For many of you, my blog comes via your e-mail inbox or RSS feed reader. So you probably haven’t even noticed that something is looking a little different.
I decided it was time to give Drew’s Marketing Minute a fresh look and take advantage of some of the most current technology (plugins etc.) as I made the leap from Typepad to WordPress. We’re still making some minor tweaks, but for the most part — I’m excited to share it with you.
I often get asked — what social media/marketing conferences should I go to? Ask 100 people, you'll get 100 answers, I suspect.
But here is my answer, based on the following criteria:
~ You are a marketing professional or a business owner who wants to get a handle on how to connect with your prospects and customers through social media and/or content generation or curation. (In other words, you don't make your living just by blogging)
~ You want tangible, practical ideas you can implement when you get back to the office.
~ You want to meet some smart people who live in your world and know your challenges, pain and why you do what you do.
~ You want to hear examples of organizations your size/shape — not just Zappos and Dell.
~ You want to the leaders of the conference to be human, approachable and someone you can/will stay in contact with long after you get home.
If you nodded your head at each of those…. check out these conferences:
The speakers are excellent, the topics interesting but what makes this a must do conference is the structure. Lots of "workshop" like small group thinking. You will meet many small business owners and people in the trenches — and you will create new alliances that will serve you for years to come.
MarketingProfs B2B Forum: June 13-15 in Boston (sorry no link for event registration yet, but keep checking here)
These guys always do it right. An incredible array of approachable, knowledgeable speakers, plenty of practical how to stuff and the participants will be people you can steal plenty of ideas from — because they'll gladly share. Tons of resources/ideas will be shared here.
From David Meerman Scott, my pal CK Kerley to Ann Handley – the speakers line up is staggering. Lots of B2B thinking here… as well as plenty for you B2C folks. Lots of case studies, and you're going to want to bring two people, just to cover the "how to" break out sessions.
You probably can't go to them all — but do your best to get to at least one. It will be one of the best marketing investments you make all year long.
If you look at most marketing copy — it's about the "thing" — whatever is being sold. We get features and generic benefits but our focus and the thrust of the message sits squarely on the shoulders of the product or service.
And it's no wonder. When you focus on something, you tend to write/talk about it.
Let's demonstrate.
If I asked you to write a headline for an ad selling these red shoes to the right — what would your headline say?
(Seriously, take a couple minutes and jot a few down…play along!)
Okay, for many of you your headlines probably ran along the lines of:
Isn't it time to get sassy?
Give your feet some sassy for Valentine's Day
Stop traffic without lifting a finger
Nothing wrong with those…but they are a bit generic. They be be speaking to anyone of any age, income bracket, marital status, etc.
Why? Because we don't actually know who we're talking to…other than we probably assumed it was a woman, so the copy tends to be generic. The more generic your audience (in your mind) the more generic the copy. Which forces us to focus on the "thing."
Which is why personas are so critical to your marketing success. Do you know who your business is talking to? And don't say everyone. Every business should know who their best customers are. These are the people who create the core of your customer base. Creating personas based on this customer base is critical to targeting your message. I wrote about personas and shared some examples a few years back. (click on the link to read).
Let's try the shoe example again but now I'm going to tell you about the customer. Her name is Leslie and she's 15. She's in that awkward half girl/half woman stage and she wants to grow up so badly. She's a good kid, active in school and loves to hang at the mall with her friends. She spends much of her free time texting, reading fashion magazines and watching MTV's reality shows.
I could add (and should if this was a real persona) much more depth but you get the idea. Now try your headline again.
Mine might be: Your dad is going to hate these shoes
Very specific and very much about my audience — rather than about the product. That's what personas do. They shift our focus to the prospect rather us talking about ourselves. You can't create a love affair with a generic customer. Getting to know your personas and really seeing them as a living, breathing person
Using personas is a very helpful trick for writing stronger copy, creating content that gets shared, developing customer service programs, making your website sticky and driving sales. If you haven't developed 3-4 personas for your brand — put it on your to do list for Q1 of 2011. It will make the rest of the Q's
About 12 months ago, people thought I was crazy for launching the Drew McLellan app for both the iPhone and the Droid (download it for free by clicking on the link in the sidebar) but I was just jumping on a trend's tsunami of a wave — all to get my ideas and recommendations out to you.
If you prefer to access information with your smart phone, I want to be there too. It's that simple. Is your company thinking along the same lines?
The trend's wave, if anything, is getting larger. The usage numbers are staggering and I think we're at the tip of the iceberg here. Watch this short video and imagine the numbers in 2 or 5 years. (e-mail subscribers, click here to view the video)
If you haven't asked yourself and your team these questions — you'd better get to it:
How are we going to reach our customers, prospects and/or employees via mobile?
How quickly can we get started?
Are our competitors already using mobile? How far behind are we?
If we'd be first — how far ahead would we be?
Experts predict that by 2020, most of us will be using our mobile device as our primary tool for accessing the web.
Selling isn't a one size fits all proposition. I'm not telling you anything new when I say — the more you know about your prospect, the better the experience for all concerned.
We've all read the sales books that talk about being observant when you walk into someone's office. You know — noting that they have pictures of their Irish Setter, their golf outings and their twin boys on their desk — you strike up conversations about those interests and make a connection between you and the prospect.
That's all well and good but especially if you have a product/service with a long sales cycle you'd better know who they are long before you step foot in their office.
But for many of us — in this world of social media, consumer driven content and a 24/7 world — we start talking to our customers before they're even on the radar screen as a customer. They're aware of us long before we're aware of them.
I have to tell you, as this blog has grown and gained more attention — I still write for Ian, Erin and Patrick with every post. And I'm guessing you are very much like one of them or you wouldn't keep coming back.
Keep in mind what selling is all about. (or at least my opinion of what it's all about) It's about putting yourself out there as you genuinely are and inviting people in for a look. If you attract the right people — they'll buy.
As I said in the opening paragraph — the more you know about your prospects, the better the experience. Part of what makes that experience good is that you aren't trying to sell ice to eskimos. You're attracting the right kinds of buyers — people and companies who truly need or want what you sell. You don't have to ram it down their throats. People hate being sold to — but they want to buy.
Use both versions of personas (mine and RainToday's) to have a good, honest conversation with the right prospects. Talk about them, what they care about, and where they need some help.
Then, be ready to make the sale.
Remember — RainToday is closing their Selling Consulting Services course on Friday, January 28th. You can check it out here. Once you click the link, you can also download their free report (whether you sign up for the course or not) The New Rules of Selling Consulting Services in 2011.
Full Disclosure: While RainToday has offered to pay me a small commission if anyone signs up for the course, I am sharing this with you because I think you’ll find tremendous value in it. Otherwise, I wouldn't put your trust on the line.
My greatest teacher when it comes to all things marketing was not a professor or professional mentor.
It was Walt Disney.
Somehow, in the midst of ROI, measurability, counting clicks and studies that can track a person’s eye movements to see what part of an ad captures their attention first — we have forgotten that marketing and branding is ultimately about wooing and winning someone’s heart.
But Walt never did.
At MMG, we talk a lot about creating a love affair with your customer… but Walt knocked it out of the park and his cast members continue to do it today, with every guest interaction and every new story told.
A few years ago, in the midst of one of our annual pilgrimages to the Mouse, I wrote a series of blog posts that later became an e-book spotlighting some of the many ways that Walt Disney demonstrated his marketing chops.
These are tips that any business — B2B or B2C — can employ. I'd love to share it with you and have you share it with others.
The whole world is abuzz about Groupon. And who doesn't love $10 worth of Cold Stone Creamery ice cream for $5? But is Groupon right for your business?
Groupon and other social-coupon sites (like LivingSocial and SocialBuy) all work the same way — a specified number of people have to pre-purchase the coupon for the deal to be activated. In theory, that's how everyone wins. Groupon makes a prescribed amount, the buyers get a super deal and the retailer gets a guaranteed influx of cash and in theory, new customers.
But…is it right for you? Here are the big pros and cons, as I see them.
Pro:
Big advertising boost. Groupon subscribers number in the tens of thousands or more in most cities. This is a very efficient way to generate a significant word of mouth buzz, especially if you get creative in your offer.
Exposure to many new customers. It stands to reason that you're going to see a lot of new people coming through the door. Impress them and hopefully they'll come back again and pay full price.
A way to test a new product or service. Want to know if the market is interested in something new? If the Groupon coupon tips — you might well have a winner!
Con:
Does the math work? Keep in mind that Groupon takes a pretty good sized cut. Half the rate charged plus 2.5% interest per transaction. (Here's a Groupon ROI calculator you can use). So depending on your cost of goods and how many people actually redeem the coupon, you could lose your shirt like Posie's Cafe.
What does it do to your customer/vendor/employee experience? Can your business handle a huge influx of buyers? How will the increased traffic impact your loyal customers? Your vendors? Your employees? Be sure you take all of that into account before you sign up.
What does it say about your brand? Do you want to be seen as a deep discounter? Does offering a 50% off price say something about your quality, margin or pricing strategy? How will your regulars feel about the fact that they've been paying full price all this time?
Lots of opinions out there but really, it's something you need to examine for your specific business. Use the ROI calculator, weigh the pros and cons… and make the call.
How those employees look, act and perform their job functions speaks volumes to customers, prospects and even the other employees.
As I was driving into work this morning, I was behind a car with the vanity plate NAWTGRL. At first I just laughed to myself but then I got to thinking about the consequences of a license plate like that.
Putting legalities aside…let's say that you had interviewed a woman and found her to be qualified for a client-centric job opening. She would be out and about on your behalf (in her vehicle) and clients would not only see her but probably ride in her car to meetings, lunches etc.
In your mind, as the interview was winding down, you were thinking that she might be a good fit. But as you walked her to the door, you noticed her license plate — NAWTGRL.
Would that influence your decision to hire her and have her represent your organization?
How do you balance a prospective or current employee's right to express themselves (vanity plates, tattoos, hair color/style, piercings, extreme (either side) political opinions/signage in their office, etc.) or do you think that has no business being a part of your hiring decision?
I don't know the "right" answer — just curious to hear your thoughts.
Running a website can be a challenge. But today, having a website that works hard for you 24/7 is a business given.
Here are three things every business owner must have on their website.
Call to Action
Visitors need direction. With ever-shortening attention spans, you have moments to engage your visitor and guide them to the next step in the sales process. Determine what you want your visitors to do (submit a contact form, sign up for your newsletter or purchase your product) and make sure you have a prominent call to action on every page of your website. This could be your phone number in the header, a newsletter sign up form or a big green “Buy Now” button. Whatever it is, it needs to be obvious.
A clear call to action isn’t just about adding a big button, it’s also about reducing clutter. Strip away any irrelevant content and links, and stick to the essentials.
Compelling Copy
Copy is what helps drive your visitors to take action. Without an effective headline or explanation of your value proposition, most visitors won’t make it past the homepage. Compelling copy should be short, simple and motivating.
Short – As I mentioned earlier, your visitors have a limited attention span. Try to communicate your message with as few sentences as possible. When paragraphs are unavoidable, use headlines, bullet points and section headers to organize text.
Simple – Use simple language and short sentences. Every message should be boiled down to its core, avoiding industry jargon and acronyms. Always write as if you are speaking to a class of 6th graders who have never heard of your product or service before.
Motivating – Your copy should drive action! Replace dry mission statements and boring product specs with emotion and humor.
Consistent User Experience
Creating a “consistent user experience” is a little less concrete, and in some cases more difficult to achieve, but it is an important concept to be aware of. User experience is the way users feel about your company while interacting with your website. Several factors influence user experience:
Design – Your design should reflect your brand. It should also resonate with your prospective customers. For example, a home improvement website targeted at middle-aged men, should “feel” like a place where men want to buy tools, tile and hardwood.
Credibility – Design also plays an important role in website credibility. It may be shallow, but a visitors first impression of your company is formed within seconds of landing on your homepage. Credibility isn’t just about having fancy seals on your checkout page, it’s about creating an environment that is transparent, professional and forthcoming.
Ease of use – Visitors should be able to navigate your website without getting frustrated, lost or confused. This includes adhering to web standards, providing clear, consistent navigation and creating an intuitive user interface.
Getting Started
Not sure where to start? Fortunately there is an abundance of affordable, easy to use online tools that can help you identify areas of your website that need immediate attention.
UserTesting.com (starting at $39/user) offers videos of real users completing tasks on your website.
Concept Feedback (starting at $99/expert) provides website evaluations from experts in design, usability, strategy and copy.
ClickTale (paid plans start at $99/month) allows you to watch your visitors browsing your website, as well as analyze heatmaps and conversion funnels.
Have a tool or technique of your own? Let us know in the comments!
This guest post was by Andrew Follett, the founder of ConceptFeedback.com, a website feedback tool offering fast, affordable website evaluations from design, usability and strategy professionals. Evaluations provide specific recommendations to grow revenue and increase conversion rates. You can follow Andrew on Twitter, or by reading his website optimization blog.
Note: The Concept Feedback links are affiliate links.
Selling has always been tough. But with the economy, changes in buyer behavior, the web, social media, sales enablement tools, and increased competition — holy buckets!
To make 2011 a year of growth and prosperity, the folks at RainToday, voted the Top Sales Resource in the world in 2010, are opening enrollment to their popular Selling Consulting Services with RAIN Selling online course next week.
I have personally looked through the entire course, listened to the audio files, watched the webinars…and done some of the exercises. I can tell you — this is good stuff.
Special Drew's Marketing Minute Deal to Enroll in Selling Consulting Services
I’ve worked out an extra special deal for you. When you sign up within the next 2 days, here’s what they’re going to do:
~ Reduced tuition for the first month: Tuition for the program is $149 / month. They’re offering you the opportunity to try the program out for just $97 for the first month. For just $97 you’ll gain access to the first few lessons, forums, and February’s live Q&A coaching call. The entire program takes 4 months to complete.
~ Free copy of How Clients Buy Professional Services Benchmark Report: As an added bonus, when you sign up for the program, you’ll also receive a free copy of How Clients Buy Professional Services Benchmark Report (a $345.00 value), absolutely free.
Best of all — you get to check it out for 30 days and if you don't like it – Cancel with no obligation, don’t pay a penny, and keep all the content from the 1st month.
To take advantage of this extra special early enrollment deal, you must sign up in the next 2 days. Click this link: Selling Consulting Services and click the “Sign Up Now” button.
Here’s just some of what you’ll learn in this comprehensive program:
How to keep the front end of the pipeline full with qualified prospects while maintaining your practice with active clients
Step-by-step how to lead masterful sales conversations in any situation
The real deal with objections and how to overcome them (often it’s not what you think)
Follow-up techniques that turn prospects into clients
The 4 things to do when clients pressure you for lower fees
3 keys to developing a winning value proposition and describing complex services in a non-technical way to get prospects excited about you and your services
Questioning strategies and techniques that allow you to uncover the full set of needs and provide maximum value
How to make the business impact of your services clear so you can sell more with less buyer resistance
Why buyers want to pay more for your services
Your step-by-step guide to creating proposals that win
How to bring in a predictable flow of profitable new clients
You too can start feeling more confident and comfortable with your selling by enrolling in this program.
Remember, when you sign up you’ll immediately gain access to the first lesson, the members-only forums, 8 months of instructor-led coaching teleseminars, and RainToday’s popular How Clients Buy Benchmark Report (a $345.00 value). Check it out now: Selling Consulting Services.
Full Disclosure: While RainToday has offered to pay me a small commission if anyone signs up for the course, I am sharing this with you because I think you’ll find tremendous value in it. Otherwise, I wouldn't put your trust on the line.
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