Outsourcing – why do it? Who needs it? Will it make your life easier or more difficult?
My next few blogposts are going to be a series on this topic. Today I’m talking about looking at your brand from the outside in.
One area where we have been laser-focused for each account lately is helping our clients to look at their brand, content and messaging the way their readers see it. The challenge we all have – no matter your business – is we are so close to it that sometimes it’s impossible to step away. You may have invested time and money into something and feel you have no choice but to use it in your marketing. But what if it turns your audience off? You might think one little piece of your brand’s story is super important but each time you share part of that story you get no engagement, or you lose followers. The story you’re telling – it might be all over the board and it may not be clear what you are trying to say.
People can get so “inside” the brand and know with feeling what they are saying, how they mean it, what it represents. BUT… perception is real. If your audience thinks you meant your words in a different way, then what they say is now your reputation – what you meant to say is not. What you meant to say becomes completely irrelevant.
This is one of the benefits of outsourcing.
We are hired to carry out the messaging our client has decided best-represents their brand. But… that doesn’t mean we don’t get a say in that messaging. When we put those words and images out there, we are affecting their branding, so we want to be sure we are coming back to the client with some insight on how that messaging will play on social. This can be a hard thing for clients to accept, so we are careful with our words and feedback.
Sometimes it’s good to have someone who’s not emotionally attached to your story give you feedback.
This doesn’t mean it’s always to hear. You may not like what I have to say about a piece of content you want me to share, but I will always – always – have your best interest and the best interest of your company, as my client, at heart. Sometimes we all just need to step back and evaluate what we’re trying to say. Having an outsourced professional communicator break the news to you is probably better than a customer. Right?
A little trust goes a long way.
It took a lot to engage with an outsourced “voice” like us. You took a leap of faith and now… follow through. We’ll live up to our end of the bargain… direct you with proper metrics and crafted message. We stay on top of changes and make sure your brand is using best practices. Now it’s your turn. Trust the people you’ve hired to give good feedback and make your message matter.
by 
