B2B marketing SEO meets the keyword monster.

Back in the old days (like childhood), being found was not a good thing. It involved the game of “Hide and Seek” and required finding imaginative hiding places that would confound your fellow gamers. Today, the game has turned into “Find Me, Find Me, Pleeeeease” or Search Engine Optimization (SEO). It’s a lot harder to play and not nearly as much fun — until you get found, that is.

I was optimistic the day I hired a team of pros to build and maintain SEO for my company Website. Their first step was to research the top search terms for my type of B2B marketing service business. When they sent me the list they had found, my response was “yikes.” It wasn’t anything like the keyword ideas I had sent them initially.

Who knew that people could conduct strange searches, use such off-the-wall wording, or have completely forgetton how to spell?

So how can a B2B marketing team put these strange, convoluted keyword phrases into the language on their Website copy without looking uneducated or downright sloppy?

Add connective words
Fortunately, it’s my understanding that Google and other search platforms ignore small words. So adding the words “in”, “to” or “the” inside a search term should not diminish its effectiveness and can turn an awkward phrase into something that can be placed comfortably into a sentence.

For example, a search term such as “sales training San Diego” can be more easily placed in a sentence by changing it to “sales training in San Diego.”

Hiding awkward SEO phrases.
Awkward phrases may be just fine for searching but they’re a bit of a nightmare in marketing messaging if the company wants to appear to have any brains. Sometimes, however, awkward SEO phrases can be bunched together in a less prominent paragraph and not appear to be quite so out of place:

“Whether you’re looking for donations direct mail political, a direct mail sample political campaign, political direct mail portfolio samples, donations direct mail political, or campaigns direct mail political — ABC agency has the experience and success you can count on.”

If a B2B marketer’s business includes keywords that are commonly misspelled and generate traffic, it’s important to include those in the site text as well. Fortunately, Google helps reduce the number of searches using misspellings with their familiar “Did you mean ______” generator. However, this does not correct 100% of the searches.

Many companies add “footnotes” or blocks of copy under the call to action on a Web page that incorporate misspelled words. They can first be presented spelled as the searcher might spell it, then correctly in parentheses afterwards as in this example:

“ABC Company is your best resource for interim buisness (business) managers . . .”

Maximizing SEO positioning does require longer copy on a page. But if the main points are highlighted in subtitles and communicated early in the copy, B2B marketers can help deliver effective communication and successful SEO.

Take your B2B trade show booth from boring to spectacular.

Guest Post by Daniel Frank

A while back in her post “Four quick B2B marketing ideas for a short week,” Susan reported on adding a photo opportunity at trade show booths to get prospects to interact with the booth sales staff and keep visitors around the booth longer.

As someone who works with an exhibition stand manufacturer, I was glad she wrote about it, as it is a marketing tactic I enthusiastically endorse.

Interactive elements can improve B2B trade show exhibiting results in several ways. The first and most obvious is that they are a great way to stand out on a crowded trade show floor. The example Susan highlighted was putting out a life-size cardboard cut-out of an industry expert that visitors can be photographed standing next to. This cut-out grabs attention and creates buzz.

Other interactive options include such things as games and surveys. These provide other benefits, including enhanced lead capture, visitor education and insight. A great example of this that I saw recently was in a booth run by Npower. This booth offered a free energy health check to anyone attending the booth. They used a touch-screen quiz that required booth visitors to enter some details before answering a series of questions. The participant would then get a personalized report telling them ways they could reduce their energy expenditure. Not only was this a great way for Npower to generate qualified leads, it also educated visitors and gave Npower some new insights into visitors’ energy usage and level of knowledge of industry topics.

When deciding how to integrate an interactive element into your booth, you should, at a minimum, consider these three things:

1. Objectives: What do you want this element to achieve? The Npower example was great because it achieved several objectives, but may have been a bit of a compromise. Booth visitors looking at a screen is a fairly boring activity compared to the photo-opportunity mentioned above. However, it did generate interest and valuable information for Npower. Step one is to decide what you want to achieve and what image you want to project in the process.
2. Relevance: Say you have an idea for great game that will bring loads of people to your booth. How relevant is it to your business? Having a lot of visitors is good, but it is far better to get fewer, more relevant visitors. This is another reason the health check was great for Npower: it attracted people who worried about energy expenditure and were therefore receptive to Npower’s solution.
3. Cost: As with all B2B marketing decisions, cost is an issue. Providing a brilliant video game that is completely relevant to your company and can fulfil all your objectives may cost a fortune to create, not to mention providing the technology on which to run it. It’s a great interactive tool to use if it is cost-effective based on what you hope to gain from making a sale.

Making your booth activities more productive should be a priority when spending money on B2B trade show space. These are just a few ideas on how to make the most of it. If you have more, I’d love to hear about them.
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Daniel Frank is a writer and blogger who provides advice on trade show marketing on behalf of Nimlok Display Stands based in the UK.

B2B marketing shalt not speak in strange tongues.

It’s always nice to read someone else’s very solid argument in favor of some B2B marketing position I advocate. I had this experience last week when reading the words of Peter Helmer on the MENG Blend blog. His post “For an Effective Elevator Speech, Obey the Ten Commandments” discussed one of my favorite topics — words.

He starts out with one of the most classic examples of poor B2B marketing-speak I’ve ever read.

“We provide CMOs with best-of-breed, next-generation, scalable solutions that optimize revenue and enhance customer value. We act as a change agent empowering a paradigm shift using a value added synergistic approach that enables clients to take a deep dive.”

You’ll want to read his post as it provides great guidance for creating an elevator pitch and positioning a sales message. What I really connected with, however, was Commandment #8, which reads:

8. Thou Shalt Not Speak in Strange Tongues

Don’t talk in Consultant Speak. Use plain English. Avoid terms like “scalable”, “best-of-breed,” “next generation” and the like. These are meaningless buzz words. Smart, successful people don’t need to describe their work in highfalutin language. Your listeners won’t be impressed. They’ll think you’re showing off. That’s a sure-fire way NOT to get referrals.

Early in my writing career I was taught this instruction I still follow today. “Write to the lowest common denominator.” That is, write B2B marketing copy to fit the person with the least knowledge about your topic. The criterion I was taught to use was to write to someone with a junior-high school education level. I believe that is the level targeted by the Wall Street Journal. This writing approach will not insult highly educated readers. It will simply make a B2B marketing message something that communicates effectively and is easy and comfortable to read.

Here, for example, are some plain and simple substitutions for these highfalutin words:

• Scalable — grows as your business grows
• Best of breed — unmatched, market leader
• Next generation — new, advanced
• Optimize — improve the efficiency of, make more productive
• Synergistic — works together, creates a team setting

B2B marketers should scan their Web sites, brochures, emails, data sheets and other materials for these words and find easier ways to communicate the points being made. The fact is, simple, straightforward language is the basis of successful communication.

Policies that put B2B marketing and sales on the same page.

Recently I saw Christopher Ryan’s post on Great B2B Marketing, “B2B Lead Management — 6 Best Practices.” As an advocate of best practices it caught my eye since it presents a valuable list well worth reviewing.

His number-one point, “Follow up every inbound inquiry within 48 hours — preferably 24 hours,” reminded me of two very contrasting client experiences I think are worth sharing.

Story #1
Back when it was still a relatively new marketing channel, a software developer ran their first email lead generation campaign. The email I was asked to write simply promoted their virtual collaboration software, which was also a relatively new concept at the time. The campaign generated more leads than could be responded to in 48 hours. So the Director of Marketing and his assistant stopped doing their jobs, took to the phones and pitched in so all the leads could be contacted quickly.

Story #2
Tasked with generating leads for a B2B technology service company, their marketing consultant asked me write an informational guide they could offer to a list of targeted companies via direct mail. The guide was to be fulfilled individually and not by a download. The direct mail letter making the offer generated an excellent response. However, the company’s sales manager took it upon himself to decide that none of the guides would be fulfilled until the companies requesting them could be “qualified.”

I’d be hard pressed to come up with two more opposite scenarios — and I look to top management for the reason. I think it’s up to them to set policies that make sure marketing and sales are on the same page. Here are two ways they can do that:

1. Marketing success should never be based solely on the number of leads. It must ultimately include the closed deals produced by those leads.
2. Sales people should be judged on how they follow up with leads as well as close them.

The final goal of everyone in B2B marketing and sales should be the same — making sales.

Mini-quiz on how to avoid a B2B marketing iceberg.

It’s a sad piece of history we are remembering this week with the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on April 15, 1912. When there are public tragedies, there’s an immediate call for who or what to blame. In the case of the Titanic, however, there was only one cause — human hubris, the “overestimation of one’s own competence or capabilities.”

Hubris is a dangerous state of mind in any walk of life. B2B marketing is no exception. Hubris in marketing is not likely to cause the death of 1514 souls, but it can cost the job of a CEO, CMO, marketing VP, director or manager, product manager, or other player. In the case of a private B2B company, even the owner is hurt, as poor marketing decisions can reduce market share and the bottom line.

I’ve formulated this simple 10-question mini-quiz to help B2B marketers determine whether they may be suffering from the kind of hubris that would mean a bad outcome of their marketing, and possibly their future. Any “yes” answers are a sign that there may be an iceberg in their path.

1. We do not track cost per lead and cost per sale on every campaign.

2. We don’t believe in testing — we know what our customers want.

3. I personally like what we’re doing, so it must be good.

4. I personally don’t like what we’re doing, so it must be bad.

5. Our competition is doing it, so we need to do it, too.

6. As long as my boss likes what we’re doing, my job is safe.

7. We don’t need a strong offer — the product will sell itself.

8. The message makes sense to me, so our customers will understand it.

9. Nobody reads long copy anymore.

10. Direct mail is dead. Everything we need to do can be done online.

11. Everyone’s talking about social media, so we should dedicate a lot of resources to it.

Lift B2B marketing response by putting time on your side.

It’s never a good idea for B2B marketers to project our own personal opinions and practices on the B2B audience to which we market. How we like to receive information, our work patterns, and our preferences are not likely to mirror the people who buy our company’s B2B products or services.

But there is one area in which all of us in B2B marketing and in the B2B buying community are exactly alike — that is, we have too much to do and too little time in which to do it.

Not long ago I wrote a blog about “Four Rules for Communicating with the Crazy-Busy Prospect,” which focused on how to organize and present B2B marketing copy so the heart of the message could be comprehended with a quick scan.

Then, a few days ago, I learned another powerful way to use time to gain an advantage in B2B marketing. What I learned from one of my technology clients is that she’s cut back all of her Webinars to 30 minutes. Not only has this measurably boosted attendance, but it has generated emails from customers and prospects thanking her for this time-saving way to learn.

Like me, many people feel they can spare 30 minutes but not an hour. How often have I attended a one-hour event only to have to leave early because of a more pressing demand? In fact, I would attend more Webinars if they were only 30 minutes.

I hear push-back from many B2B marketers like, “Oh, we can’t cover the subject properly in 30 minutes.” I’d recommend they find a way to edit the presentation down to its core and make it work. One approach might be to create a Part I and Part II presentation of the materials for two separate events.

If this tactic would mean increasing attendance and getting attendees to stay for the entire presentation, it may be well worth testing.

Learning smart B2B marketing from an industry event invite.

It may seem strange for me write about a B2B marketing event I haven’t yet attended. But the invite was so informative, I have to share. The upcoming event is sponsored by the San Diego Software Industry Council (SDSIC) and features Reid Carr, CEO of Red Door Interactive, and Harley Orion, CEO of Orion Creative Group.

The title, “Top Five Ways to Maximize Your Marketing Dollar,” really caught my eye because it’s a concept I’ve supported in my own marketing for many years — track every penny that’s spent directly to leads and sales.

With social media being so hot today, it can often distract B2B marketers from the full scope of elements that must be part of every B2B marketing strategy. What I love about this invite from the SDSIC is that it’s a perfect reminder of how important it is to make sure an online B2B marketing strategy covers all the bases — not just social media.

I know most of you can’t attend this live event. But even the list of what is to be covered is a great reminder of the areas that should never be left out of any online B2B marketing strategy. It reads:

• Know your customer: How to mine your existing data, and do additional research to fully understand the needs of your target customer, how to reach him or her online, and how to position your offering for the greatest impact.
• Define goals: Goals are more than just measurements of success or failure; setting goals helps to clarify your tactics. Knowing where you’re going helps determine the most successful and cost-effective way to get there. We’ll talk about not just the importance of setting goals (the obvious), but literally how to create goals that will streamline execution and generate results.
• Get your website right: Before spending money to drive traffic to your site, make sure it’s ready.  Driving traffic to a dysfunctional, off-brand or otherwise under-performing website may not create the desired ROI. We’ll discuss both simple and comprehensive ways to improve your web presence, through user experience design, analytics and testing – not just so it “looks prettier” but so that it effectively communicates and converts.
• Identify good traffic building strategies: Most people are familiar with numerous ways to generate online traffic. But we’ll give you a rare look into how interactive agencies evaluate potential strategies for each unique client, and make these big decisions using data, not opinion.
•  Retain your customers: How to build and maintain effective retention tools, such as CRM (customer relationship management), customer lifecycle research and monitoring, social CRM tools, and email marketing, among others.

B2B Marketing Automation: Is it really worth the effort?

There’s nothing nicer when writing B2B marketing copy than to be able to talk about the fact that a product or service has “automated” some process. Automation typically removes one or more steps that have to be done manually by one or more human beings.

Automation can mean completely releasing labor from one task so time can be spent more productively on another. It typically lets today’s universally overburdened workers get more done in less time. That description is not, however, completely accurate for B2B marketing automation — as Justin Gray, CEO & Chief Marketing Evangelist of LeadMD, reports so accurately in “Marketing Automation ROI: Myths and Facts.”

Appearing on the Marketing Automation Software Guide, the opening of his conclusion says it all –marketing is hard. As I’ve stated in earlier posts, making the decision to implement and use this marketing tool provides two big benefits:

1. Automate an essential process that is messy and time-consuming to do manually. Nurture prospects by automatically offering them the appropriate next piece of marketing content based on their last action with the goal of helping them move through the buying cycle.
2. Boost sales by achieving 100% follow-up on ALL leads generated. 45% of all leads generated make a purchase from someone in the industry product category within one year. Companies not paying attention to all the leads they generate will miss sales they could have won.

Gray’s instructions on the steps necessary for building an effective marketing automation strategy are valuable and sound. He warns that there are no shortcuts. However, if all of it seems like much more than your company can take on, you should check out these lead nurturing stats reported on an insightful, one-page infographic prepared by NuSpark Marketing.

• According to Forrester Research, companies that excel at lead nurturing are able to generate 50% more sales-ready leads at 33% lower cost per lead.
• According to CSO Insights, sales reps at companies that excel at lead nurturing reach quota 9% more often and new reps at those companies enjoy a 10% shorter ramp-up time.
• According to DemandGen Report, nurtured leads produce, on average, 20% more sales opportunities than non-nurtured leads.

Just like all aspects of successful B2B marketing, effective nurturing takes strategic planning, the creation of useful content, plus having a team in place to manage the process and take advantage of all best practice tools that are part of today’s marketing automation software. In the end it means more sales. I say that’s well worth the effort.

True B2B marketing success depends on what you don’t see.

As a B2B marketing copywriting specialist, my readers might think I’d lay it on thick about the importance of the copy and design in B2B marketing messages — emails, content, direct mail, landing pages, product brochures and more.

Copy and design are both important elements in B2B marketing. They’re physical parts that B2B marketers can share with CMOs, CIOs, product managers, sales and others. They are marketing elements that can be revised, enhanced, and can make marketers feel as though they’ve made a difference in the outcome of their B2B marketing programs.

Copy and design, however, are not the most important elements in the success of B2B marketing — data is.

I’ve written about this before, but, all too often, I come in contact with clients and prospects that spend a large percentage of their time and money on copy and design and virtually nothing on data. Most have bought and use Salesforce.com, CRM programs, marketing automation programs and more. But how much time are they spending on the data that is contained in those programs?

• Has it been updated and verified?
• Has it been enhanced with information from data providers?
• Has it been profiled?

Getting the right message to the right person ALWAYS enhances response rates — more than rewriting the same #$%^%# paragraph five times. The more B2B marketers know about their buyers and prospects, the more effective all their marketing will be.

Once a company has invested in marketing automation, sending emails appears to be virtually free. It’s actually quite costly when considering a company’s reputation. When B2B marketers send off-target messages to their prospect base, it appears as though they don’t know what they’re doing.

Here are three tactics B2B marketers can take with their in-house customer and prospect data that are more important than anything else they do. These steps may be costly, but each is an essential investment in the success of all future marketing and sales efforts:

1. Update and Verify Data: Hire a temp or a telemarketing firm (I personally like Business to Business Marketing) to place a call to every one of your prospect companies to verify names, titles, functional titles, mailing addresses, and other information that helps target communications with each one.
2. Enhance Data: Data sources are available (D&B, infoUSA, ReachForce) that can append information to data such as annual sales, years in business, number of employees, headquarters vs. branches and more. There are also sources for less common information such as number of computers, software presence (Oracle, SAP, Microsoft, Apple), building square footage, etc. While this data may not be perfect, it can help B2B marketers better target their marketing and sales efforts.
3. Profile Buyers: B2B marketers can take their customer base and build a profile of size, SIC code, annual sales, etc. and rank them. This ranking profile can be used to identify marketing lists that will more likely contain qualified prospects. If the B2B company’s target universe is small, this is not cost effective. But for those with larger prospect pools it’s a valuable tool.

Data may not be as creative and touchable as copy and design, but unless it’s clear, up to date and accurate, the greatest copy and design will not generate results.

Use other’s B2B marketing landing page wins to boost yours.

Most smart B2B marketers already know that the design and copy in a landing page have huge impact on the success of online B2B marketing campaigns — or even offline, if the call to action is to visit a URL.

Many B2B marketers, however, don’t have a large enough universe of prospective customers to conduct valid testing on their own. So it’s handy to have so many others conduct tests, and, from those tests, establish the best practices the rest of us can use.

Last week I experienced two landing page-related events that brought these best practices back into my focus.

One was a discussion with a client marketing team about the creation of a new landing page template. The other was the arrival of an email link to the 2012 Online Testing Awards Winners from “Which Test Won.”

The discussion included reports from several team members on landing page best practices they had picked up at recent Webinars. Most of the testing was done with B2C products and services and less for B2B, but those that would most affect B2B landing pages include:

• Make sure the landing page headline and content continue the messaging that began in the PPC ad, banner, or whatever message directs the prospect to the landing page URL.
• Have a strong, clear and quickly visible call to action.
• Use directional cues to direct attention to the CTA, such as arrows.
• Keep the landing page to a single purpose.
• Show a visual of what is being offered — white paper, checklist, etc.
• Use video, which has been shown to boost conversion by 80% (I don’t know if this is B2B or B2C, or if it even matters).
• Keep the message clean, short, clear and easy to read.
• Keep the registration fields required to receive the offer as short as possible.

The biggest surprise that has come out of landing page testing is that indicating required fields with asterisks actually reduces response.

The 2012 Online Testing Awards Winners provide a wonderful opportunity for us B2B marketers to test our own instincts about what’s best on a landing page. Each test provides the two pages tested, lets you vote, then reports which version really won the test and why.

It provides fun and instant insight into how small changes to landing pages can make a big difference in results.