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Zoooommm! That's the sound of July speeding by. Hopefully you are staying cool and enjoying the simple pleasures of summer (if it's summer where you live!). Lots of great posts from around the blogosphere this week - enjoy while sitting by the pool or sipping a fun beverage.
Happy Friday!
Starbucks Digital Social Strategy (video) - by Willis Wee via @PennOlson
Starbucks may not be a B2B brand, but there are still some philosophical and tactical takeaways from this presentation by Brooke Wheeler, director of Starbuck's social strategy.
How I Use LinkedIn for Content Intelligence - by @ConversationAge
Great tips on maximizing your LinkedIn time from Valeria Maltoni including a video that outlines all the groups features you need to know about to get the most out of your networking.
How to Create an Email Newsletter from Your Blog - by @bmassey on @junta42
According to Hubspot research, 12 times as many people subscribe via email as via RSS. If you're not reaching out via Email, you're missing the boat. Here's an easy and efficient way to do it.
True Confession - I Don't Have a Social Media Strategy - by @Diannahuff
Tired and confused by all the fancy-schmancy strategy charts, graphs, and spreadsheets? Dianna Huff offers a refreshing way to tackle the social scene, "Strategy, when it comes to social media, is overrated."
Online Marketing Research: Get your free digital copy of the Q2 2010 MarketingExperiments Quarterly Research Journal - by @mktgexperiments
Ok - we haven't read this cover to cover (yet), but just the table of contents has got us thinking. Comprehensive report covering integration, optimization, and other equally titillating topics.
Startup Messaging - by @aprildunford
April shares her presentation from democamp. Love the straight-forward, yet critical insights about what goes into messaging ... and what shouldn't. Excellent reality check!
Twitter Irrelevant? No, Advertising Age Blew It - by @markwschaefer
While dissembling Advertising Age's recent article claiming the irrelevance of Twitter to businesses, Mark makes soms great observations about what's working in 140-character world. And, believe us, stuff IS working!
This post is part of my “Marketing According to Mother Nature” series. From the birds and the bees to sharks and wildebeests, the natural world is full of metaphors that provide surprisingly relevant marketing insights. Take a walk on the wild side – you never know what might inspire you.
I have an embarrassing admission to make. Up until recently, I was doing business as a Jane-of-all-trades. When someone asked me what I did, I’d answer “anything anyone will pay me for,” adding as an afterthough, “as long as it’s legal.” A girl has to have boundaries. The line always got a laugh, but never landed me any work.
Entrepreneurial Enthusiasm
I know what it’s like. You’ve just launched your business and you’re super excited to tell the world about it. You’re also seriously nervous. I mean, you’ve sunk everything into this project, taken the leap of faith, and really, really want it to work. Your plan is to do as much as possible for as many people as possible. After all, you’ve got a lot of legit skills and products, why shouldn’t you put them all out there? Why shouldn’t you pitch to every prospect that comes along? It only makes sense that the more people you pitch, the bigger your business will be … law of averages, right?
Stop right there. Step away from the megaphone and the mass mailing list.
Ever heard of a niche? No, it’s not an exotic bird or some kind of communicable disease. A niche is, according to Merriam-Webster’s, a place, employment, status, or activity for which a person or thing is best fitted.
Let’s talk turkey – or, rather, songbirds.
I’ve always been an avid birder. Go ahead and make the geek jokes. It’s okay. I’ve come to terms with it. I love spotting unfamiliar birds and looking up their particulars in one of my many bird books. I can name almost all the local species by sight, and many by call.
One of my favorite pastimes is feeding the little buggers. I get an inordinate amount of pleasure from watching my feathered friends as they gobble up pound after pound of premium birdseed. And, that’s where the niche thing comes in. For those not in the know, certain kinds of seed attract certain kinds of birds. What appeals to a chickadee or a sparrow just won’t do it for a finch or an oriole.
If you’re serious about attracting a particular species, you have to get serious about creating the perfect environment for that species.
Building bird nirvana
There are a few things to consider when attempting to make your place an irresistible birdie hangout:
The right food
As noted above, each species has a favorite food. You need to learn about what should be on the menu – certain seeds, fruit and nuts, or maybe some nice suet.
In your business, the right food is a combination of your content and your products or services. You need to get crystal clear about what is more attractive to your perfect prospect. What information and support is going to make them drop whatever they’re doing to beeline it to your place?
The right feeder
In addition to specialized food, birds have preferences about feeders. Some birds prefer a net-style feeder to the typical perch style. Some feeders are simply too small to accommodate larger birds. When you’re talking marketing, the feeder is the delivery mechanism. In the case of content, think about what type of medium is best for your audience – a blog, an Email newsletter, live Webinars or teleseminars, multimedia presentations, audio podcasts, hard copy collateral. Sometimes, just presenting your information in the right format can make all the difference.
The right environment
Finally, you’ve got to create the right environment for the birds’ dining experience. It won’t do you any good to put out primo seed in the perfect feeder if your backyard is under construction or home to a bunch of boisterous kids with a penchant for throwing things at birds. Even the wrong type of foliage, too much sunlight, or placing the feeder too far from cover can ruin all your best intentions.
Your business needs to provide a welcoming environment where your prospects feel comfortable, safe, and like they’ve made the right decision. The visual aspects (branding, Web presence, collateral) and personality of your business help you create the right ambiance.
But, what about the other birds?
Here’s where the niche thing comes in. This is the most important piece of the puzzle. Are you ready? You can’t care about the other birds.
Once you’ve decided which bird you’re trying to attract, you must focus on that bird, and that bird alone. You need to deliver exactly what that bird wants and needs. In fact, attracting other species may keep the one you’re after from venturing into your yard. Jays, for instance, are notorious for chasing off smaller birds. If you put out a generic feed that the jays like, you’ll find that they quickly take over the territory.
Now, this isn’t to say that – as you expand – you can’t create multiple environments in your yard for different kinds of birds. You just have to do it carefully and consciously. It’s best to focus on one species at a time and then build carefully so you don’t jeopardize your initial success.
Bottom line: Get focused. Pick your niche. Identify your perfect customer and learn everything you can about her. Serve her favorite dish on a silver platter & become the go-to provider for that species.
Good luck & happy “birding!”
About the Author: Jamie is a freelance consultant and copywriter who partners with small businesses, start-ups, and creative professionals to define and market their brands. Her specialties include brand development, social media strategy, and content marketing. Enjoy more of her posts, or drop her an email.
More posts by Jamie.
Other posts in the Marketing According to Mother Nature series:
You must be the same as everyone else, but different.
Isn't that just the way it always is? And isn't that why the not so creative as well as the overly creative kids always ate their own lunch tables? The ends of the bell curve are recognized and sometimes even rewarded but let's face it, they're not embraced by the many.
Most people want difference... to a degree.
Being the same but different is the ultimate goal of all marketers. You have to push boundaries and yet still be recognizable. Not an easy thing to do.
Which is why so many fail at doing it.
Many people think that constantly living on the edge is what will get them recognized, they want to be the Lady Ga Gas of marketing. They want to be the superstar making headlines for another crazy move on their part.
It's a technique that works, and in some cases works well – until people get tired of it. Then what?
Promoting yourself in any manner or by following a trendisn’ta disciplined approach to getting noticed. No one who has gotten far in the name recognition business has ever succeeded like that. Oh sure, a flash in the pan is exciting, you get immediate attention but before you know it, the only recognition you're getting is in one of those retrospective “Where are they now” pieces.
How do you ensure lasting recognition?
Shout out your niche
You just can't be all to all but you can be all to some. If you're area is too broad, you lose respect in the areas of your true expertise. Concentrate in what you are good at and of which you possess extraordinary knowledge.
Why on earth would I want to be represented by a jack of all trades when I can get the services of someone who knows exactly who my competitors are, their strengths, and weaknesses? If I'm getting a divorce, then I want the best divorce lawyer around, not someone who can has handled a few divorces cases over the years. If you're consistently good, people will find you, stick with you, and most important, recommend you to others.
Let people know what it is that you do and then do it well.
Constantly stress why people need you and not why you need those people
Too often are the promotions that scream something along the lines “Choose me because I am … (qualified, credentialed, educated) and too little are the promotions that focus on the audience first. When I was selling my first condo, the young realtor I had contacted first led me through a PowerPoint presentation of his company (did I really care? I had already done my research) and then presented his pitch which was basically, you need to sell the house and I need to make money. We both benefit.
Forgive me for being a little selfish but I didn't necessarily want to hear how he would make money off of my investment, I wanted to hear how he was going to go about getting the best price for my property. I showed him the door and contacted the next person on my list.
Remember, it's not about you, it's about them. You might be surprised at how much marketing is done to stroke the client's ego. While you might end up with a pleased client, you're going to also end up with a lot of customers who are going to be thinking “yeah, well what about me?”
Instead of telling people how you would benefit if they chose you, tell them how they would so greatly benefit from your services it would be ridiculous to even consider anyone else.
Have an ongoing vision
Create a future for your audience, don't let them stagnant. To use a current writing example, design your story with sequels in mind. One of the first questions a publisher will ask of a story is “how can we turn this into a series?” J.K. Rowling was one of the first to do this with her Harry Potter stories and as a result, rare are the Young Adults books now, that aren't part of a series.
If something is good, people inherently want more.
There should never be an end point for your services. As a marketer you always need to hint at the next step., the next product, the bigger, better, and stronger. At the very least you can update previous information or products to reflect current changes. Let your customer know that you've got their back and are willing to do the legwork in order to make them look good.
Wendy E.N. Thomas is a freelance writer and Instructional Design Consultant for High-Tech Businesses. She is located in New Hampshire, U.S and has over 25 years experience in the High-tech field as a Technical Writer/Instructional Designer.
A features writer, interviewer, and columnist, Wendy has been published in national magazines, newspapers, e-zines, and blogs.
Her current project is to blog about life lessons learned while living with 6 kids and a flock of chickens.
Well it is Tuesday again and time for another roadtrip down the Savvy backroads for a look back at some posts that make us infamous as Lead Generation gurus.
Follow the advice in these posts to avoid orange barrel road blocks and billboard spam that can be so frustrating in Lead Gen. Pack a picnic lunch this week and hit a rest stop along the way as you reflect on the power of marketing in B2B Lead Gen.
Eight Things Your Prospects Wish You Knew
If you can master these (pretty obvious yet good to be reminded of) keys, your content will be more targeted, your promotions better received, and your connections more meaningful
Easy Money in 5 Simple Steps
You’ve got some warm leads staring you right in the face. Do you know how to reach and convert them? It’s easier than you might think.
Don’t Get Lost in the Crowd at Your Next Trade Show
How to make your next trade show a lead generation success!
Mama Nature’s Marketing Tips: Stop Trying to Impress the Wrong Species
No, really, please stop. It’s embarassing and you’re never going to land those leads. Trust me. They just aren’t that into you.
If you write it they will come? Not necessarily
A tight economy means you need more focused marketing efforts. White papers are powerful lead generation tools with an attractive cost-benefit ratio. How to get one written that get results.
3 Simple Title Tweaks That Can Help White Paper Marketers Drive More Leads
You have created the perfect white paper. But you can’t drive leads or close sales if your target market doesn’t notice it. Luckily, grabbing your prospect’s attention is as easy as spending some focused energy on your title.
When Sales is from Mars and Marketing is from Venus
What’s with the disconnect between sales and marketing, and what can YOU do about it? Answering this question will send lead generation through the roof.
It’s a fine line. You want to tell your prospects EVERYTHING as soon as you get their attention. They want only enough info to make a quick decision about taking the next step. So how do you keep from scaring them off and / or boring them to death and actually get them more interested in your product?
I could make a lot of comparisons to dating here, which would be totally relevant. But an even easier exercise is to ask yourself this two part question:
- What is the next step you can reasonably expect your prospect to take after reading this piece of collateral?
- What information will they need in order to take that next step?
Of course, answering these questions is not an easy matter. While you might like every prospect to call you begging to order your latest product from a single banner ad,that’s not very realistic. Unfortunately, a lot of companies – especially in this economic climate – expect a whole lot of bang for their buck. But that “bang” may be the sound of them shooting themselves in the foot.
In general, brochures, emails, product sheets, traditional and social media, and even your top level web pages are an invitation to find out more. While each of these are different length and styles, the main goal is to give the prospect just enough information to pique their interest and then provide them with clear instructions on how to find out more.
Case studies, white papers, technical specs and the like are the main course of decision-making. Your prospects will want to dig into as much info as you are willing to give them – and probably forward it and discuss it around the office – before they pick up the phone to talk to a live sales person.
Once they’ve done their own background research, the next step is to call a sales rep for more answers. So make sure your “deeper” collateral has appropriate calls to action and contact information.
If you try to jump the line on any of these steps you run the risk of looking unprofessional or worse – desperate. That can shut the prospect down and send them looking for a competitor who will give them the information they want – when they want it.
Gotten any “overshare” marketing communications recently?
Have any tips for talking clients out of three-page email blasts?
About the author: Kate Headen Waddell is a strategic copywriter specializing in web copy, white papers, case studies, solution briefs and other B2B marketing tools. You can visit her website at www.smartb2bmarcom.com.
