Like every business, Bospar is grappling with the implications of the coronavirus pandemic. While we’ve experienced some disruption in adjusting to the ever-changing “new normal,” we have found that we’re in a pretty good place as a company given our position as a virtual agency and our expertise in working from home.
Our clients are telling us that content has never been more important or relevant. As Bospar’s Chief Content Officer, I’m continuing to drive and expand content programs to meet growing demand. During this time, we’re leveraging Bospar’s deep bench of content creators, which was built out well before the crisis hit. Our unique Content Team features experienced professional writers who have backgrounds that include journalism, enterprise marketing and sales, and crisis communications.
Because in-person meetings are canceled for the foreseeable future, the rapid shift to online-only marketing is driving a nearly unprecedented need for content. In the absence of face-to-face interactions, a steady stream of fresh content can and should be published to key constituencies – including customers, prospects, employees, partners, and the media. Zoom meetings and virtual “everything” are making content the new “corporate calling card,” and content remains one of the very few ways that companies can control the message, articulate their views, stay top of mind, and illustrate their value proposition to a wider audience.
To support this shift, Bospar is streamlining the ideation, production and publication of content assets. For starters, we are doing our best to suspend typical turnaround times on content deliverables like press releases and contributed articles, with the goal of getting them completed faster than ever. We’re also producing a wider variety of different kinds of content assets. Our capable team can deliver almost anything, ranging from press materials and sales support and enablement tools to employee and customer communications and social content.
By the way, social media is also more critical than ever before, both in terms of amplifying earned media coverage and as a channel for delivery of timely messages. With people constantly online, now is a good time to expand social programs, not only to stay in touch but also to grow a company’s audience and influence in advance of any future economic recovery.
Finally, content is important because it is efficient and trackable. C-suite executives know that marketing programs must move forward even in a downturn, and PR and earned media have always been among the marketer’s most cost-effective tools. Content plays well with the martech stack, and the ability to measure content programs helps executives understand ROI. What’s more, repurposing content helps amortize one’s content investment across multiple channels, driving efficiency at a time when budgets are under scrutiny.
In closing, we want to leave you with one message. Especially in times of change or crisis, content is an essential part of any integrated communications strategy.
