My best thing

Why content works

I was hired to work on a white paper project for one of the big business consulting firms.

It was a simple idea and a simple assignment.

But like most things, it grew and evolved as we worked on it.

The crux of the matter was

“hey you experts in this particular industry… you know all that stuff you know to be true? Well, you’re wrong!”

“… and here’s why.”

We called it a sharp stick in the eye.

They handed over a pile of slide decks and charts and graphs and raw research to me. Along with a short outline of what we wanted to achieve.

And I set out to distill all this information down to a simple, easy to read, simple to understand, scannable story establishing a new leader in thinking about the industry.

There were thousands of data points gathered to prove the point.

To make the argument.

To illustrate in clear language just how the establishment thinking was wrong and what’s more…

… what to do about it.

That was the key. You can’t just say they’re wrong. You need to make them understand why.

As we worked on the paper, it grew from 3,000 words to more than 8,000 words.

I was sure we were going to cut it down.

But in the end, we let it ride.

Because it told the story so well and it carried the necessary weight.

It was a great paper. With great art. And a clear, compelling story that changed the minds of many experts.

It was laid out in a really elegant design. And it was put up on the website - called a “center of excellence” and printed on high-quality stock so the client-facing teams could carry it along with them as they made their pitches.

A PR campaign was built around it. And a social media campaign.

And as soon as it launched, it changed everything.

Millions of hits and clicks and likes on the social campaign.

And less than three months, $2.8M worth of new billing, and at least 15 new client engagements later, this one paper was expanded into a follow-up article. An infographic. Another paper on the international perspective of the same idea.

And more.

All from one little idea.

All from one little idea. That worked in such big way.

So if you are a leader in your industry.

And you do things differently than everybody else.

Because you know you’re right.

And you have the data to back it up.

You have an opportunity to establish yourself in a new light.

Stake a claim on new ground.

And make them all understand that not only are they suffering from wrong-headed thinking.

They have an opportunity to change course.

With you.

Let us show you how to do it.

Because we do story better than anyone.