Tales from the Content Salt Mines: Don’t Be This Client (and How to Be a Good One)
Hiring a content marketing consultant should make your life easier, not harder. If you want to get the most out of your investment, don't be one of these two types of clients - be a partner instead.
If you’re hiring a consultant—whether for content marketing or anything else—you’re not going to get full value if you fall into one of these two categories:
The Smartest Person in the Room: We’ve all met this person. They have their way of doing things, and it doesn’t matter if it’s right, wrong, outdated, or inefficient—you’re doing it their way, or the highway.
Too Close to Let Go: This client cares, and that’s great. But they care too much and can’t articulate what they want. When it boils down to, “This doesn’t look like what’s in my head, but I can’t explain it, and what you wrote is just wrong,” it’s like trying to read minds. Spoiler alert: consultants aren’t psychic.
These types of clients never extract full value from their consultant because they have a hard time trusting the process. It feels like walking a razor’s edge working with them, and their negativity bleeds into the work. It’s not fun, and it makes producing great content a lot harder than it should be.
If you see yourself in one of these descriptions, it’s time to take Elsa’s advice and let it go (bonus music issue: see embed at the end). Sure, you need to provide guidance and feedback, but when that feedback is vague or dismissive, it doesn’t help anyone.
Here’s the thing: you hired someone because you believed they could deliver.
Let them.
How to Be a Good Client (and Actually Get the Most from Your Content Marketer)
Now that we’ve covered what not to do, let’s talk about how to be a good client—the kind that gets results, builds a great working relationship, and avoids the “asshole tax.”
1. Trust the Process (Even If It Feels Weird)
Look, you hired a content marketer for a reason. They’ve got experience and know-how, even if the process feels a little foreign to you. Instead of micromanaging every tiny detail, step back and let them work. The best results come when you give them the space to do what they do best.
Example: Don’t sweat the small stuff like nitpicking phrasing or titles. Focus on whether the content speaks to your audience, not whether it perfectly mirrors what’s in your head.
2. Be Clear About Your Goals and Who You’re Talking To
Your content marketer can’t read your mind (though that would be cool). If you have specific goals (note that the ultimate end goal of ALL marketing is more money in your pocket) — whether it’s more traffic, generating leads, or positioning yourself as an industry leader — you need to spell that out. The clearer you are about what you want and who your target audience is, the better the content will be.
Pro Tip: Instead of worrying about whether the content sounds 100% like the voice in your head, ask, “Does this resonate with the people I’m trying to reach?” That’s what really matters.
3. Give Feedback That’s Actually Useful
Saying, “I don’t like it” is basically useless. If something isn’t working for you, explain why. The more specific your feedback, the better your content marketer can adjust and deliver what you need. Remember, first drafts are just that—drafts. They’re meant to be improved.
Example: Rather than saying, “This isn’t it,” try, “I was hoping for a more conversational tone in this section to match our brand’s laid-back vibe.” Now you’re giving me something I can work with.
A minor aside: I once worked with a magazine designer who was VERY literal. For each issue, I would give him at least one nutty cover idea and then wait for his phone call. Sometimes those random ideas were reworked and became issue covers, but mostly I just enjoyed yanking his chain now and then. And I would also give him legit ideas and concepts he could use too! Okay, back to your regularly scheduled article.
4. Don’t Get Lost in the Details
Being too close to the project can make you overly focused on irrelevant details. Your content marketer’s job isn’t to perfectly recreate the exact image in your head—it’s to create content that works for your audience. Let them focus on what will drive engagement and results. Focus on the forest, not the trees.
Real Talk: If you’re nitpicking every little thing in a first draft, take a step back. Trust the process. You’ll get a polished final product, but you need to give it space to breathe first.
5. Respect the Expertise (You Hired Them for a Reason)
If you’re bringing in a content marketer, it’s because they know something you don’t. The worst thing you can do is hire someone for their expertise and then ignore their advice or insist on doing it your way.
Example: You may think your SEO trick from 2010 still works wonders, but your content marketer knows the current landscape. Respect their expertise and watch them deliver better results.
6. Set Clear Expectations, But Be Flexible
Yes, set expectations for timelines and deliverables, but content marketing is a long game. Don’t expect miracles overnight. Good content takes time to create, revise, and optimize for results. Be clear about your needs, but also leave room for flexibility as the project evolves.
Reminder: If you’re constantly demanding last-minute changes or immediate results, you’ll drive both yourself and your marketer crazy. Quality takes time — let it.
Final Thought: Trust Your Consultant, or Save Your Money
You’ve hired someone who knows their stuff — now let them do their job. Constantly second-guessing, nitpicking, or ignoring their advice just makes everything harder.
Build a partnership, not a battleground. Trust the process, and you’ll get more value out of it than you expect.
Otherwise, honestly? Just save your money.
Struggling with the blank page or drowning in mediocre content? I’m your go-to guy for all things wordy. From my Newsletter-in-a-Box service to content strategy, writing, and editing, I’ve got you covered. Let’s create content to connect you with your customers: duhonius@gmail.com) or 301-275-7496.
Bonus Music Video (Yes, I love a Disney movie, Frozen included!)