What to Expect When You Work with a Content Strategist

Discover how a content strategist helps startups and SMEs build clarity, credibility and growth through storytelling

Transparency is a key part of great working partnerships. As a Content Strategist, I think it’s important to be really clear on what to expect when you engage my services, how we’ll collaborate, and what outcomes to aim for.

If you’re a founder, marketer, or business leader considering strategic support for your brand storytelling and content strategy, here’s what the process looks like from start to finish.

Understanding Who I Am and How I Work

But first – a little introduction. Hi – I’m Hannah Brown, founder of Sounds & Stories, a content strategy consultancy helping startups, scaleups, and SMEs find their most sellable brand stories and positioning them for growth.

My background is anything but linear. I was born in New Zealand, raised in Australia and Fiji, and have lived, studied, and worked in multiple countries. My career has spanned corporate law, media, policymaking, international business, government, hospitality, and the non-profit sector.

Thanks to my cross-border background, I take a global view while respecting local nuance. Add to that my background in law and marketing, and you get a strategist who can translate legal, technical, or policy-heavy material into stories that connect with and engage real people.

Curiosity drives everything I do. I read widely, from technology and politics to world affairs and philosophy, because great storytelling depends on understanding how people think and act.

What a Content Strategy Consultant Actually Does

A good content strategy isn’t just about writing; it’s about connecting business vision, values and benefits with the right messages. Here’s how that unfolds in my practice:

1. Audit & Discovery

Before creating anything, I research, listen, conceptualise. This involves analysing your product or service, customer pain points, competitors, and overall positioning. What I uncover at this stage shapes everything that follows.

2. Framing & Positioning

Together, we define your narrative framework: key messages, tone of voice, and the evidence that backs up your claims. This step ensures consistency across all your communications.

It can feel like a painstaking process, but getting the messaging framework right at this stage will mean all the following stages will be quicker, simpler, and more consistent.

3. Creating

Once the core messaging is clear, the fun part – the storytelling – starts.

Whatever the content – website copy, blog content, thought-leadership pieces, and product narratives – framing them according to the core messages will build trust and credibility – thanks to their clarity and consistency.

4. Distributing

A strong story deserves (and requires) visibility. I can advise on where and how to share your content for maximum reach and engagement, whether on your website, LinkedIn, newsletters, or partner channels.

5. Improving

Content strategy is never “one and done.” I monitor results, test new ideas, and refine the approach based on what works to ensure your brand story contributes to your growth.

Who This Process Is For

I specialise in helping startups, scaleups, and SMEs operating in emerging or regulated sectors, especially those where clear communication of their brand story can make or break success.

Typical clients include:

• AI and emerging-tech companies
• Legaltech and fintech startups
• Healthtech, medtech, and mobility innovators
• Businesses navigating complex or cross-border regulations

If your product sits at the intersection of technology and policy, a great content strategy can help build trust in your target audience as well as customer loyalty.

What It’s Like to Work Together

My approach is collaborative but structured. I’m here to listen, challenge assumptions, and guide you toward clarity. I won’t just flood your channels with content slop.

You can expect:

• Strategic depth: I look beyond marketing to consider industry, legal, and market context.
• Efficiency: Clear timelines, milestones, and deliverables.
• Adaptability: I work comfortably across teams or independently on deeper strategic projects.
• Balance: Combining creativity with analytical thinking and using technology to complement human insight, not replace it.

Clients describe the process as refreshing, clarifying, and energising – a blend of strategy session, brand therapy, and creative partnership.

Measuring the Impact

Every project starts with clear objectives. Together, we define what success looks like and how to measure it. Typical goals include:

• Brand awareness: More organic visibility and recognition.
• Credibility: Mentions, backlinks, and thought-leadership recognition.
• Lead generation: A measurable increase in high-quality inquiries or partnerships.

These metrics help track progress while staying aligned with your long-term growth vision.

What’s Not Included

Transparency also means knowing what’s outside my scope. I focus on strategy and storytelling not day-to-day campaign execution.

I don’t offer:

• Social-media or email channel management
• Paid-ad campaign management
• PR or media relations
• Event planning or coding
• Full-service design

For these needs, I can connect you with trusted specialists or agencies who complement your brand.

Clarity Is the Real Deliverable

At its core, content strategy is about clarity.

Clarity of message, clarity of audience, clarity of purpose.

When we work together, my goal isn’t just to produce endless amounts of content. It’s to discover the best version of your brand story that will resonate with your target customers and help you grow.