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eComXpo Ask the Expert Today

by byron white
10/9/2007 10:01:00 AM

Perhaps you caught me eComXpo Q&A session today, as a followup to an online speech that I offer in their university.  In case you did not catch the session, below a copy of it that I may get sued for... but what the heck... here you go:

10/9/07 eComXpo Q&A Session on Content that Connects:

Byron White: Hi
Byron White: Any questions
Peggy Chan: I dread writing in general, but it's even more difficult as an internet retailer to write content that's not too-much of a "hard sell". For example, we have difficultly writing posts for our blog, Audio-Video-Buzz.blogspot.com. Any suggestions?
Ronald Stackman: Bryon, most people will agree that content is king but how do scrapers and dup content affect the kingdom?
Byron White: Coup;le of good questions.
Rebecca Levinson: How can you get your sales staff to get excited and engaged over Web 2.o
Byron White: Creating content is challenging Peggy. What resources do you have to work with? Writers? Optimizers? Freelancers? Research data? What engaages your readers? Any data there?
Byron White: Ronals. CopyScape... others as well. Heck, put quotes around copy and bang into Google, you'll find dups if there is any
Darlene Moore: should i be seeing a presentation here or is it just Q&A?
Byron White: Peggy. Do you have multivariate testing technology in place? If so, test soft sell copy vs hard sell copy vs engaging copy that you and I would like... copy that tells a story and engages and entertains. I bet the later will win the conversion war
Peggy Chan: I am writing it myself, based on our team's knowledge, loves, and hates
Byron White: This is a Q & A Session, although you can view my presentation on Content that Connects in the University here.
Rebecca Levinson: What is an example of multivariate testing technology?
Peggy Chan: No,...no multivariate testing technology in place yet.
Byron White: Peggy, forget your teams knowledge, loves and hates... you need to connect withyour target audience, and get inside there head... pick up the phone and call them
Peggy Chan: Actually,..that's the other problem,...people don't really want to be bothered.
Byron White: Multivariate Testing Technology is changing the way we write and even think about web marketing. Go check out Optimost.com or OfferMatica.com, or even Google's Site Optimizer you'll find in your AdWords account.
Byron White: Peggy, you'd be surprised how easy it is to get great information from your customers... you just need to approach them the right way, and bribe them with free stuff or money in return for their time as a last resort.
Peggy Chan: So something like an e-mail survey with a coupon?
Byron White: Bring on the tough questions.... I'm here for you.... challenge me!
Byron White: Anyone need to find freelancers?
Dyan Carlson: in the world of internet retailing, do people even read anymore? I mean, are they just searching a keyword and then looking at a picture and a quick description? Is it really necessary to get all "warm and fuzzy" in ads or will just a few keywords do?
Rebecca Levinson: How can you get your sales staff to get excited and engaged over Web 2.o
Peggy Chan: Good question, Dyan. We spend a lot of time in our product descriptions and presention.
Dyan Carlson: i am all for presentation, but does that mean excessive words?
Byron White: Testing Dyan. Testing Testing Testing. Every site is different, with a different pool of readers, with different needs.
Dyan Carlson: agreed. and your point about knowing your target audience is well taken.
Peggy Chan: We are actually looking for freelancers, since besides our retail e-commerce site and blog, we want to develop content sites (such as community forums)
Byron White: You need to dig in and test different offers, written with different styles, to see which converts higher..... using multivariate testing.
Dyan Carlson: byron, can you give an easy example of not only a great offer, but of ways to track its success?
Byron White: Quick buyers need quick information, bullet points, ect
Dyan Carlson: my point exactly about not getting warm and fuzzy
Byron White: Detailed buyers need the facts, datasheets, compeling stories that confirm the decision to buy
Dyan Carlson: if you want warm and fuzzy, go for the print version-internet means speed
Byron White: You never really know who to write for without doing some testing
Byron White: Actually Dyan, internet does not always mean SPEED. Instead, it means goldmine of an opportunity to run tests to see if speed or depth is the motivator for the sale.
Dyan Carlson: for me, if I am going on the internet to shop, it's a hard-targeted search. since I can't feel or smell, or taste what I am buying, it's a quick search, quick description reading, presentation, and purchase. is that wrong?
Byron White: Your perception is not right or wrong, it's one. One perception. Buyers are readers, with different goals and agenda's, habits and behaviors. You need to find out what type of messaging will work for a majority of people that are readers on your retail site.
Dyan Carlson: great advice Byron, it really is all about finding your target audience.
Byron White: Hi, back now, I got kicked out.
Sherri Trowbridge: everyone got quiet
Byron White: Exactly. I'm ready. Any questions? Fire them at me, the tougher the better.
Sherri Trowbridge: how do you do your surveys?
Scott Branch: Will you re-write all my sales docs for me??
Byron White: Sure. Lets start now, ready?
Scott Branch: I was kidding, of course, but I find it hard to find an audience to run content by...other than my business partner
Byron White: OK, well, answer these questions Scott, and maybe you'll find some wisdom, OK?
Scott Branch: OK
Byron White: 1.) What does your target audience seem to get excited about, besides discounts?
Ellie: Do you have a process to determine the "type" of audience you need to write for?
Byron White: 2.) Where does your target audience hang out? Online and off?
Byron White: 3.) Scott, do you like to be sold to? Probably not. Noone does really. So is your current sales material doing to much selling, and not enough connecting?
Scott Branch: No, I do try to be careful of that....that's why I would much rather speak to or meet with a potential client rather than just email them a bunch of info
Byron White: 4.) Lets focus on connecting now. Ready. Content that connects. That is the goal. Call up a few of your customers, and ask them what would really impress them on the sales material you are creating. Or ask them what impressed them on any sales material they have ever recieved.
Byron White: 5.) Engagement. Connection is not enough Scott. You need to engage them. You need to thrill them. You need to add instant value to their life. You need to make their life better, smarter, faster and wiser. And you need to do it quickly. Very very quickly. Beacuse as Dyan points out, web surfers are tough to pin down.
Scott Branch: THis is fantastic advice
Byron White: 6.) Testing. You're going to come up with your own guess as to what might work, and test the response rates with A/B or Multivariate testing. Test Test Test.
Dyan Carlson: ok Byron, getting back to the question that started this whole thing...
Byron White: 7.) Testing Again. Your going to keep testing, with more A/B or Multivariate Testing, again and again and again. Until your subscriptions go up, your conversions go up, your sales go up. You go up. Maybe your partner goes out! Just kidding.
Byron White: Which question was that Dyan.
Byron White: Process for "type" of audience to writer for? Yes. I have my own process. Want to here it?
Dyan Carlson: once we have determined what are target audience wants, is it better to hire freelance writers and give them direction? Peggy says she "dreads writing in general". Is that the person you want representing your company?
Byron White: Sorry, I type very fast and make spelling mistakes...sorry about that. Mind ahead of motion.
Dyan Carlson: Or is someone inside the company, the one with the product knowledge, really your best resource?
Byron White: Tough question. Easy answer. Ready?
Byron White: Peggy vs Freelancer vs Inside Guy at Company with Product Knowledge. The each come up with there own version of the page. Each version is tested against the other. The winner gets to keep their job and keep testing more.
Ellie: yes
Dyan Carlson: wow! that sounds like effective communication...
Byron White: You see Ellie and Dyan. You never know who will win the war of words on the web. Sometimes its the college grad with NO experience with copy testing, that just has common sense. Sometimes it's the professional copywriter, that knows the closes path to conversions.
Dyan Carlson: Gosh, there really is a Santa!
Byron White: Ok, you guys need to take imediate action, and put this to work NOW. Want me to tell you how?
Dyan Carlson: yes please!
Byron White: Go to Google. Have a tech friend of your mess with the Site Optimizer code generator. Bang out some code that you past onto your website, say at the top of a sign up form. Create 4 versions of copy on TOP of the sign up form. Four different versions that address different obsticles and moods of the prospect. And test those 4 variables, and study your conversions variation, then go ask your boss for a raise... cause you just figured it out-- the secret of the web!
Byron White: sorry, paste not past...spelling errors, brain spinning to fast.
Byron White: Team Content that Connects. Are you guys getting this message? Was this helpful?
Byron White: I'll post a summary of this on my Blog. Google Byron White Blog and you'll find me.
Ellie: yes, thanks
Byron White: Thanks Ellie.
Byron White: Last minute questions?
Byron White: And do catch my Content that Connects Presentation. Good stuff in there.
Byron White: Anyone challenged with optimizing web pages for particular keyword phrases?
Ellie: of course
Sherri Trowbridge: yes
Byron White: Use this tool. It is our proprietary tool: http://www.lifetips.com/services/free-page-strength-tool.html
Byron White: Just bang in a keyword phrase, and the URL, and it will grade your work, and tell you how the page is performing in the SERPs.
Ellie: cool, thanks
Sherri Trowbridge: thanks
Byron White: Our clients LOVE that tool. It is quick and easy and better than just about anything out there.
Byron White: If you have further questions, or just want to cheer me up, then send an email to Byron@LifeTips.com. Also tune into our radio show on WebmasterRadio.FM on Wednesday 5 PM EST!
Byron White: Happy to keep anwering questions. How can I help you make the world a better place?
Chin Yeap: sometimes people dont have the time to constantly test and refine - especially smaller companies. what would your advise be?
Brian Moore: some great info here thanks

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