Fish Taco Syndrome and Eliminating Web-Related Cringe

Whether you’re a scrappy startup or an established tech behemoth (yeah, you with the shuttle buses between buildings―you know who you are), face-to-face interaction is still a cornerstone of how you build relationships. This is why the trade show and conference industry is still going strong, even in light of the recent recession.

According to the most recent annual Trade Show Trends Report from Exhibit Surveys, Inc., the tech industry has, on average, a traffic density of 2.9 attendees per square foot of conference space. And of these attendees, a whopping (did I seriously just write ‘whopping’?) 79% have the power to recommend or make final purchasing decisions.

So yeah, face time can clearly deliver some darn fine ROI. But what happens after everybody goes home, other than the union guys showing up (usually either wildly earlier or later than expected) to break down the booth? Well folks, that’s when your Web site takes over.

That’s right: While you’re asleep, coaching the 8-year olds in soccer, on the plane, in Aruba with your kids and mother-in-law, or sick in bed, your Web site is in charge of that crucial first impression your company makes on customers, partners, vendors, and the media.

If the thought of anyone of any importance to the success of your business reading your site makes you cringe, then we need to talk. Did your UI guy write your Web copy, simply because he was the only one who had time to do it? Or did you slide that responsibility over to the intern, whose entire professional marketing background consists of passing out flyers between her freshman and sophomore years, while dressed as a fish taco? The bottom line is this:

 Invest in getting great copy written, because it’s on the job even when you aren’t.

You can’t be everywhere at once, and a few pages of really stellar, professionally written copy can represent you, your company, and your product when you can’t be on the front lines. If you want to be able to drive traffic, generate leads, and support conversions regardless of the day or time, better call a copywriter.

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Avoiding “Sloppy Seconds” (And Why Role-Playing is Better Left to the D & D Crowd)

Today, your customers have a nearly unending variety of solutions available to address whatever business challenges they face. Whether you’re first-to-market in your industry niche, or you’ve built a better mousetrap and want to take the market by storm, you’ve got a lot of noise to overcome.

To really capture the attention of your intended audience, you need to know three basic things:

1.       What they need (And yeah, this should always come first!)

2.       What you want to tell them

3.       How to communicate it

Now, any smart marketer who has done some research and thought about messaging probably already has # 1 and #2 covered, no problem. It’s when they get to the HOW that they often stumble and fall.

Finding your true corporate voice―the one that’s going to reach out and grab your customers’ attention, even in a ridiculously loud marketplace―is one of the hardest things to do correctly.

Here are some suggestions to help you find the right voice for your copy:

• Divorce yourself from what everyone else is doing. It’s really easy to just look at your most successful competitor’s voice and tone and just pull a big, steaming pile of “me too” out of your hat. But don’t go there: The best you might get is a few of your competitor’s sloppy seconds (eeew!), and the worst you’ll get is completely ignored by everyone because you chose not to differentiate.
• Be true to your brand.  Now it’s time to just get sensible. If your offering is targeted at resolving the legal concerns of CPAs, or fulfilling the government mandates of HR organizations, you should probably set all the fun, quirky stuff aside. If your customer and your brand are both pretty buttoned-down by nature, be true to that―you can still have a voice that is unique, and that resonates without sacrificing your credibility.
• No role-playing. Are you perpetuating a false voice just because you’ve been doing it for so long and you THINK that’s what your customers expect to hear? Think about this: If your current “voice” isn’t consistent with the reality of your company, customer, or market, are your customers really hearing you, and are they buying? How much in opportunities and sales revenue have you already sacrificed because you forgot your mom’s age-old advice to “just be yourself?”

Finding your corporate voice isn’t about manufacturing something that doesn’t exist; it’s about getting real. When you find the real voice of your company, your real customers will start responding.

Make sense? If you still need help, contact me, and we can chat personally about what you need.

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Tech Startup CEOs: BACK OFF!

When you’re heading up a tech startup, you have a TON of things on your plate:

• Development
• Venture Capital
• Partners
• Marketing
• Customers
• Sales
• Channel

. . .I’d go on, but you are probably waaaaaaaay too busy to read a lengthy post about what you’re doing all day (and probably late into the night).

So why, then, are you killing yourself writing your own marketing copy?

Believe it or not, hiring a good writer does more than just get your Web site/case studies/blogs/whatever written better and faster than you could do it yourself―it can actually make a lot of those things on your to-do list easier as well.

Huh?

 Yes. Check this out:

Venture Capital – Venture capitalists want to know that you’ve got your marketing sh*t together before they give up the goods. This means they need to see polished, professional copy that speaks eloquently and persuasively to your target audience, and demonstrates knowledge of that audience’s needs. This is not something you can just jot down in the back of a cab between meetings, folks.

Partners – No company wants to hitch its wagon to an organization that does not have strong, strategic messaging that aligns with or complements its own, and a consistent presence across all media. Do you really have time to stay on top of all that?

Marketing – This almost goes without saying. Your product marketing folks are probably in overdrive developing strategies to make your offering a huge success. Don’t think you can leave it at that, though. Stellar copy that weaves those strategies into content that engages and informs will drive the leads that can take your business to the next level.

Customers – Existing customers are one of your best gateways to NEW customers. If they are not receiving clear, consistent information from your company, and they have no way to develop a relationship with you online, you will literally be tripping over missed opportunities on your way to the water cooler tomorrow. . .

Sales – Does your sales team really have what it needs in order to sell to customers? What do their customers want―and need to hear? If you haven’t had time lately to chat with your peeps out in the field, your copywriter can. Finding out about what’s really important to your target audience can be a real game-changer for copy strategy overall. Being able to deliver the specific information your sales force needs in order to sell to customers is like gold.

Channel – These folks can be a bit self-centered; they want to know just what your offering is going to do for them―and really, can you blame them? After all, The Almighty Dollar does play into this relationship right from the get-go. If potential channel partners cannot see smart, strong branding and unique customer benefits upfront, they might simply not see the vast potential in selling your product for you.

Convinced? Now, step away from that keyboard and call a brilliant copywriter today. You’ll be glad you did.

 

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The Fine Art of Getting It

Missed deadlines and stupid grammar and spelling mistakes are all valid reasons to ask your copywriter to come into your office―and close the door. For the next 30 minutes or so, you’ll spend quality time with said copywriter, going over “areas for improvement,” and coming to a sort of agreement about their performance moving forward.

But are you missing the real issues? I’m talking about the core stuff that really matters when you have someone writing marketing content on behalf of your company. In these three areas, “good enough,” just isn’t.

Think about it. Do any of these statements apply to your writers?

They Don’t Get Your Offering – What exactly are you selling, and does your writer really understand it? This goes beyond just knowing that your flagship product is an advanced network security solution that will protect your infrastructure against malware, viruses, and hackers. Do they really grasp the craziness, the damage, and the crippling business losses that can occur if a security system fails―or was never installed in the first place?

They Don’t Get Your Customers – Again, it’s easy to simply parrot whatever demographic blurb they snatched from your messaging framework; getting a real handle on the pain points is another beast entirely. Today, it’s taking Susan and her geographically dispersed team three weeks to finalize and deliver a single document using manual processes, when it could take just four days with your collaboration and sharing solution. They often find that someone has edited the wrong version of a document, sending Susan’s assistant Larry off on a hunt to figure out where the version control went all wrong. And Klaus in Germany is annoyed because he just wasted 4 hours working on what turned out to be a less-than-current version of the document. Ow. (Don’t mess with Klaus.)

They Don’t Get Your Voice – This one is actually a bigger deal than it appears to be. It probably gets discounted so often because so many companies get it wrong and don’t even know it. Content can’t be created in a vacuum; your Web sites, social media, and case studies, etc., ALL need to project the same vibe, whether it’s business casual, quirky and conversational, or brash and aggressive. Your voice is your personality, and it plays a MAJOR role in whether or not your target customers relate to you―and sign on the dotted line. We go into this in more depth in a forthcoming post.

Ultimately, if these three points aren’t being met, I would seriously recommend that you consider exploring a new writing resource. Spell check and better planning can resolve sloppiness and time-management issues, but if your writer isn’t really taking care of you on offering, customers, and voice, they might need to be “getting” our of your way. . .

 

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The Write Tool for the Job

Do you know the difference between needing to hire a marketing writer, vs. needing to hire a tech writer? Unless you are deeply ingrained with a major player in the technology industry, such as Microsoft HP, Adobe, Apple, or Google, you’re probably getting it wrong.

There have been many occasions when I’ve been contacted by a potential client (who has presumably read my Web site and already done a bit of research on me) about a new project. Once we start chatting about their needs, however, it often bubbles up that they are looking for someone to develop a reviewer’s guide, user documentation, or possibly even a technical white paper.

Now, there is nothing at all on my Web site that would lead anyone to believe that I am a technical writer, yet this person somehow assumes that this is what I do for a living, simply because I write. And people just like this seem to land on my doorstep almost weekly, looking for my assistance.

A writer is not a writer is not a writer is not a. . .well, you get the drift.

Getting your tech writing project done correctly and on time is not merely a factor of “insert writer here.” You have to have the correct resource for the job. To help alleviate any further confusion, here’s a quick cheat sheet on these two types of writers, and the types of content can realistically expect them to produce for you:

Tech Writer

• software documentation
• operating instructions
• assembly manuals
• technical blogs
• technical white papers
• e-learning materials
• online help files

Marketing Writer

• case studies
• Web sites
• direct marketing
• e-mailers
• newsletters
• slide presentations
• banner ads
• business white papers
• demo scripts
• brochures
• advertisements
• social media content
• data sheets
• SEO copy
• messaging frameworks

This of course is not an exhaustive list, but it should at least give you a concrete idea of the kind of resource you need to get your job done. Got questions? Just ask!

 

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Are You Cheating Yourself and Your Bottom Line?

It’s still hard to make a buck these days, regardless of any small economic inroads the country has made over the past couple of years. Every dollar spent and earned counts, but while you’re watching your budget, are you simultaneously ignoring one of your most cost-effective marketing resources—and cheating yourself out of new customers?

You know you love your customers, and they love you back. Are you putting that to work for your company? When a customer has a GREAT experience with your product or service, do you thank them profusely for their business and move on, or shout it from the rooftops?

Now is the time for all good marketers to start shouting like crazy.

Case studies. Yeah, those. You’ve seen them floating around, but have you really thought about how they work? In an economic climate where buyers are cautious about spending, and demanding big ROI for every single purchase they make, a case study can deliver real-world examples of the value of your product or service. This kind of third-party validation is right up there with word-of-mouth, only better, because you have control over how far and wide the story gets broadcast.

When prospects can actually read how one of their peers has directly benefited (metrics! metrics!) from working with your company, they are significantly more likely to want to learn more about what you’re offering—and sign on the dotted line.

Need help getting your customer success stories told? Don’t wait—contact us now!

  

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Should You Check Your Business Baggage at the Door?

We interrupt our discussion on stress for the following delightful blog post:

Every company, just like every person, had got some junk in its trunk―and I don’t mean that in a Jennifer Lopez sort of way. From financial missteps to ugly layoffs to product drama, even the stuff that goes on waaaaaay behind closed doors can splooge out under the door and affect your customers’ perceptions of your organization. And your bottom line.

But this post isn’t about crisis communications. No doubt there is plenty out there on the subject. When your “interim CEO” takes a hike with his personal assistant, using investor buckaroos to finance his mid-life stupidity, you do need some good, solid crisis comms. But this is different.

I’m talking about the quirks and meanderings that bought your company to where it is today. Maybe your journey would make an MBA candidate cringe, but that’s OK. Was every decision stellar? Probably not (Remember Microsoft Bob? What about New Coke?).

My point is that, unless your customers are as perfect as Oprah is purported to be (!), they can probably relate to a company that is as human as they are. Don’t beat yourself up over woulda-coulda-shoulda when it comes to a rocky past, when you can use the very issues that have shaped your organization to develop a deeper relationship with your customer.

Don’t shy away from your journey—your customer has had one, too. Acknowledge the rough-and-tumble as a valued part of the evolution of your business, and demonstrate how it will fuel your future. Show them your smarts, and they’ll give you their loyalty.

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Yeah, Ya Gotta Tweet: Social Media Really is Important

Social media. This is where you have an unprecedented opportunity to make yourself significant. By establishing yourself as a subject matter expert with social media, you create awareness of your skillset, and can even build mindshare for your brand—if you have one.

So blog, tweet, Facebook, and get yourself out there. If you’re attractive and comfortable in front of the camera, think about producing some webcasts. If you’re not attractive, even better! Let your personality become part of your brand, and spread the word.

Also get that LinkedIn profile of yours all updated and spiffy-like. And when you blog, make sure you announce it across all of your other social media channels. Site visitors to my blog jumped by 200% when a follower re-tweeted just one of my tweets announcing a new blog post. That’s powerful stuff.

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Stop Throwing Up on Your Customers

As a marketer and writer, I’m often asked to develop messaging frameworks and elevator pitches for clients. And while I agree that there’s definite value in having a concise description of your purpose or offering, today it’s just not enough.

In a marketing environment increasingly driven by social media, the “show up and throw up” aspect of the traditional elevator pitch no longer cuts it. The digital marketplace by its very nature insists that the listening be as important as the telling, and therein lies the secret sauce.

Now of course, I’m not advising that you completely eliminate your trusty elevator pitch from your arsenal of marketing tools; rather I am suggesting that perhaps you use it as a springboard to an interactive exchange with your customers.
Think of your pitch as you would a pick-up line in a bar. . .it’s simply a way to start the conversational ball rolling. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

• TMI – Does your pitch digress into too many technical details that (while fascinating and important to you) cause your listener to doze off? If they’re asleep, bored, or confused when you finish, you won’t capture the feedback you need.
•  Size Does Matter – Is your Elevator Pitch actually a Flight to Berlin Pitch? Keep it super-short to allow for quality listening time afterward.
• A Wink & a Smile – Tie up your pitch with a compelling or provocative “power question” that will get them to think, talk, and remember you.

www.poppermostcommunications.com

State Your Case―Briefly

Do you need some really strong validation for your offering? But does the thought of committing to an extensive suite of “Customer Evidence” (multi-page case studies, videos, and the like) make your budget cringe, quiver, and run for the hills?

If you want a lot of bang for only a little buck, think brief. Solution Brief, that is.

A Solution Brief, in layman’s terms, is sort of like a highly concentrated version of a case study, focusing solely on the solution’s value and benefit set. What makes them great is that they are short, to-the-point, and very cost-effective. They deliver the most essential messaging and facts to your customer in an easily digestible format. Sort of like distilling your latest blog post down to 140 characters and Tweeting the result.

Much like a standard case study, a Solution Brief will include some “Fast Facts”-type sidebar info, an overview of the business challenges addressed, the solution itself, and benefits delivered. And it does it all in a simple, 1-page format!

Now, if you really want the third-party validation that a customer case study can bring, a Solution Brief might not be the right choice for you. But if your product or service has great business value, or a strategic partnership has yielded a solution that can rock your customers’ worlds, don’t be afraid to sport some briefs. Solution Briefs, that is. : )

www.poppermostcommunications.com