At To Exceed, we’re always eager to learn from fellow marketers with experience in different fields. Recently, we caught up with content marketer Chris Henson—a father of two, longtime remote worker, and friend of our copywriter Josh Shelton—to talk shop about social media, the "double-edged sword” of working from home, and developing content strategies that make an impact.
Chris has over 12 years in the game, working in Search Engine Optimization, content development, and social media. His path into marketing? Not what you might expect. Then again, not many marketing experts have formal degrees in advertising.
Chris didn’t major in marketing. He studied film and history—and got into the field by blogging, podcasting, and writing as a freelancer. He had to get comfortable promoting himself (and his projects) on social media. “It's all about the self-hustle,” Chris said. "You have to share your articles and tell people to subscribe—because that's how you get paid.”
That hustle landed Chris at SEO firm Search Influence, where he worked his way up to Senior Content Strategist and Freelance Community Coordinator. Later, he joined the HR software company Netchex, where he carved out a new role for himself: Content Development Strategy and Social Media.
Job hopping is everywhere in today's workplace, especially in fields like marketing. But a total of twelve years at two companies gave Chris the freedom to shape his own path.
When Chris took over content at Netchex, the fast-growing company had a blog and a few brochures. In collaboration with Sales and other departments, Chris took the lead in developing a full range of eBooks, whitepapers, infographics, press releases, and videos—all with consistent branding and messaging.
Chris knows that in B2B, you’re not just selling to a company—you’re persuading a human reader. “Your first contact might be an HR generalist or payroll clerk,” he said. “They’re probably not the decision-maker. But they can advocate for your product until you’re talking to someone higher up the food chain.”
His most successful content? Ebooks tailored to specific job roles. "They explained how our products make your life easier—people in your specific role at companies like yours.” Rather than starting from scratch, ebooks could be compiled from relevant blog posts, infographics, case studies, and other content.
A standalone post on your blog or social media isn't going to generate many leads on its own. But each piece of content has its role in communicating value—different aspects of your products and services. The ebook allows you to arrange that information in a way that’s both persuasive and easy to digest.
Chris has worked remotely since before it was trendy. Coffee shops were a go-to workspace back when he needed to meet people for interviews as a freelance writer and podcaster. He used to have a separate office at home until the second kid came along and needed a bedroom. Now he splits his time between the dining table, coffee table, and back porch (weather permitting). “I go out on the back porch when the weather's nice, which—in Louisiana—is very rare," Chris said. “But I have a few cool hours out there in the spring, when the air’s not too hot yet.”
Being a work-from-home parent has its perks. You can volunteer as a field trip chaperone, and there’s no frantic search for a last-minute babysitter when a kid gets sick. On school days, drop off and pick up only take Chris about 20 minutes.
As a night owl, Chris enjoyed the freedom of working late hours from home. When colleagues work remotely from different time zones, it’s more about communicating your availability than sticking to “routine” office hours. “Like with all jobs, you’ve got to figure out what works best for you and your family,” Chris said.
Of course, remote work also has its drawbacks. You’ve got to be self-motivated about managing your time. And even with frequent Zoom video calls, it’s easy for remote workers to feel disconnected. Chris found that “Especially with marketing, I like to have face-to-face meetings where we can bounce ideas off each other and just talk through strategy.”
Chris watched social media evolve from casual wall posts (when you needed a college email address for a Facebook account) into an essential marketplace for businesses. Unsurprisingly, in the domain of HR software, Chris found that LinkedIn was better than Facebook for developing B2B leads. Facebook was better suited for internal culture and community outreach.
For a while, a younger colleague was able to connect with the HR community on TikTok, but a big part of succeeding on social media is knowing your limits. Doing a viral dance or eating hot wings can get engagement, but you need to have a broader strategy.
One of Chris’s biggest tips for social media was that it's not just about making noise. “It’s about thought leadership,” he said. Especially in B2B, social media lets you demonstrate how your company is staying up to date on changing regulations and industry-related news.
Clicks and pageviews are useful metrics, but neither one captures the persuasive impact of an individual piece of content. “Let’s say it’s like 6 to 8 pieces of content—or 10 to 12 touches—before someone agrees to buy something," Chris summarized. “Touches could be an e-mail, social post, a phone call from sales, or whatever.” When a person skims multiple blogs and social media posts, it’s hard to tell which elements they found most persuasive. “You know it's easy to track views and things like that, but it's hard to track influence with content marketing.”
At To Exceed, our advertising “wheelhouse” is running recruiting campaigns for CDL truck drivers, so there’s a noticeable paradigm shift when we promote our own services with B2B ads. Chris had some great advice that also works as useful reminders for anyone who already has marketing experience:
Speak to their personal frustrations, not just their industry or job title.
Blog posts + infographics + a case study = ebooks.
Each blog, post, or download adds another “touch” on the road to conversion.
Fancy degrees and big budgets are optional. Grit and clarity are not.
Content is a long game.
The team at To Exceed loves talking to professionals who skip the fluff and focus on what works. Thank you, Chris, for taking the time to share your insights!
