Kicking off a new writing initiative? Start tracking the return on your investment from the start, says Adrian Lurssen in 7 Basic Performance Indicators to Make Your Firm’s Content Efforts More Strategic. He recommends a strategic process built on concrete benchmarks, specific objectives, and regular evaluations.

… the main goal of writing thought leadership is to grow new business. However, it’s seldom as simple as “write and wait for the phone to ring.” While home runs happen, most practice growth through thought leadership is done over time through smart, strategic planning. It starts by knowing what to measure and then how to act upon it.

Lurssen reminds us that there’s more to successful content marketing than just writing good material. The he goes on to identify the key elements of a meaningful strategy, like which metrics to track, best practices for collaboration, and guidelines for evaluating progress. Read the post, then get to work.