5 Scripts for Content Marketing Requests

How many times have you rolled your eyes or screamed (silently) about an unnecessary or misguided request crossing your content marketing desk?

You know what I’m talking about:

• Sales asks for a new piece of collateral for a prospect meeting next week.
• Your boss adds another project to your lengthy to-do list.
• A top executive messages about launching a new social media channel.
• A source demands content approval after the interview.
• A fellow team member suggests that you assume responsibility for something they don’t want to do.

How do you mitigate the frustration?

Well, first, if you’re face to face with the requester, don’t roll your eyes or make a peep. Second, pause before you respond. From there, follow the general principles of good communication.

And to get specific, use one of these scripts tailored for common marketing scenarios. (Though they’re written as emails, the verbiage works for in-person conversations, too.)

Ground yourself in good communication

You’re a professional, so you know the value of effective communication. But let’s have Irfan ul Haq and Riffat Faizan remind us: “Effective communication … fosters strong business relationships, facilitating mutual trust and collaboration among business partners and/or organizations within an industry.”

The authors in this International Journal of Applied Business and Management Studies article paraphrase Charles Black from a well-quoted article in Black Enterprise.

Yes, you must have a trusting relationship with the people you work with because it affects every interaction you have with them. You also want to be seen as a team player, so a collaborative spirit is a must.

Though Irfan and Riffat wrote the article to help employers, the advice works for employees as well. Among their communication tips that will help in tough conversations:

• Use active listening (persuade, don’t command).
• Tailor your language.
• Focus on the message/content, not the person.

One more piece of advice: “Before sending out any communication, take a moment to scrutinize and evaluate the message. Ensure clarity, identify the target audience, anticipate their perception, and align the message appropriately with the cultural environment.”

That advice on effective communication should sound familiar. After all, most of it is what you should do for effective content marketing, too.

Now, let’s get to those challenging scenarios:

Scenario 1: New request for already overloaded to-do list

Request:

Hi Devon,

I know you’re already busy, but we just found out the new blog must launch a month earlier than planned. So, I need you to start creating cover graphic images for each article this week. We’ll need five by next week to set up the site for launch and will keep at that pace for the next few months.

Tulula
Marketing Boss

Response:

Hi Tulula,

Wow — that’s a big change. I can’t imagine how that’s affected your schedule, too. I have a few questions so I can better understand the parameters and timing.

When can I have the text to review for each article? I usually read through them for inspiration to create the image. If they’re not ready now, are the headlines available? That would expedite the process. And if that’s not an option, can you share the topics?

You mentioned needing the first five by next week. Is it possible to space out the deadline so I deliver by the end of each day? If not, what’s the hard deadline for the group of images?

Thanks for answering my questions. With this information, I can better understand the scope of work and timing, so I can readjust my workload. I may need to ask for your help in prioritizing what you want done in the next few weeks to ensure I’m delivering what’s expected within the time allowed.

Devon
Graphic Designer

Why this response works:

• Shows empathy for the sender making the request.
• Gives the request the appropriate attention.
• Indicates interest in executing the request without giving an immediate yes.
• Suggests steps to help expedite requests.
• Foreshadows that the worker may need to readjust priorities to accommodate the request.

Scenario 2: Big boss makes non-strategic ask of marketing

Request:

Hey Mary,

I was talking with my husband last night. He mentioned that he just got a Bluesky account because Twitter, or should I say X , is a mess and no one is using it.

It got me thinking. Our brand should get rid of its X account and create a new one on Bluesky.

Let me know when it’s ready, and I’ll update the social account handles in my signature.

Thanks,

Belinda
CEO

Response:

Hi Belinda,

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on Bluesky and X. I know you’re always thinking ahead about what’s best for the brand and its public-facing presence.

I agree with your husband that X has turned into a challenging social media space. Though in its relative nascency, Bluesky is growing and certainly does present an opportunity.

However, after reviewing the brand’s social media strategy and our engagement data on X, deleting that account might not be the most strategic move at this time. Though growth is stagnant, we still have about 100K followers, and engagement rates are better than industry average benchmarks.

We have claimed the Bluesky account handles for our brand. I just asked Bob to make sure all the standard info for the account — images, descriptions, etc. — is in place. Everything is set.

Given the lack of activity on Bluesky for our industry at this time, I recommend investing a small amount of time in cross posting our content from X rather than putting all our eggs in the Bluesky basket. We’ll continue to monitor Bluesky’s growth and engagement as we plan future resource allocation, so when it’s worth building a new audience there, we’ll be ready.

I also have seen anecdotally that as interest in X has dropped, interest in our LinkedIn content has grown. So, we are working on how to devote more resources to that platform since we know our audience is already there and engaging.

I’d be happy to discuss this further and present a more detailed analysis of the potential risks and benefits. Would you like to get a meeting on the calendar?

Thanks,

Mary
Social Media Manager

 Why this response works:

• Acknowledges the request.
• Agrees with the person who suggested the idea.
• Notes the request’s difference from the brand’s existing strategy.
• Provides data to illustrate the recommended response.
• Compromises by taking a small step to address the overall request.
• Pivots to an adjacent topic that delivers what the requester ultimately wants.
• Indicates a willingness to continue the discussion while foreshadowing that it will involve more data to prove the recommendation.

Scenario 3: Sales places order for content (and it’s not marketing’s job)

Request:

Hi Jovanna,

Good news — we have a big hot prospect meeting next week!

To show them how great it would be to work with us, we want to give them some customized sales collateral for their industry. Your team is so great at creating print materials, we need marketing to create it.

We need it by Monday. Let me know what you need from me to execute the project.

Thanks so much!

Samuel
Sales Director

Response:

Dear Samuel,

That’s great news! It’s good to see all the positive activity happening in sales. Your idea of customized collateral is a good one, as everybody prefers to see how a prospective vendor can serve them specifically.

Though the marketing team isn’t equipped to deliver what you need in that timeframe, I can offer some alternatives. I would be happy to share the names of freelance writers with whom we work and who are already familiar with the brand. Or, if you opt to have someone in sales do it, I can provide links to some existing marketing materials that may help them.

While I know your request is for a single client meeting, if you envision a need for more sales collateral, I would be happy to offer guidance on how to set that up on your team since it’s outside marketing’s responsibility.

We certainly can brief your team on brand messaging and style, share potentially helpful marketing content files, and review any sales collateral to ensure it aligns with brand standards.

So, let me know if you need the freelancer names or potentially relevant marketing material for the meeting, and best of luck in landing the new client.

Jovanna
Director of Marketing

Why this response works:

• Praises the sales team and lets the sender know the idea is a good one.
• Quickly declines the request but offers help for them to accomplish it.
• Addresses the unsaid elephant in the room — sales thinks marketing takes content orders.
• Outlines how marketing can help (be a team player) without doing the work requested.

Scenario 4: Subject matter expert asks for content approval after the interview