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The complete operating process

From the first brief to the next buyer decision.

See the entire workflow, including who does the work, what the customer receives and how results feed the next cycle.

Use this as an operating plan. Research, production and sharing are currently operator-led; the planner does not start a live workflow.

End-to-end overview

Four phases. One continuous learning loop.

  1. 01

    Define

    An agreed brief and usable evidence

    1. Define the business goal
    2. Map the buyer journey
    3. Collect and qualify evidence
    View steps 1 to 3
  2. 02

    Build

    A complete package with quality checks

    1. Choose the message and test
    2. Produce the complete asset set
    3. Review content and finished media
    View steps 4 to 6
  3. 03

    Approve and deliver

    Accepted files and recorded publication

    1. Get customer acceptance
    2. Deliver usable files
    3. Publish and distribute
    View steps 7 to 9
  4. 04

    Follow through and learn

    Buyer decisions that inform the next cycle

    1. Capture intent and follow up
    2. Agree the next commercial step
    3. Measure, learn and start again
    View steps 10 to 12

Buyer questions, customer feedback and measured outcomes return to the next brief.

Customer journey

Discover the offer → define the brief → review the work → receive usable files → see the outcome → choose the next engagement.

Marketing journey

Content → distribution → intent capture → nurture → conversion. Carry the buyer question and next action through all five.

Revision loop

Missing evidence returns to research. Failed quality checks return to production. Customer edits go through review again before delivery.

Choose your workflow

Every step, from brief to business outcome.

Choose a path to see its assets, production work and checks. All paths include customer delivery and the commercial follow-through.

Content campaign

Answer a buyer question and distribute it across your chosen channels.

Expected assets: Article, LinkedIn copy, supporting visual, delivery package and publishing plan.

Phase 1 / An agreed brief and usable evidence

Define

  1. STEP 01

    Define the business goal

    Choose the business decision, success measure, scope, budget and review date.

    Owner
    Marketing lead + customer
    Starts with
    Offer, business context and current baseline
    Produces
    A scoped brief with a measurable goal
    Review before handoff
    The customer agrees the scope and owns the decision.
    If this step needs more work

    Return to the sponsor to resolve the goal before research.

    Methods and current delivery

    Brand intake and content strategy

    Operator-led

    Next: Map the buyer journey

  2. STEP 02

    Map the buyer journey

    Define the buyer, their decision, the objection to answer and the next action at each channel.

    Owner
    Strategist + customer expert
    Starts with
    Brief, ICP and existing customer questions
    Produces
    Audience, message hypotheses and a channel journey
    Review before handoff
    The intended reader and conversion route are explicit.
    If this step needs more work

    Interview the customer expert and narrow the audience.

    Methods and current delivery

    Customer journey and positioning

    Operator-led

    Next: Collect and qualify evidence

  3. STEP 03

    Collect and qualify evidence

    Gather first-hand material, check public sources and map claims to dated evidence. Record gaps and permissions.

    Owner
    Researcher + subject expert
    Starts with
    Buyer question and authorized sources
    Produces
    Evidence pack and claim ledger
    Review before handoff
    Consequential claims have support; unknowns remain visible.
    If this step needs more work

    Research further, narrow the claim or remove it.

    Methods and current delivery

    Editorial research and content quality gate

    Operator-led

    Next: Choose the message and test

Phase 2 / A complete package with quality checks

Build

  1. STEP 04

    Choose the message and test

    Choose the angle, asset mix and CTA. If a message is uncertain, define a bounded test, its budget and success criteria before scaling it.

    Owner
    Strategist + marketing lead
    Starts with
    Audience map and evidence pack
    Produces
    Production brief and, where needed, a test plan
    Review before handoff
    A hypothesis is labeled as a hypothesis; spending needs an assigned owner.
    If this step needs more work

    Return to research or revise the test. Inconclusive results trigger another decision.

    Methods and current delivery

    Content planning and Angle Test

    Operator-led; experiments use configured tools

    Next: Produce the complete asset set

  2. STEP 05

    Produce the complete asset set

    Draft the article, adapt its useful points for LinkedIn and create a supporting image. Keep the same claim ledger across the package.

    Owner
    Writer + designer or video editor
    Starts with
    Accepted production brief, sources and brand context
    Produces
    Article, LinkedIn copy, supporting visual, delivery package and publishing plan
    Review before handoff
    Each asset has a destination, source context and version.
    If this step needs more work

    Return the missing input to the brief owner.

    Methods and current delivery

    Writing, repurposing, image and video methods

    Operator-led

    Next: Review content and finished media

  3. STEP 06

    Review content and finished media

    Check usefulness, claims, writing style and source fidelity. Inspect actual images at display size; play finished video and check captions and audio when included.

    Owner
    Editorial reviewer + media reviewer
    Starts with
    All finished assets and evidence
    Produces
    Version-bound findings and corrected assets
    Review before handoff
    Content quality, no-AI-slop and applicable media checks pass. A failed check sends the asset back. Path checks: Content quality, no-AI-slop, image inspection and exact-version customer acceptance.
    If this step needs more work

    Return to evidence for unsupported claims or production for writing and media fixes. Recheck the changed version.

    Methods and current delivery

    Content, writing, visual and format-specific gates

    Local review records; operator inspection

    Next: Get customer acceptance

Phase 3 / Accepted files and recorded publication

Approve and deliver

  1. STEP 07

    Get customer acceptance

    Present the article, channel copy and media. Collect changes or acceptance for the exact version and destination.

    Owner
    Named customer reviewer
    Starts with
    Readable package and resolved review findings
    Produces
    Accepted version or a specific revision request
    Review before handoff
    A human decision is recorded. Revisions require renewed review.
    If this step needs more work

    Route edits to production, then repeat quality review and customer acceptance.

    Methods and current delivery

    Content quality gate and customer handoff

    Manual customer review; portal integration planned

    Next: Deliver usable files

  2. STEP 08

    Deliver usable files

    Package a PDF, editable copy, channel text and original media. Share through the agreed channel and confirm receipt.

    Owner
    Delivery owner
    Starts with
    Accepted package and agreed delivery channel
    Produces
    Customer files, version record and delivery receipt
    Review before handoff
    Files open, links work and the correct customer can access the package.
    If this step needs more work

    Repair the export or access issue and confirm receipt again.

    Methods and current delivery

    Customer content exporter

    Local exports; sharing is operator-led

    Next: Publish and distribute

  3. STEP 09

    Publish and distribute

    Publish the article and approved social posts; check links and log relevant replies.

    Owner
    Channel owner
    Starts with
    Accepted assets, calendar and channel permissions
    Produces
    Live URLs and a distribution log
    Review before handoff
    Publishing authorization and channel access are in place. Prepared files do not count as published.
    If this step needs more work

    Hold the affected channel until access or approval is resolved. Do not duplicate an uncertain send.

    Methods and current delivery

    Channel-specific distribution workflows

    Manual or separately configured publishing

    Next: Capture intent and follow up

Phase 4 / Buyer decisions that inform the next cycle

Follow through and learn

  1. STEP 10

    Capture intent and follow up

    Record the buyer question and source. Qualify the need, assign a next step and send a relevant response through an agreed channel.

    Owner
    Marketing operations + relationship owner
    Starts with
    Replies, enquiries and permitted engagement data
    Produces
    A qualified conversation or a recorded no-fit decision
    Review before handoff
    Interest is verified and follow-up matches the person's context and permissions.
    If this step needs more work

    Request missing context or close the lead with a reason.

    Methods and current delivery

    Intent capture and nurture

    Operator-led; connected CRM optional

    Next: Agree the next commercial step

  2. STEP 11

    Agree the next commercial step

    Agree a meeting, proposal, purchase or scoped engagement. Record objections, the decision and the owner of onboarding.

    Owner
    Sales or engagement owner
    Starts with
    Qualified need and evidence of fit
    Produces
    A won, lost or pending opportunity with a next action
    Review before handoff
    Terms and commitments are confirmed by the responsible person.
    If this step needs more work

    Follow the agreed decision timeline, revise the scope or close the opportunity.

    Methods and current delivery

    Sales handoff and proposal workflow

    Human-led

    Next: Measure, learn and start again

  3. STEP 12

    Measure, learn and start again

    Review the agreed window. Compare accepted work, time, cost and qualified outcomes. Record limits, corrections and the next question.

    Owner
    Analyst + marketing lead
    Starts with
    Baseline, delivery effort, channel results and buyer decisions
    Produces
    Outcome review and the next prioritized brief
    Review before handoff
    Observed results are separate from assumptions. Customer success and onboarding questions feed the next cycle.
    If this step needs more work

    Keep unknowns marked and assign data collection before claiming improvement.

    Methods and current delivery

    Analytics digest and learning record

    Operator-led; measurement sources configured per engagement

    Return to step 1: Define the business goal

Apply the process to your business

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