Why Tech Startups Should Hire Content Generalists
Unlocking Innovation and Market Reach
Content strategist wanted: Must have 3-5 years experience in the flux-capacitor industry, possess working knowledge of DeLorean mechanics, and show writing samples with a clear focus on time travel and awkward family dynamics.
Founding a startup is an audacious act. For the first time ever, X product is disrupting the Y industry and democratizing Z for everyone. By necessity, the tremendous focus, effort, and innovation it takes to develop a product for the very first time can create an environment that borders on myopic and obsessive. But in the area of marketing, this type of hyper-focus is unnecessary, specifically when hiring a content director, strategist, or copywriter. In fact, job applications that require content prospects to have previous industry experience may hinder a startup's ability to bring the product to market with originality and broad appeal.
Depending on the stage your company is in and the objectives of your go-to-market plan, consider a content strategy with more reach than preach. For example, in the early stages, you may want to increase awareness and grow revenue by attracting investors, future employees, prospective customers, and the media. To do so, you need to start with a basic set of content assets—website, landing pages, social media channels, thought leadership, and sales enablement—that do not go too deep into a specific niche but do capture the attention of interested parties. Instead of hiring a writer who specializes in a specific industry or topic (I’m talking to you, fintech, healthcare, insurance, and pharma), you may get more bang for your buck from a content pro who has experience in a variety of areas and can work on a wide range of topics.
That said, here are a few generalizations about hiring a content generalist.
Fresh perspective. Content generalists understand the assignment: Deliver outstanding work no matter the topic, industry, or specialization. They are innately curious and, when newly hired, know how to use their outsider status to their advantage—you only have fresh eyes once. This creates space for critical thinking about the product or industry that may uncover gaps in the brand story, detect inaccurate product descriptions, refine bulky website copy, or explore a brand-new marketing channel or medium.
When differentiating a product in the marketplace, a content generalist will not lean on meaningless industry jargon and instead be more open to marketing language and methods that open up to a broader audience. A content generalist knows what they don’t know. With a learning mindset, they will focus on the language, study a product, and observe competitors and adjacent markets to find simple ways to make your marketing copy stand out.
“Prioritize built-in qualities like flexibility, mental acuity, and emotional intelligence.”
Collaboration and alignment. Content generalists know their success depends on their ability to learn quickly (and without ego) from all subject matter experts and identify all marketing assets. To do so, they must gain the trust of corporate leaders in product, sales, and customer success and earn the privilege of observing team meetings. Only then will they be invited to listen in on the boots-on-the-ground calls with sales and customer success. There they will learn how the prospects and customers describe their pain points and identify the feelings behind solving their problems. Smart content generalists act as a bridge of communication between teams and help cross-pollinate ideas in a neutral, productive way.
Content generalists depend on internal relationships and know how to make friends across the entire org chart. Because they’ve never written about the product before, a content generalist leads with humility and knows how to ask for help from colleagues who are already deeply immersed in the business. Because they know that many people struggle to write with confidence, in return, they may offer themselves as a resource to anyone needing a hand writing an email or presentation. Everyone wins.
Now that every tech startup needs a content marketer and the talent pool is limited, consider the benefits of broadening your applicant requirements. Instead of hiring from your specific industry, prioritize built-in qualities like flexibility, mental acuity, and emotional intelligence. And understand what you are looking for from your content based on your go-to-market plan. When you look beyond your specialization and take the time to find a skilled, versatile marketing writer who fits your company culture and supports your corporate values, you’ll know it when you see it.
