site. If you can trigger the FOMO, you have a better chance of getting your budget approved.
3. “We don’t have the budget.”
A classic objection marketing professionals must prepare for is a lack of budget. Every business is looking for ways to cut costs – no matter the size. So, convincing your boss to spend money on something that can be difficult (for them at least) to measure is tough.
Yes, you would have to spend some time crafting valuable, engaging content for your audience – and preferably, you would also want to use it in other marketing efforts. So, in that way, it costs something. And for younger companies and early-stage startups, money is often the number one challenge, making it a legitimate concern.
Still, companies cannot afford not to devote part of the budget, time, and resources to content marketing. Creating content for content marketing efforts is a short- and long-term investment; having no funding for content efforts will hurt the revenue.
Advice:
Speak in terms that matter to them.
Executives don’t know how content marketing makes money, but they know numbers. According to Demand Metric, content marketing costs 62% less than traditional marketing and generates 3x more leads (4). Remind your boss that money makes money and that your content efforts can help the company reach a positive ROI.
4. “Can’t we just make a robot write it?”
After half agreeing that content marketing may be a good idea, your boss pulls a joker: “Can’t we just make a robot to write it?” Sure, artificial intelligence has come a long way as a writing assistant. Today, you can find AI-powered writing tools that can help with everything from autocompleting SEO keyword suggestions (e.g. SEMRUSH) to detecting biased words and suggesting inclusive and non-stereotypic alternatives (e.g. Develop Diverse).
Many marketing tools are emerging that promise to make lives easier for marketing professionals. So, is it worth spending time and money on human resources? Well, there are many reasons why bots will not replace writers (5).
Advice:
Avoid losing time trying to hack content marketing.
Even though AI has many incredible benefits, writing is subjective and works better with emotion. Linking together long, persuasive texts into meaningful content is just one of the limitations of AI. Indeed, a company would not want its audience to know a bot writes the content.
Tell your boss that you can’t hack it by installing a bot to integrate the company’s goals, history, the client’s needs, fears, or future challenges. Unless you want thin marketing efforts, use the AI tools as assistance to research and prep, but the essence of the content is the company’s domain (6). And you need to take authority in that position.
Ready to stand tall?
We hope these professional reasons or comebacks will help you use your boss’ objections as opportunities to have a successful pitch. Whether you want to produce a new blog series, write some fresh articles for your landing page, or share critical business insights in a whitepaper or customer newsletter, you shouldn’t go down without a fight.
In the end, you’re the expert and know that content marketing is the best solution for your company. So, you owe it to your boss and your company to help them see it.
References
- Makosiewicz, M. (2022, October 28). 66 Content Marketing Statistics for 2022 [Blog post]. Retrieved from:https://ahrefs.com/blog/content-marketing-statistics/.
- Mielach, D. (2012, April 19). We Can’t Solve Problems By Using The Same Kind Of Thinking We Used When We Created Them [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.businessinsider.com/we-cant-solve-problems-by-using-the-same-kind-of-thinking-we-used-when-we-created-them-2012-4?r=US&IR=T.
- Cialdini, R. (1984). Influence: How and Why People Agree to Things. Rock Hill, USA: Quill House Publishers.
- Demand Metric. Content Marketing Infographic [Infographic]. Retrieved from https://www.demandmetric.com/content/content-marketing-infographic.
- Brown, A. (2021, July 20). AI Is Not Going To Replace Writers Anytime Soon – But The Future Might Be Closer Than You Think [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/anniebrown/2021/07/20/ai-is-not-going-to-replace-writers-anytime-soon–but-the-future-might-be-closer-than-you-think/?sh=4630e1886087.
- McFarland, A. (2022, March 24). 10 Best AI Marketing Tools [Blog post]. Retrieved from https://www.unite.ai/10-best-ai-marketing-tools/.
