Writing Woes – Developing Workflow Map to Solve Content Creation Issues

As the Creative Manager at Holbrook I am presented with the task of helping to solve work flow issues between the design department and all the other departments of Holbrook. One of the biggest issues that seemed to arise in my position on a daily basis is solving the issue of content creation. We do not have a hired writer, many times people will be put to the task or volunteer to write but that has established vital flaws in our writing including inconsistency in style, tone, and grammar.

I also find myself frustrated because as a designer content is king. In the past year I have learned this lesson many times! I am always an eager designer – ready to get started and move quickly – but I have found myself in situations where I know the project is on my task list but there is no content for me to reference to get started. I would try and go ahead and start a project but in the end found myself completely starting from scratch because it really had NOTHING to do with the content.

In an effort to solve this huge crack in our marketing work flow I met with two other co-workers to develop a work flow proposal to present to senior management to resolve our content woes.

We decided to develop a process off of our Product Flyers. Every year Holbrook develops Set Programs that we sell to schools, organizations, and groups.  These flyers traditionally come with an introductory paragraph, highlights, and a backside day by day.

We analyzed current process:

1. Recycle content or develop content
2. Post to staff to make edits
3. Verify pricing and terms and conditions
4. Put into design shell for production
5. Post for edits
6. Final Revisions
7. File PDF and Word Doc on Server and Post to Website

Right off the bat there are more than a few holes in this process.

1. No delegated roles or responsibilities.
2. No manager of this process
3. No expertise being referenced
4. No official filing system of content, images, designs
5. No dynamic interaction of information sharing at all

I do not want this to seem like everything is chaotic – it is not but it can be improved upon greatly. Being a small business and having employees spread very thin filling many different roles has brought us to this fork in the road. We can either go down the same path of miscommunication, frustration, and low confidence in quality of marketing materials or we can forge the new path! One that is really intimidating – how are we going to assign these roles when do not have these positions filled? If we are going to ask people to begin to fill the roles, is it realistic? Will they have the sufficient time to dedicate to this additional role?

Resolution:

1. Development presents product to marketing; this includes correct pricing and terms and conditions.
2. Development and assigned writer meet and discuss product. Writer targets key areas of interest:
   1. Price Point of program
   2. Feel of program (casual learner, expert learner, etc)
   3. Desired highlights of program
   4. Unique selling features (Why was this developed, why so uniqe?)
3. Marketing team meets and writer explains what was learned in meeting with development.
   1. What could be the unique marketing techniques for market/program?
   2. Develop tag lines, titles, phrases
   3. More than a flyer, what else can we develop to promote market/programs? Social streams, apps, photo albums, etc.
4. Designer researches and finds unique avenues to promote programs; print and web mediums, integrations, etc.
5. Writer begins writing. In this phase the writer will do extensive research, meeting with an assigned content expert, going back to development with more questions, and developing or referencing a Resources List to support the writing. Our writing pertains to specific, unique destinations and interests – we need to be 100% sure our content is correct, strong, and relevant.
6. Editor is given copy and reviews to assure piece meets Holbrook Travel Writing Guidelines – establishing appropriate tone, grammar, and feel. We need our writing to have a signature style and sound – just like branding a company’s colors and logo we need to brand the writing.
7. Once reviewed and polished by writer and editor the copy is passed on one more time to writing manager for review.
8. Writer stores copy in designated storage area on network drive for filing.
9. Marketing comes back together with copy and research.  Brainstorming session on integration of content to markets – how will design go what other solutions and tools can be used to sell this product. Key imagery will be pinpointed for this program as well.
10. Designer works on elements and provides finished results to marketing director for approval
11. Product Published in all areas of chosen marketing.

This is our proposed plan of action; still a ways to go but it is a start. We know that this is going to be an ever-evolving process especially in the beginning as we find out what works and what does not. I want this to be the foundation to how we develop many of the work flows around marketing. By delegating roles and assigning tasks we can be guaranteed initiatives are not only met but are confidently established by the correct interaction between departments, exploration of key knowledge in the intricate field/destination, and looking at how we can market a product in more non-traditional methods that can touch our wide range markets.

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