Hi @pinnacle1234,
Awesome questions. I feel your pain on the “old school” comment…most of our work is in the manufacturing space. 
- If you can’t support it with your own data, try and find more general data to show success. That will speak volumes to old-school ears.
- Along with data, show real-life examples. If they can see how a similar business is using content, it’s much easier for them to understand. If it’s a competitor, even better!
- Try and find a time in which the client has used content to help inform their own decisions.
Getting started:
- Start with a plan and a strategy. Identify the topics the audience cares about and start to limit your focus.
- Use tools (SEMRush, Answer the Public, etc.) to find out which topics will be most impactful, but also not over-saturated.
- If you still need to convince someone, start with a proof of concept, but set appropriate expectations. Content marketing won’t be an overnight success, but even small wins can help increase excitement.
- Use a content calendar of some sort. However, be cautious of planning out too far in advance. You may find that if you plan too far out, the topics won’t be as relevant or there will be better, more pressing topics to write about at that time. We typically don’t identify topics beyond 3 months.
Those are a few things that come to mind. Good luck!
Josh