Content creation

CONTENT CREATION WORKFLOW

Phase 1: Brief Collection

Before writing, collect:

1. Content type (see format list below)
2. Target persona (from persona-icp or sales-marketing.local.md)
3. Topic or angle
4. Goal: awareness / lead gen / nurture / sales enablement / retention
5. Length or format constraints
6. Specific requirements: stats, case studies, CTAs, keywords
7. Brand voice (load from sales-marketing.local.md)

Phase 2: Brand Voice Application

ALWAYS load brand voice from sales-marketing.local.md before writing.

IF not configured, apply these defaults:

• Tone: Direct, confident, practical
• POV: Take a position -- do not hedge every statement
• Language: Concrete and specific; no marketing jargon
• Data: Support claims with data; label estimates as estimated
• Structure: Respect the reader's time -- get to the point fast

BANNED WORDS (check every piece before outputting -- zero tolerance): leverage, synergy, best-in-class, seamless, robust, end-to-end, game-changing, revolutionary, disruptive, holistic, cutting-edge, world-class, innovative, empower, unlock, transform, solution, ecosystem, paradigm, circle back, reach out (as a noun)

Before finalising: search the output for every banned word above. If any appear, replace with a concrete, specific alternative. "Solution" -> name the actual product, tool, or approach. "Robust" -> describe what makes it strong specifically.

Phase 3: Format-Specific Structure

LONG-FORM ARTICLE / BLOG POST (800-2,000 words):

• Hook: first sentence must earn the second (specific, surprising, or provocative)
• Problem: establish the problem before offering any solution
• Body: 3-5 specific, concrete points -- each with evidence or example
• POV: take a position; do not write "on the other hand" content
• CTA: single, specific, low-friction -- if the prompt specifies a particular CTA (e.g. "follow our company page for the X series"), use that exact CTA; do not substitute a generic alternative

WHITEPAPER / GUIDE (2,000-5,000 words):

• Executive summary (200 words): why this matters and what you'll learn
• Problem definition: the landscape; the stakes; who is affected
• Analysis: data, frameworks, case examples
• Practical recommendations: actionable; specific to the reader
• Conclusion: restate the core insight; clear next step

LINKEDIN ARTICLE (600-1,200 words):

• First line: scroll-stopping hook (question, stat, counterintuitive claim)
• Short paragraphs (2-4 sentences max) -- LinkedIn is skimmed
• Bold key lines -- readers scan before committing
• Personal POV -- thought leadership, not corporate content
• End with a question to drive comments

LINKEDIN / SOCIAL POST (short-form):

• Line 1: Hook (must make reader click "see more")
• Lines 2-6: Substance (the insight, list, or story)
• CTA: question, invitation, or link (last line only)
• Length: 1,300 characters maximum for LinkedIn (150-300 words optimal)
• Format: short paragraphs; white space; scannable

EMAIL NEWSLETTER (400-700 words):

• Subject line: specific, intriguing, relevant -- not clever at expense of clear
• Preview text: extends the subject line, does not repeat it
• Opening: personal, conversational -- not "In this week's newsletter..."
• 1-3 content items: each with clear value; no padding
• CTA: one, clear, specific

CASE STUDY (full format, 600-1,200 words):

• Headline: outcome-first ("How [Company] achieved [specific result]")
• Challenge: their situation before -- specific, quantified if possible
• Why they chose you: honest -- not just "they saw our demo"
• Implementation: what changed and how
• Results: specific, quantified, in their words where possible
• Quote: authentic, specific -- not generic praise
• Next steps: what they are doing now

VIDEO SCRIPT (60-second explainer):

• 0-5 sec: Problem statement (audience recognition moment)
• 5-20 sec: Agitation (why current solutions fail)
• 20-45 sec: Solution demonstration (show, don't just tell)
• 45-55 sec: Proof (stat, result, or customer reference)
• 55-60 sec: Single CTA

SALES ONE-PAGER:

• Headline: outcome-focused value proposition
• Problem: 2-3 bullets -- the specific pains your ICP has
• Solution: how you solve each pain -- specific, not generic
• Proof: 1-2 customer results (quantified)
• How it works: 3-step simple process
• CTA: specific next step

CONTENT MULTIPLICATION (ASSET TREE)

When one cornerstone asset is created, generate derived assets:

From a whitepaper -> produce:

• 1 LinkedIn long-form article (900 words -- key findings)
• 3 CEO/VP personal LinkedIn posts (400 words each -- different angles)
• 1 email newsletter (summarise with link to full paper)
• 1 social carousel outline (8 slides -- one finding per slide)
• 1 cold email hook (50 words -- one stat as conversation opener)
• 1 sales one-pager (for reps to share post-discovery)
• 5 ad copy variants (LinkedIn -- different hooks and angles)
• 8 email subject line variants (for A/B testing)
• 1 webinar outline (built from paper's framework)
• 1 FAQ post (questions the whitepaper raises)

NEVER DO THESE

• NEVER fabricate statistics -- if data is needed, prompt user to provide it or label clearly as "industry estimate" with source caveat
• NEVER produce content that makes product claims not confirmed by the user
• NEVER ignore the brand voice configuration -- off-brand content undermines the consistency that builds audience trust
• NEVER write without a clear CTA -- even awareness content should have a next step (follow, subscribe, read more, comment)
• NEVER produce content that could not be published immediately -- every output should be review-ready, not rough-draft ready