As a content marketer, I absolutely NEVER feel like my team and our resources is enough to do what has to be done. So how does a nonprofit organization like Slow Food USA stay on message and create a vibrant community across hundreds of local chapters, and pull together an event like the recent Terre Madres America with only two staff members, neither of whom is a content person?

That was the biggest question on my mind as I volunteered at the content-rich, exceptionally inspiring event a week ago. It turns out the answer is having a very clear and easy-to-understand mission, that's activated through their programs.

"Slow Food USA strives to create a world where all people can eat food that is good for them, good for the people who grow it and good for the planet." This mission is brought to life through their programs:

• Growing a Movement including Snail of Approval recognition for food & beverage establishments that practice Slow Food values), the Cooks’ Alliance program for chefs / home cooks to commit to cooking “good, clean, fair” food in their kitchens, and Slow Farms focusing on agroecology and biodiversity, working in harmony with nature to nurture indigenous breeds and heirloom crops, protect soil and pollinators, and foster community connections.
• Learning & Advocacy such as Ark of Taste which is dedicated to cataloging and preserving endangered heritage foods (plants, breeds, etc.) by identifying and championing them, School Garden Program supporting school gardens as places for youth to learn how to grow, cook, and engage with food, Slow Books a reading / book curation / literature program tied to values and storytelling in food systems, and their Food and Farm Policy advocacy work.

As a volunteer at the event, I had people from all over the continent coming up to me asking me what Slow Food is, and is it the opposite of Fast Food? Thanks to the organization's clarity around how the mission comes to life, I was able to talk about whichever of these aspects was most likely to resonate with the person who asked me.

This is a great example of how content governance—in this case, in the form of a clear overarching message backed up with specific examples of how to bring it to life—gives communicators and creators a much needed framework for consistency, while allowing plenty of room for creativity.

While I never saw a brand voice chart before I worked my first shift at the booth, aw a longtime supporter and newly reactivated member, I had the tools I needed to talk about the organization's work on a national level, at my local chapter level, and on my own personal level.

Having this framework gave me the confidence to meet everyone I talked to where they are, and give them a tangible answer to their questions, and helping them to see how joining the organization and participating with these programs and their local chapters could help them reach their personal goals around community and sustaining their local food cultures.

That's the thing about content governance frameworks—they make it a lot easier to create authentic content that connects with others on a human level because they provide a starting place for conversations with your audience, not a packet of canned messaging they have to regurgitate.

Coming Up on #ContentChat

Content Chat is my weekly LinkedIn Live video chat focused on sharing expertise and ideas amongst the content marketing community. Join the conversation on Mondays at noon Pacific / 3 p.m. Eastern. RSVP for our upcoming conversations by clicking the chat date below to get a reminder and to access the chat.

We are on a short hiatus due to IRL challenges that have popped up but will be back soon!

Get Involved with #ContentChat

• Do you have questions you’d like us to answer during #ContentChat?
  ​Reply to this email or join us on Mondays to ask them live!
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  ​Join our community Meetup page to connect, learn, and share best practices in content strategy, management, and marketing with fellow #ContentChat members.
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• We're booking guests for Q1 2026—send us your pitch!
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How Scalable Is Your Content Program—Really?

To celebrate the pre-launch of my book Content Foundations: The frameworks you need to scale your content with AI (and humans) without losing your brand voice., I’ve updated my Content Governance + Scalability Assessment. This 2-minute quiz reveals how ready your content operation is to grow without you and your limited time becoming a bottleneck.

You’ll walk away with a quick self-assessment and some pointed ideas for what to fix next.
​Take the quiz now → Start the Assessment​

Content Marketing + Related Jobs

• Editorial Lead, Ramp, NYC or Remote
• Director of Content Strategy & Operations, Confluent, Remote
• Director, Editor in Chief, Autodesk, Portland, OR
• ​Senior Manager, Content Strategy, Oxford Road, United States
• ​Executive Director of Content and Editorial Strategy, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
• ​Principal, Publishing Content Strategy (Editor in Chief), Riot Games, Los Angeles, CA

​Send Us Your Content Jobs!​

If you have a content marketing contract position, full-time job, or freelancer opportunity, reply to this email and let us know. We are always happy to share jobs with the community at no cost.

ICYMI

​Burn the Playbook​
I read Joe Pulizzi's latest book in one sitting—it was that good! If you've been dreaming of taking the leap to pursue the career of your dreams, as your own boss, this needs to be the next book on your nightstand. It gives you some very practical steps to take now to build the future you want, instead of feeling stuck in a job that doesn't love you back. P.S. While you're at it, check out the 500th episode of This Old Marketing, Joe's podcast with Robert Rose, which just dropped.

​MAICON​
Will I see you in Cleveland next week? MAICON 2025 features AI keynotes, breakout sessions (with Pamela Muldoon and I moderating), a robust expo hall, and networking opportunities. Registration closes soon!

Until next time, stay safe and be well!

Cheers,

Erika

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​Erika Heald, Founder & Chief Content Officer​
​Erika Heald Marketing Consulting​
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LinkedIn: @erikaheald​
Instagram: @MissErikaSF
​Threads: @MisserikaSF
​Bluesky: @erikaheald.bsky.social​​
​YouTube: @ErikaHeald​