The hook

Posted on November 1, 2013 by Ann James

Without a hook it’s just words. The hook is the aha, the penny dropping. It may come to you at the oddest moment, but I think that may well be the one that makes the connection. Summarise your message and tease out the hook, it’s in there and it’s worth waiting for.

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Think like a customer, act like one too.

Posted on October 13, 2013 by Ann James

I’ve had two instances online today, where I doubt that the customer experience team has ever actually put themselves in the position of a visitor and worked through a common journey. One was an airline, where online check-in left me in limbo even though I was logged in. The other was a sports membership where I was trying to upgrade from free associate to paid full member. Being already logged in, and offering a path to upgrade, it then told me that my chosen login was already in use so I could not proceed. Yes, by me… come on guys, make an effort. Think and behave like a customer, experience all the common journeys and if you get it right you’re the one. So often the differentiator is in actions, perceptions and success, not the product itself.

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Stories, that’s what makes it real

Posted on September 27, 2013 by Ann James

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2013/09/words-sentences-paragraphs-stories.html

He’s right, of course. The story puts the facts in context, so we ‘get it’. How much easier is it to remember something around which a story is spun, rather than just being given the bare facts. It goes for everything, for b2b too. More so maybe, when the features and benefits are staring you in the face, stop and weave the tale that transforms them for the customer. Then you’re different. Then you’ll stand out.

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Does ‘so what’ come before or after?

Posted on August 21, 2013 by Ann James

I’d put a quick round of ‘so what’ in first. Then again in public airing, most likely. But this is too true…

http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451b31569e2019104dbc27f970c

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Imagine. just, imagine…

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Ann James

Imagine how compelling marketing would be, if all campaigns had ‘imagine’ at their heart. You’d cut out the dull, dreary, unnecessary and over complicated facts and figures, and paint a picture that just might resonate with your customer. You’d share their pain and imagine their joy, share their journey and show you understand their goals. Maybe with fewer words, or just the ones that matter, and a select use of imagery to establish the connection. Imagine how compelling b2b marketing could be, with a little creativity. And imagination.

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Don’t forget the human touch

Posted on June 30, 2013 by Ann James

In all our excitement about multichannel engagement in customer journeys, have we forgotten about personal contact? Face to face, person to person, great service delivered on site can leave a lasting and positive impression. Perhaps more memorable than a digital communication, thanks to its physical presence, the service visit, on time, prepared for action, ready to resolve the issue at hand is probably the one that makes the most compelling association of your brand. Somewhere on a customer’s journey, they’ll meet someone who represents your company, face to face. Make sure it’s a positive engagement and I’ll bet you’ll reap the rewards, even just by being different when the good experience is so unexpected.
Don’t forget the physical link in all this online activity, it might be the one that counts the most.

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Customer experience and marketing – what’s so different?

Posted on April 2, 2013 by Ann James

Meets the need, is easy and enjoyable. That’s what Forrester’s Harley Manning says makes for a good customer experience. All things being equal, if two companies offer an experience which meets the need, the consumer will plump for making less effort, and then for the more enjoyable. If those three criteria are applied to a marketing campaign, which is a part of the overall experience, then wouldn’t that make life a bit better all round?
Meets the need should go without saying; how else can a campaign even get out of the blocks if it doesn’t address a market with that requirement? Easy, though – I like that thought. Our campaigns should be effortless for the recipient – easy to navigate, to respond to, to understand and action. Complexity without added value all too often can turn the prospect away. And enjoyable; well there’s a thought. It doesn’t have to be frivolous, but as I’ve said before, market to the person that is each of us, whether at work or play. B2B marketing doesn’t have to be boring.

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Content or context? Or a bit of both.

Posted on February 26, 2013 by Ann James

So content is king. The message we share, the story we weave, the impression we leave with the reader. But this exciting new world of Content (let’s give it a capital C) is much more than the words. The impression you leave, the association with the brand can be enhanced or left flat by the medium you choose. The common, dare I say lazy use of pdfs could kill a fantastic argument stone dead. How much better and more compelling could it be to add some vision, some movement? Turn it into an ebook, add some animation, embed video and you can rise above the competition. Don’t be constrained by what’s expected and you could unlock a whole new life and audience for your tired old content. Refresh doesn’t have to just mean changing the date and title, you can revitalise an asset and make it work better than ever for you. Think interactive, deploy images and you won’t have to be so hung up on the words. Remember it’s about connecting with your audience and being remembered. And who is remembered for the boring stuff?

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Focus first or filter later?

Posted on February 18, 2013 by Ann James

So what’s better? Marcoms basics – at some point you need to find and connect with your target prospects. Personally I’d rather do it sooner rather than later. It might seem easy to spread the net wide, entrap anything with a pulse that clicks on your link, downloads your white paper, registers for your webinar (whether or not they have any intention of actually watching, reading, listening is another matter). Then call them, filter them and nurture the worthy ones.
Or do the hard work up front – research your prospects, slice them up (metaphorically, of course) and bring them in one by one. You won’t be able to say that you just got 500 registrations, but you should find that there’s a better conversion rate. You’ll most likely have teased them in with a more pertinent message, so should be more connected – have that joint level of understanding – that means something may come of it.

I’ll be doing the work up front (again) on the next project – are you with me?

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We’re all people too

Posted on February 10, 2013 by Ann James

One of the commonly overlooked factors in B2B marketing is pretty obvious. We’re all people too. Yes we’ve all got our business heads on and we’re all busy  doing the day job – but we’re all people too. We’re all consumers. In the customer experience and many other markets where the technology sale is B2B, we’re the end of the chain too – that person that our B2C client is ultimately trying to sell to.

That can  help with marketing; sometimes it helps to stop and think about the end consumer, the person receiving the customer experience we’re creating and marketing, to check that you’re on the right tracks. And it’s not difficult, because that person is you or me.
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