Here is this week’s worst sentence found on the web and a revision.
BEFORE
“Now, it is also important when you read that answer that you realize that if you have an Upsell process and/or a “BACK END” or call center, you MUST take into considersation [sic] the effects your FRONT END offer and conversions play on your BACK END to see the NET RESULT of your campaign.”
AFTER
To see the net result of your campaign, measure the effects your front end offer and conversions have on your back end.
When hiring a writer for the first time, you may not be certain what you need to provide. So I thought I would share what I have found to be helpful as a writer, and as an editor or project manager.
Tip #1 Define your objectives. Are you trying to increase awareness, entertain or solicit a response?
Tip #2 Know what specific areas you want covered. A brainstorming session with a writer will help clarify your thoughts and the direction you want to go.
Tip #3 Suggest resources you know and trust. If you are asking a writer to talk with a customer, contact the customer in advance to let them know a writer will be calling. If you are interviewing sources within your company, let the writer know the best way to reach them. Provide email addresses as well as cell phone numbers. It is much more efficient to arrange a time for an interview via email, than via phone.
Tip #4 Think about tone. How do yo want the copy to sound? Do you want it to be conversational or authoritative? Funny or serious? If you are having a hard time defining it, find examples of writing styles you like and forward them to the writer.
Tip #5 Learn about word counts. How many words do you need? Do you want the writer to locate photography? These are variables that should be decided at the outset. You may not be used to working in word counts, but having a good idea of length makes for a more efficient process. If you ask for a 300 word blog post, don’t accept 1,000 words. It’s a lot harder to write concisely than it is to write “long.” But don’t ask the writer to cover the world in 300 words, either.
Tip #6 Set a realistic deadline. Most writers need three to four weeks for a feature article, especially if there are a number of people to interview. Your writer will likely be working on other projects as well as yours. Sometimes there are stumbling blocks, such as a person that is not available for an interview.
Tip #7 Give good feedback in a timely manner. A few days or even a week after the copy is submitted is fine. Personally, I like to see edits in RED. It helps me understand what you like and don’t like. Learn how to use “Track Changes” in Microsoft Word. If the writer missed the mark, a phone call, rather than an email is probably a better way to get the project back on track. Avoid the temptation to re-write the piece. That’s what you are paying for.
Writing is a time-consuming task that requires skillful attention. It is difficult to find the uninterrupted time you need to write. Hiring a professional writer is a great way to get the kind of engaging, valuable content you need to drive traffic to your website. Have you worked with a writer before? What do you think is most important to a successful outcome?
DON’T BE … A WORD HOG
The Word Hog relies heavily on copy to convey a message. In this example, too many choices and too much reading slows the laptop buyer down.
http://www.toshibadirect.com/td/b2c/laptops.to
DO BE … A VISUAL THINKER
Use graphics to support the text and guide the user through the decision-making process. On this page from Lenova, the bold red and blue boxes and the graphics below serve to separate Professional Grade computers from “Lifestyle” choices. Two choices vs. twenty makes for a much better user experience.
As a parent, I hate Nike.
But as a marketer, they command my respect. Their brand is embedded in my 13-year-old son’s brain. Their content engages him. He spends hours on their website dreaming about the athletic feats he will accomplish in their shoes. They even let him design his own shoes online. Whoever doesn’t believe that advertising works doesn’t spend much time with 13-year-olds. His lives in a world where only the latest and greatest brands will do.
I have resigned myself to giving him a shoe allowance, and anything over and above this amount, he pays for out of his birthday or report card money. He will gladly shell out his hard earned cash for anything and everything with a swoosh on it.
In contrast, I buy my athletic shoes out of the clearance rack at a discount store. The name brand doesn’t mean that much to me in the case of athletic shoes. But my son, he just doesn’t see it this way.
Clearly Nike is selling more than shoes. It provides a young man with confidence. My son wants to look cool to his friends, and with Nike, he’s pretty sure he will. He wants to feel a certain way, and the shoes, that’s what does it for him.
Can B-to-B marketers learn a lesson from Nike? I think so. But to inspire that kind of brand loyalty requires thinking beyond the “product attributes.” What can you do to enhance the total experience; to engage the customer; to make them “feel” something about your brand? Are you ready to let them design it and customize it right on your website? Do you know what their real motivations are? What b-to-b brands do you think have the same kind of loyalty as Nike?
I may not like what Nike has done to my son, but I can learn from it. And if I could request just one thing from Nike, it would be this. Maybe just once a year, could you do a little something for the Moms? You know a coupon would be really nice.
What level of engagement are you seeking from your online B2B sites?
While writing the following sentence I was stopped in my tracks. “Cut the clutter by creating content that addresses the needs and interests of your …” Should the word be audience or community? I paused to ponder more than a word choice. Before adding content to a site, the level of visitor engagement should be identified.
What word would you use for your business? If you choose to address an audience the view is that your prospects and customers are listeners and observers ready to receive your message. When addressing a community sharing valued content is at the forefront.
If you plan to talk to visitors you will probably choose the word “audience.” GFI Genfare sells fare collection systems to public transit agencies. Their content strategy focuses on constructing a compelling message, reaching the right audience, and giving them relevant information to help reinforce a buying decision. On their website they list their products with specifications, customer support services, and how to get in touch with them. There are no links to social media sites. Most of their sales are done face-to-face offline. In this case, my sentence would end with the word “audience.”
When building a community an effective strategy focuses on sharing content. Lots of shareable content makes work easier for your visitors. You may feature people who manage the company and those who buy from the business in videos, include interactive navigation buttons, and participate in online conversations via social media channels the way Jani-King does.
Here are some entries from their Facebook page:
“Research shows that in 30 seconds a new customer forms an immediate impression of your business. Business cleaning is key! http://goo.gl/IF0lC (research source).
“Check out the amazing story of how the Detroit Jani-King franchise played a major part in the Metrodome stadium collapse” with a link to a story reported on Marketwire.com.
On Twitter, Jani-King shared this: “Read some interesting key facts on commercial cleaning here http://ow.ly/3saJE.” They link back to an article on their website that includes cleanliness facts reported by independent sources.
Jani-King has an RSS feed for their posts covering topics such as “Three Reason to Clean Green.” The site includes icons for each of the industries they serve and multiple ways for visitors to interact. Click on Cleaning Services and one might expect a list of services but instead a 3-D map appears with buildings that represent the industries they serve. Jani-King links to their partners’ websites, including 3M.
In his book Smarter, Faster, Cheaper author David Siteman Garland writes about the benefit of community over audience or individual customers. “A community spreads your content and products. A community refers you to others, builds loyalty, and wants to help you as much as you help it.”
Know the level of engagement you seek from your website and it will help the content process. In the end, I constructed my sentence this way: “Cut through the clutter by creating content that addresses the needs and interests of your site visitors.” It’s up to the company to decide – audience or community?