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So much of good B2B writing and marketing content relies on the subject matter interview, or SME interview. In this free lesson from B2BWI, I’ll share how to approach subject matter interviews in an effective way that leads to great interview content you can use on your next project.
Watch the Subject Matter Interview lesson here:
You can also click here to review the notes of this lesson and access the SME question template.
Read about Subject Matter Interviews here:
It may be surprising to learn that in B2B, the writer doesn’t have to be the expert. We rely on a subject matter expert, or SME, to provide the information needed to write about a wide range of B2B projects, anything from how automotive transformation affects manufacturing hiring trends, to diversity and inclusion in community colleges, to analytics for retail CPG brands.
In B2C writing, it may be more important that the writer is a personality or an expert on a topic themselves (think travel blogs, fashion reviews, or exclusive interviews). But in B2B, you’re not here to put a spotlight on yourself with your original ideas and insights. You’re here to orchestrate a glorious piece of marketing content using all the resources at your disposal, including but not limited to:
- The project abstract or specs
- Online research
- The brand’s existing marketing copy
- Your past experiences as a writer
- Your marketing manager’s preferences
- Interviews with Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
When you think of the writer as the conductor, not the entire orchestra, you can look at things differently. It’s no longer “on you” to make the violins do their thing, or the cellos play in tune. You’re just there to pull them in at the right moments so the story of the music gets played. The pressure is off you to perform, so you can focus on collaborating, connecting, and following your curiosity to the best outcome for the story.
The benefit of SME Interviews
When kicking off an assignment, it’s important to ask your client if they’d like you to interview an SME for the piece. Subject matter experts can be internal to the company – researchers, executives, account managers – and sometimes these experts are external – industry experts, consultants, and more.
There are a couple of reasons SMEs get interviewed for content, including but not limited to the following:
- Make the content more interesting. There’s a lot of redundant copy out there, but SME content is almost always unique.
- Get context and perspective. Someone working in the field for 10 years will have a wealth of insights and opinions to share.
- Provide technical details and data.
- Put leadership in the spotlight (essentially marketing for the executive).
3 Steps for Perfect SME Interviews
These are the three steps are the key to conducting a successful SME interview:
Step 1: Prepare
It might come as no surprise that part of the SME interview is about overcoming nerves. And if you’re nervous about interviewing an SME, it’s likely they feel nervous about being interviewed. Even the most prestigious person may feel trepidation, wondering how the interview will go and if they will say something smart enough to make a big contribution to what you’re working on.
To be an excellent interviewer, focus less on how nervous you are, and more on how you can make your interview subject feel comfortable, smart, and interesting. Here are a few tips to help you feel prepared for your SME interviews:
- Send your outline in advance. Some companies and writers prefer to do subject matter interviews before they create an outline in order to identify potential topics or generally explore a topic further. But whenever possible, sharing the outline with the SME prior to the interview provides context for your questions.
- Send the questions in advance. Send the SME your questions in advance so they have the option to prepare, but make it clear advanced preparation is optional.
- Prepare a brief intro. Sometimes you might get put on the spot to introduce yourself. Make a quick list of who you are and what you write so you always have a one-liner handy. “My name is Sandy, I’m the writer on this project. I’ll be preparing an outline for you to review before we move to the next steps with the first draft.”
- Minimize questions. More on this in a minute, but try to limit your interview to 5-6 questions, which will lower your risk of asking anything you can easily Google (Up to 9 questions if they’re segmented or referencing all the parts of your outline).
- Go camera-free. You don’t always have to use video for SME interviews. Say hi and wave on camera, then turn your camera off if you prefer. I’ll often do this, and tell the SME, “I wanted to say hello, but I plan to turn my camera off for our talk so I can focus on listening, and so you don’t have to see my resting typing face.”
- Get a recording. Record the interview (be sure to always ask permission first!) using the meeting software such as Zoom or Google Meet, or use a program like Descript or Loom to generate a transcript. This gives you the option to refer back to a certain topic later without having to follow up with your SME.
Step 2: Listen and Keep an Eye on the Time
When you interview, step into your power. You are the stage manager and the timekeeper. The other person may be more experienced or “powerful,” but you run the call, and that means responsibility to make sure you make the most of everyone’s time and keep them on track.
During the SME interview, it’s critical you are actively listening and keeping an eye on the timer. You’re not there as a typist, assistant, or secretary – you’re leading the conversation. Sometimes, this is easy and sometimes, it’s impossible. Your only job is to try, to be there, and to be willing to lead.
For the average B2B writing project, the maximum time you need to interview an SME is 30 minutes; any more and you are likely wasting both your time and theirs. Sometimes a 60-minute call may be appropriate, but in my experience, this is very rare.
Structure the interview in blocks of time will help you manage the time, stay on track, and ensure you address all of the questions. This is the formula I find most effective;
- Intro and project summary: Share a brief summary of what the project is (they may not know, and this might be interview #6 of the day for them).
- Prepared questions: You’ll ask your prepared questions, paying attention to see if any questions are answered and where you can ask follow-up questions.
- Closing and final questions: You’ll need a few minutes to close the interview, invite other people (if applicable) to ask questions, ask the SME to share any final thoughts, and explain the next steps.
For a 30-minute interview, the time block allocation looks like this;
- 5 minutes: intro/project summary
- 15 minutes: questions
- 10 minutes: closing and final questions
Step 3: Ask the Right Questions
Developing SME questions is a bit of an art form. As you gain more experience, it becomes easier and more natural, but when first starting out, the task can feel a bit overwhelming. That’s why I developed an acronym that helps focus on the 5-6 most important things to ask about.
COCOA = Context – Offer – Customer – Opposite – Anything Else?
- Context: Most B2B writing projects will provide background information about a product, trend, or innovation. Because SMEs are immersed in the industry, they often have a unique perspective of the context around that product, trend, or innovation. Your first question should provide an opportunity for the SME to tell the story and share the context of the topic.
- “Why is it happening now? Why hasn’t it happened before? What is influencing it?“
- Offer: You’ll also want to ask a question about how the topic relates to the sponsoring company’s offer.
- “Where does this product or service fit into the discussion? What makes it new, interesting, or helpful? ”
- Customer: Along with the sponsoring company’s offer, you’ll want to ask a question about how this issue affects prospective customers.
- “What problem causes customers to reach out? How are they solving this problem now, and why isn’t that sufficient?“
- Opposite: A great way to provide dimension to an SME interview is to ask questions that force the SME to explain what’s at stake for the reader, or take a strong opinion stance.
- “What happens if a company does not make the change that we’re talking about today? Can a company ignore this topic and still be successful?“
- Anything Else? It’s quite possible you didn’t include a question about something that is important to the topic you’re writing about. Always end an SME interview by giving them the opportunity to cover anything that’s been left out.
- “Is there anything else you think is important to include about this topic?”
Subject Matter Expert Questions for B2B Writing
Here are the subject matter expert questions I start out with for every B2B writing and marketing project. Please feel free to use these and tweak for each project you tackle!
- Can you speak to the important context surrounding [TOPIC]? Why do you think this is such an important topic to discuss today?
- What happens if companies don’t address [TOPIC]? What’s at stake here?
- How are company’s currently trying to address this problem without [SOLUTION OR PRODUCT]? Why isn’t that working?
- What are some common objections a company could have for using [SOLUTION OR PRODUCT]? What do they tend to misunderstand about the tool?
- Could you share a few real or potential examples of companies that have taken a proactive approach to [TOPIC]? What does success look like?
- What else do you think is important for readers to understand about [TOPIC]?
You can be a great SME Interviewer
Interviewing a subject matter expert can be stressful and intimidating. But unless you avoid taking on assignments that involve SMEs, it’s an integral component of the B2B writing process. But armed with this roadmap, you’ll be able to prepare and conduct an SME interview that gives you the information needed to successfully complete a B2B writing project.
And remember: even the most seasoned writers still get embarrassed, tongue-tied, or forget to ask an important question. We’re all human!
This is a special look inside the B2BWI program, “The Moonshot Machine.” Click here to learn more about becoming a member and getting the invite to trainings like this every month (plus so much more!).