The Power of Audience-First Content in a Niche Industry

In this episode of Content Matters, we explore two essential sides of content marketing:

1. How to refine and elevate content through effective editing with Ashley Strosnider, Head of Editorial at Compose.ly
2. How content can help fuel sales-led growth in complex industries with ??? James Furbush ???, VP of Marketing at AccessOne

If you’ve ever wondered what makes good content truly great, or how to make content work in industries with long sales cycles, this episode is packed with insights for you. ??

Watch or listen to the full episode below, and keep scrolling for a helpful summary with tips you can actually implement! ??

?? Editing vs. Writing: Why They’re Not the Same

At the top of the episode, Ashley Strosnider shares her expertise on the often-overlooked nuances of content editing. As brands generate more content — whether AI-assisted or driven by subject matter experts — the need for strong editorial guidance is more important than ever.

“At the end of the day, a lot of what editors do is really just try to smooth the piece of content out and think about the reader who's going to read it.” – Ashley Strosnider

?? Key takeaways from Ashley:

1. Editing isn’t just about grammar and typos. It’s about refining clarity, voice, and structure.
2. Content trust matters. Content created by SMEs or AI tools both need to be deeply evaluated for accuracy and reader intent before publishing.
3. Marketers should define all content goals upfront. Understanding if a piece needs fact-checking, SEO refinement, or a full rewrite saves time for all parties involved.

?? Pro Tip: If you’re working with editors, clearly communicate whether a piece needs minor adjustments or a deeper rework. The more context you provide, the stronger the final result. Win-win.

?? Building Meaningful Content Strategies in a Sales-Led Industry

Throughout the rest of the episode, ??? James Furbush ??? , VP of Marketing at AccessOne , shares how his team navigates content marketing in a highly specialized, sales-led industry.

It turns out that long sales cycles don’t mean content takes a backseat. Instead, content plays a crucial role in nurturing relationships, building credibility, and ensuring a brand stays in the top three vendor considerations.

“For us, content is everything. Our deal cycles are 15 to 18 months, sometimes even longer. We need a reason to continuously engage and nurture accounts over time.” – James Furbush

?? The Role of Content in Enterprise Sales

1. Relationship Building at Scale: With lean sales teams, content helps maintain engagement before a prospect ever talks to sales.
2. Featuring the Buyer, Not Just the Brand: Content that highlights industry peers and experts is more valuable than product-focused messaging alone.
3. Utilizing Video & Podcasting: James understands that healthcare finance pros aren’t always searching for vendor solutions. So, he's leaned into podcasts as a core content strategy.

?? For Example:

Instead of focusing solely on AccessOne’s payment solutions, James and his team create content that highlights the voices of their customers: healthcare revenue cycle professionals.

By featuring real-world success stories and expert interviews, their content resonates more deeply with decision-makers. A great example of this is their podcast, RCM Ladder, where they offer professional development insights.

By repackaging podcast episodes into short LinkedIn clips, blog recaps, and email content, the podcast has become more than a vendor-led show?—?it’s now a resource for career growth in the revenue cycle management space.

?? Scrappy Growth: Creative Content Tactics That Work

1. Strategic Podcast Guest Sourcing: James hacked guest outreach by partnering with an industry webinar host who had an engaged audience of healthcare finance professionals, trading podcast shoutouts for introductions to top-tier guests.
2. The Power of Community Collaboration: Tapping into existing networks — rather than starting from scratch — helps scale content without massive budgets.
3. Knowing Your Niche: When marketing to a highly specific audience, the approach isn’t about broad SEO reach but deep, relevant engagement.

?? For Example:

AccessOne's content around 0% interest patient financing programs, which directly speaks to hospital CFOs concerned about bad debt and patient affordability, dives deep into a relevant pain point. This targeted content strategy ensures they stay top-of-mind when their prospects are ready to buy.

?? Question Reflection

If you have a niche audience, what's an example of a highly relevant piece of content you created?

Let us know in the comments!

Until our next episode, you can subscribe for more of our content on Spotify, YouTube, and Apple.

Cheers to putting your audience first!

Franny Harold, Content Creator at Compose.ly

This newsletter was written and edited by a human with AI assistance.