Business Advice from Drug Dealers-ProductCamp Austin

Business Advice from Drug Dealers-ProductCamp Austin.

John Moore gave us an engaging and informative presentation with business advice from two well-known drug dealers: Starbucks and Frank Lucas (The American Gangster).

Infograph created in real time by someone you would never hire to speak at your conference, Brian Massey.

Revealed: Slow Motion Device Slows Competing Websites, Drives Visitors Away

Bad things happen when Web sites load slowly.

Research scientists at Customer Chaos Labs have identified a way to significantly reduce the effectiveness of any of your competitors’ Web sites.

Slow their load times.

Don’t be fooled. You may think that, since most people have high-speed broadband connections that all pages load quickly enough.

It’s not true.

Drawing shows  how Slow Motion Emitter slows website load times.

Don’t believe that your visitors are going to wait a few seconds for your site to load.

They won’t.

The Success of the Slow Motion Emitter

Customer Chaos Labs has been utilizing our top secret Slow Motion Emitter on behalf of our clients to slow their competitors’ sites. The results are tremendous:

• A large number of visitors never view a second page of competitors sites. We say that the visitor “bounced.”
• Visitors viewed fewer pages per visit (Average Pages per Visit). This means that they didn’t see much of the information on competitor sites.
• Visitors spent less time on competitor sites, reducing the odds that they will purchase, sign up, or share socially.

Why are we revealing this now?

Unfortunately, the do-gooders at Conversion Sciences have revealed our technology to the public. While they have found a defense, they cannot know the locations of all of our emitters.

We believe that their story illustrates the effectiveness of the technology. The fools make the case for us.

You can’t buy PR like that.

You can still benefit

If you would like to ensure that your competitors’ hosting providers are targeted by a Slow Motion Emitter, we can help. Naturally, we are very selective about our clients.

To request more information, please complete the following form:

YES! I want to know more about the devious plans Customer Chaos Labs has for the Internet and the Web!

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First Name - We're evil, not impersonal*

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B2B Risk Reversal Tactics

Even in business-to-business lead generation, you can “reverse” the perceived risk of completing a form. Risk reversal is an important part of conversion rate optimization.

In general, you can reverse risk by

• Telling prospect how you will treat their data
• Telling prospects what to expect if they complete the form

Read about Risk Reversal Tactics for B2B Lead Generation.

You can subscribe to The Conversion Scientist by email.

A Focus on ROI is Good for Social Media

How many times do you have a great conversation in the social space only to find the company’s Web site opaque, posing, and irrelevant?

Social media won’t work if we’re transparent in our social graph and obsequious everywhere else.

Let’s encourage businesses to put content out that draws people to their Web site. They will quickly begin to realize that certain content works (educational, entertaining content) and certain content does not (home pages with self-aggrandizing copy).

ROI is the great informer for these companies.

Read more at The Conversion Scientist

Copy Vs. Design: Which Is Most Important To Conversion?

To better understand some of the fundamental principles of conversion science, I’d like to offer a case study. Two websites, both owned by the same business, targeting the same demographic, getting about the same search traffic, but with different conversion rates.

According to Heliski.com owner Tom Jackson, www.heliskiingreview.com was “dated, awkward, wordy, but it’s working.” On the other hand, he said, www.heliski.com was “newer, looks better, better organized but way underperforming in lead gen.”

The question—why would the clunky older site outperform the shiny newer site? (Disclosure: Heliski is one of my clients).

How Analytics Saved One Business's Online Sales

The PubCon South 2009 Interview with Brian Massey

Conversion Scientist Brian Massey and Vanessa Zamora

Curious about what a Conversion Scientist does? This may help. Though I've given better interviews in my life, I think Vanessa's poise more than makes up for my blathering.

Slides from my PubCon South 2009 presentation are at What to Test? The Conversion Scientist.

http://budurl.com/PubCon09Vid

Scarcity Breeds Industry in Marketing

Beating the competition when resources get tight

An article I coauthored just landed in the Bulldog Marketing Watchdog Journal. There is an opportunity out there, an opportunity created by panicked competitors making bad decisions about what to cut in anticipation of slowing sales.

Are you one of those "competitors?"

The second installment is

Scarcity Breeds Industry: Where Should You Be Putting Your Marketing Dollars in 2009?

The first article was:

Five Ways to Gain a Competitive Advantage—While Everyone Else Is Panicking

I may be off base, but my colleagues, Joel Granoff and Rose Holston (both appear in the header of The Conversion Scientist blog) are too smart to be dismissed offhand.

Tell us what you think in the comments here.

Brian Massey

Beating the Competition in 2009 and a Behavioral Marketing Riff

Avoid the mistakes your competition will make to gain customers this year.

While I've decided not to participate in the recession, that doesn't mean that things won't be different for me in 2009. My clients' competitors -- and yours -- are totally bought into the recession and will be making some bad decisions.

This is good news for you and for me.

I detail some of the mistakes your competition is going to make this year in an article I co-wrote for Bulldog Solutions. Check out Five Ways to Gain a Competitive Advantage While Everyone Else is Panicking.

The third recommendation we offer in that article is "Concentrate on programs that move prospects through the sales funnel." Behavioral Targeting is just one of the strategies you should consider to snatch customers from your competitors. The second entry in my Behavioral Marketing column for ClickZ includes a riff on what behavioral marketers can learn from the simple action of visiting a Web page. I've recorded a Behavioral Targeting Lullaby inspired by George Carlin.

Is the Internet Shaping Culture or is it Just a Symptom of Change?

If it's not the cause, then what is?

I did a bit of a rant on my profile over on the Society for Word of Mouth community. I was sitting at the Wizard Academy, a school of communication that has been predicting a change in culture that would transform the way we communicate. Ray Seggern was doing a presentation called "The Pendulum" made famous by Wizard Academy founder Roy H. Williams. It's the kind of presentation that sticks with you for weeks after you see it.

One thing that Roy puts forth very convincingly is that the Internet and it's sibling technologies are a tool of change more than a cause of change.

This is a pretty scary thought.

Why? Because, if it's the Internet that is causing the kids to act so funny, then we can keep an eye on it. If it's just a symptom of the change, then something more nefarious is going on, something that may sneak up on us. Either way, you can't opt out. It'll get you too.

Are you going to be surprised? Visit the Wizard Academy on March 13th a free day of mind bending clarity. It's about communicating fully and so much more.

Entrepreneurs, Business Models and Bootstrappers

What Business Models are You Exploring for Your Business?

We've begun a conversation over on the Bootstrap Austin blog that I hope you'll join. I tried to come up with examples of businesses leveraging the six "Generatives" that Kevin Kelly discusses in his interesting manifesto "Better Than Free."

This is where you come in. I wasn't really able to tease too many examples out of my head. How does your business takes advantage of one or more of his generatives?

• Immediacy
• Personalization
• Interpretation
• Authenticity
• Accessibility
• Embodiment
• Patronage

Let us know by commenting on the Bootstrap Austin blog.

The Christmas ConversionCast

We've prepared a Christmas Video that only a Conversion Scientist's mom would love. So, if you're thinking about your visitors this Holiday Season and wondering how your Web site will cheer your new year, you may find this gift from us to you inspiring.

You've inspired us this year.

May your holiday's bring you cheer and may that feeling stay with you long into the coming new year.

What is Social Conversion?

We've started an interesting thread over at The Conversion Scientist on Social Conversion. What is Social Conversion? How is it different than classic Conversion strategies, such as Landing Pages?

The post, Drilling in on Social Conversion Strategies, was inspired by a collaboration between me and Dave Evans, the result of which appears in his most recent ClickZ article, Social Conversion: Taking Step Two.

I'll be starting my own ClickZ column in January focusing on Behavioral Marketing. Needless to say, I am both excited and intimidated by the thought of joining some of the brightest people in marketing over at ClickZ.

Don't forget to subscribe to The Conversion Scientist and/or the Conversion Scientist Podcast.

Free Copywriters to Do What They Do Best

Does your copywriter suffer from PTSD?

In a rant on what Business Owners can expect when building a Web site, I expressed my sympathy for copywriters, who, I asserted, often suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD.

The red ink that a business owner pours over (the copywriter's) work looks to them like blood. ... Most are beaten into submission, delivering mind-numbing copy with the flavor of Styrofoam.

You see it every day. Incoherent chains of adverbs and multi-syllabic words designed only to make the business look smarter or bigger than it really is.

Good copywriters are storytellers. Business owners want manifestos to what they've built.

I've upped the ante over on The Conversion Scientist with the post Zero Steps to Copy That Makes Visitors Stick. Copywriters, are you ready to engage a new business model for developing Web copy?

The Three-comp Copy Model

In my experience, copywriters can expect to get paid somewhere between $1500 and $2500 for a typical business-to-business Web site. Some charge by the hour. Some charge by the page. Some charge a project price tied to an estimate of the hours required.

Designers may get $10,000, $25,000 or $50,000 for the same site.

This seems upside-down to me. A unique design generates interest. Compelling copy generates engagement, leads and sales.

Copywriters should offer a three-comp package for about $7,500, in my opinion. They will deliver three different "Copy Bodies" that tell a story from the value proposition down to the features and benefits. Then the business owner can select one of the three. You have to enforce only one rule: they can do little more than correct any inaccuracies in your copy.

You will then pull from the copy body to populate Web pages, adding appropriate headings as you go.

Where would the extra cash for the copy come from? Well, let the designers do one version -- and only when the copy is complete. They should be able to select design elements when they have a compelling copy narrative to design from.

You've gotta be good

Of course, your copy has to be compelling. You have to work extra hard to understand who's coming to the site. You have to understand them better than the business.

You have to be confident using stories, metaphors and analogies that help the reader understand the value that the business provides. Your headlines have to appeal to the four kinds of buyers you're writing for: Competitive, Methodical, Spontaneous and Humanist.

You also have to appreciate the importance of search keywords in your work. Good writing will already be very search engine friendly.

Who will take the three-comps challenge?

I'm looking for that copywriter who is willing to put this business model to the test. You probably won't be working with a design firm; you'll need to go directly to the client.

When you pitch the price, talk about conversion rates, lead generation, visitor engagement, time on site, and lower bounce rates. Designers can't "move the need" much on these, but you can with content.

To sweeten the deal, offer to throw in a white paper or case study that can be used to generate leads. This will underscore you're ability directly influence their online business goals.

I'll personally coach any copywriter who is willing to take on this challenge. No charge. Contact me by phone or email if you think you have a client to whom you can pitch this idea.

Comment here and let us know if you've had any luck with this approach. Let's put a crack in the dam that has held Web copywriters back for so long.

Photo courtesy nookiez via stock.xchng

Are Your E-mail Superstitions Getting in the Way?

If you’re considering investing in a social marketing campaign, and you haven’t nailed your e-mail strategy, you may be investing in the wrong place.

Over on The Conversion Scientist, I present the five superstitions that keep businesses from making the most of e-mail, and do my best to debunk them.

E-mail is perhaps the most cost-effective way to communicate with qualified prospects for your business. It is far more measurable than almost any social media marketing strategy. And, e-mail is the biggest social network on the planet.

Will you let go of your superstitions?

Help me out. You can vote for this story on Junta42 and on Sphinn.

Photo courtesy zettmedia via stock.xchng

The Three Conversion Strategies You've Got to Get Right

I've posted my presentation from the Innotech eMarketing Summit over at The Conversion Scientist.

The presentation will take you through a process from which you will learn the Web Marketing Pattern that your Web site matches. This is based on what your visitors are trying to accomplish and what your business needs to accomplish.

I then identify three key strategies for each type of Web site that -- I believe -- you must get right in order to convert traffic to leads and sales.

You'll find the audio and the slides over at The Conversion Scientist. Don't miss a post.

Picture courtesy Brian Combs of Apogee Search

A Social Network Your Business Can't Ignore

We use a little bit of parody on the new Conversion Scientist blog to drive an important point home.

Do you know which social network is the largest on the planet? It has members numbering in the billions. It is used by people young and old. You're most likely a member, but your business may be ignoring it as a way to connect and convert.

Find out about the social network your business can't ignore over at the new Conversion Scientist blog.

I hope Ray Tomlinson has a sense of humor.

 

Image copyright BBN Technologies.

Best Buy's Personas Irritate Blogger

I was recently pointed to a post from March on The Consumerist stating that Best Buy was behaving poorly by developing personas of their most profitable buyers.

Those of us that know the power of Personas won't be surprised that Best Buy does this. In fact, I wondered what took them so long.

Read my take on the "controversy" and view their personas on the NEW Conversion Scientist blog.

Best regards,

P.S. Did you get a chance to check out the ConversionCast? Do you want a ConversionCast done of your home page or landing page? Simply submit your page and we'll let you know.

Our Newest Experiment in Conversion: The ConversionCast

Technology and opportunity can create an exothermic reaction.

When you're in the science business, things can get quite dull for long periods of time. Much of the time, you're just waiting for an experiment to end, washing test tubes, or inhaling the fumes from the Nitrous Oxide experiment.

And then WHAM. You mix a couple of ingredients just right and you're scrambling for the fire extinguisher. What is left behind is often a ball of melted glass and metal.

But, on rare occasions what is left is something of beauty and usefulness.

Such is the case with the ConversionCast. By carefully combining one part Live Conversion Review and one part screen capture software, and several crayons, I've created an explosive mixture resulting in the passing of knowledge at an alarming rate.

Our first ConversionCast is up. It isn't perfect, but we'll get there. After all, I'm a scientist.

P.S. The ConversionCast is hosted on the New Conversion Scientist blog. What do you think?

Win Customers by Filling in the Blanks

When we don't anticipate our visitors' needs and only present features and benefits on our site were asking them to fill in the blanks about how our solution solves their problem.

Every visitor is trying to solve a problem. Period.

Tell your visitors how they will will solve their problems with your product, and they will turn into buyers.

Your competitors are afraid to do this. In this post were going to explore some new ways of looking at your visitors so that you can speak to their problems.

You Don't Have To Solve All Problems

Businesses are afraid to talk about specific problems because afraid they might miss some. The thinking is, "we can't anticipate every need so we will let the reader figure out."

So, is it your decision to solve nobody's problems because you can't solve them all?

Be Smart About Who You're Targeting

Since you can't solve everybody's problem you've got to be smart about whose problems you are going to address. Here are some questions that will help you select the right customers to target.

• What is the most common problem your visitors are trying to solve?
• Who are the most profitable prospects coming to your site?
• Who are the easiest to close?
• Which customers have the longest lifetime value?

Every business will have their own definition of the right customer. Of course you should only consider prospects that will be coming to your Web site.

If you can solve their problems, tell them

Now you can dive in and tell your visitors exactly how you're going to solve their problem. Don't ask them to fill in the blanks. Draw a clear line of reasoning between their problem and your solution. It's no longer necessary to simply describe your features and benefits. Tell them how your company is going to give them what they want at a price that is more than fair.

Don't Wimp Out

As you create content that is specific, compelling and invites people to act, you'll inevitably feel that you're being too specific. Don't wimp out. If you start to worry about what your less important visitors will think, you'll find yourself creating the mishmash of ineffective, unfocused content that will give you exactly what you don't want: more traffic for your competitors.

Your bravery in the face of specificity will pay off.

As this series progresses we'll talk about the tools you'll need to uncover your key visitors' stories and identify the content they'll need to feel confident taking action on your site. We'll also talk about how to avoid the organizational pitfalls that can lead to ineffective content.

Don't miss a post.

photo courtesy satty4u via sxc.hu

Let Joe the Plumber Give You Control of Your Site

John McCain gave us a powerful tool for making decisions that you can use to create a Web site that converts traffic to customers.

McCain introduced us to "Joe the Plumber" in the presidential debate this week. McCain used Joe to illustrate his debate points more clearly and effectively. So powerful was this device, that Barack Obama couldn't help himself. He began talking about Joe too.

Now everyone is talking about Joe the Plumber, using him to frame discussions and, ultimately, to help them choose how to vote.

In this post, I'm going to tell you why this tool -- called a Persona -- is so powerful, and show you how you can use your own Joes to pick the online strategies that work for your business.

It's Not About Demographics

When McCain introduced us to Joe the Plumber, he told us very little about him.

• Joe is a plumber. His name is Joe Wurzelbacher.
• Joe is male.
• Joe wants to buy the business he's been in for "all these years."
• Joe works ten to twelve hours a day.
• Joe had an encounter with Barack Obama.

How can an entire country relate to Joe the Plumber without detailed demographic data on him? We don't know any of the things that marketing consultants tell us we need. We don't know his age, ZIP code, marital status, family size, buying habits, or his boxer/briefs preference. Yet, today he is galvanizing discussions in the media, pundits and voting public.

How could you harness such power in your decision-making process?

Put Joe to Work on Your Web Site

Think about the customers that are most important to your business. Why are they coming to your Web site right now? What problem are they trying to solve?

When you know this, you know what they want from your Web site.

Add some more detail. Are they a man or woman? What do they do for a living? Are they in a hurry or will they take their time on your site?

Suddenly, all of the decisions that your Web site requires become much easier to answer.

Take a moment and picture one of the customers for your business.

What headings and offers would get their attention?

What kind of information would they trade their email address for?

Could your Web site provide a service to help them solve a problem?

Let Joe Give You Control of Your Web Strategy

Joe will help you avoid one of the biggest mistakes businesses make: letting the designer and Web developer create their site. You will be able to make many more decisions when you change the way you ask the questions.

For example, which of the following questions is most likely to result in the right decision?

"Should we do a blog?"

OR

"Would Joe read a blog if we had one? If so, what kind of content would he want to see?"

This puts the power back in your hands and ensures that the people creating your Web site deliver for your customers.

I'll show you how to create and fill out your own personas as this series progresses. Don't miss a post.

Next time we'll talk about why visitors to your Web site don't "get" what you're clearly telling them.

Photo courtesy johnnyberg via stock.xchng.