|
|
If they talked, this is what they said. (Source: HolliLeaks "wiretap")
|
Having conversations with the enemy
Should an aspiring or incoming American president, through his associates, have unofficial conversations with the Russian president, through his associates?
We're not going to get into that. But we
are going to use this controversy as a news hook to talk about conversations with the enemy.
All business is competition, so it's tempting to view your rivals as enemies. It's also counterproductive. Here's why:
- You can learn from your competitors. They are doing something right to stay in business and to snag some market share that might otherwise be yours. Conversations with them can help you better understand their competitive advantage, which can help you better define yours. Learning about their business model may help you see flaws and opportunities in your own model. Hearing about the marketing tactics that worked well for them - and those that didn't - can inform your own thinking about best tactics.
- You can collaborate with competitors. By definition, rivals offer products or services that overlap with yours. But once you start asking your rivals beneath-the-surface questions about their core strengths and target markets, you may find that some of your core strengths are different and/or you serve a different clientele. With that deeper knowledge, you and your rivals may see opportunities to refer business to each other and partner in ways that enable both of your companies to grow.
- You can commiserate with competitors. People who do what you do have remarkably similar experiences: the good, the bad and the ugly. Sharing frustrations with others who understand at an empathetic level has a welcome cathartic effect. Hearing how they deal with similar internal and external challenges provides invaluable perspective. At the very least, each of you walks away having asked "Is it just me?" and having been reassured you're not crazy and this stuff doesn't happen only to you.
|
|
Paws to reconsider that punny headline
 |
|
|
Puns are tons of fun, and we love this one. But resist the urge to use them in blog headlines. (Source: http://cute.barkpost.com/humor/dog-puns-lol-am-i-rite/)
|
You've just written your best-ever blog post, topped by a headline so clever your heart nearly burst with pride. Once potential customers read that catchy headline, so many will click through to your website that the server may go down. Conversion rates will be through the roof. You'll probably need to hire more people to handle all the new business.
Yet a week after posting it, there has been no response. Nothing. Nada.
What went wrong?
You wrote an informative article to promote your dog-grooming business by explaining how grooming the family dog cuts down on allergens in the home. But your oh-so-punny headline was: "Doggone: The dog days of allergies are over!"
Clever? Maybe. But when it comes to writing for the web, that headline is a dog. (Sorry, couldn't resist.) Your potential customers searching online for dog grooming services or ways to curb allergens are not going to type your headline words into the search field.
Your keyword phrase should be "dog grooming reduces allergens." An effective headline for readers and search engines would be "How grooming your dog reduces allergens."
Search engines look first at the headline to determine if it matches any keywords people are using in their search.
That's why our newsletter articles always have a different headline when posted to our blog.
Clever headlines fit the style and tone of our newsletter, which has loyal fans who enjoy consuming information delivered in an offbeat, amusing way. But w
hen we offer up these same articles to be found in search, we rewrite the headlines to follow these rules:
- DO include keywords. They help the post rank higher in search, increasing the likelihood it will be found by readers who want information on your topic.
- DON'T be too clever. Simple, straightforward headlines are search-friendly. If you want kudos for clever wordplay, share the punny headline you didn't use with your mother, friend or coworker.
- DO be concise. People browsing online are making split-second decisions to stay or click away. The quicker you can hook them with your headline, the better.
Need help with writing or editing content for your website, blog, email newsletter or brochure? Call Kim Landry at 484-829-0021 or email kiml@hollistercreative.com.
|
|
|
Even folks who aren't forgetful may need repeated urging and incentives to take the action step you want them to take. (Photo courtesy of NativePakistan.com)
|
Flag down the speeders on your website
Q. Our website keeps getting more and more traffic, but we aren't getting more business. What am I doing wrong?
A. It's a bit retro to call the Internet an "information superhighway," but that metaphor can help you picture people speeding from site to site and page to page. For you to get more business, some of those people must stop long enough to contact you or give you the means to contact them.
Those who pause long enough to visit more than one page on your website are at least a little interested in what you offer. But oddly enough, most won't stop unless you specifically ask them to, and some want an incentive along with the ask.
The ask is a "call to action" - a set of words and images designed to turn thought ("I am interested in this") into deed ("I will respond now").
Calls to action vary in several ways - from how they look and where they're placed on a page to the type of action a viewer is encouraged to take. Some commonly requested actions are learn more, sign up for special offers, subscribe to a newsletter, get a quote and download a free e-book.
All calls to action have the same purpose: to generate leads for your business by inducing visitors to contact you or provide their contact information. With that, you can begin communicating with your visitor, nurturing the lead and then making the sale when the person is ready to buy.
Make it your goal to have a call to action (CTA) on every page, or at least the most visited pages on your website. If you can make each CTA relevant to the page topic, all the better.
Here are a few tips on how to create a lead-generating call to action:
- Color. Use color in your call to action to attract the eyes of visitors and focus them on the action you want them to take.
- Text. Use simple words and keep the text short, but say enough to give viewers a clear sense of what they will get and how it will benefit them.
- Button. Website users expect the call to action to involve clicking a button, so give them a big, bold button to click.
- Steps. Require as few steps possible. Sending visitors to another page, or asking them to fill out too many fields in a form, will cause many to abandon the process.
- Follow-up. Have a well-thought-out plan for following up with helpful information to nurture the leads you get..
Need help designing your social media pages, website or brochure? Call Kim Landry at 484-829-0021 or email kiml@hollistercreative.com.
|
|
Investing in a better customer experience
Client's Challenge
Financial Integrity Resources Management (FIRM) is a financial services company that helps individuals and institutions preserve and create wealth through retirement planning, insurance, actuarial consulting and financial planning.
FIRM had a brochure about the company's managed portfolio services. The brochure's purpose was to explain why people benefit from professional investment advice, how the managed portfolio process works and the different ways portfolios are assembled based on the client's risk tolerance.
FIRM leaders were happy with the content of their brochure, but thought it could benefit from a redesign that would improve the customer experience. They challenged Hollister Creative to make the brochure more inviting and intuitive for people navigating through the information.
|
|
| Click on the image to enlarge the brochure pages. |
Our Solution
Because the topic of financial planning makes many people feel overwhelmed, we wanted the brochure design to be clean, simple and non-threatening. To achieve this, we included plenty of white space and used a friendly, sans-serif font.
To maintain brand consistency, we took into consideration the look and feel of FIRM's website and its other brochures and flyers, all of which use the green and tan color scheme of the FIRM logo. Then we added some brighter greens and blues as pop colors to enhance the appeal and readability of the charts and graphs.
Finally, we changed the size of the brochure from a standard 8.5" x 11" to a square. The square shape mimics the FIRM logo and feels more welcoming to hold and flip through.
Three Quick Tips
If you are faced with the challenge of redesigning an old marketing piece, try these tips:
- Consider the audience mindset. Who are the end users and what are they likely to be thinking and feeling when handed the brochure? If you can settle on a word that identifies the mindset, such as "overwhelmed," you can design the piece to hit the right emotional note.
- Don't stray far from the established brand. When giving a piece a makeover, stick to the main colors and fonts already in use. New collateral should look related to older pieces. If your client's goal is to update the brand, decide together if this will be done gradually, piece by piece, or all at once.
- Find a way to make it stand out. Standard sizes are often chosen because they are the least expensive. However, a designer who understands the cost drivers in the printing process can suggest an alternative size, shape, texture or fold that makes your piece stand out at minimal additional cost.
|
|
You'll be mad about this month's giveaway
March Madness is a big
hoop-de-do this month, and we certainly
hoop you've gotten in the spirit. If not, this month's giveaway will have you dropping threes and talking trash in no time. The Desktop Retro Fingerboard Basketball game is a great way to amuse yourself when you need a break and an even greater way to build camaraderie with teammates at the office. Challenge colleagues to one-on-one, or choose sides for team competition
. Make your own Madness - now's the time!
If you would like the Desktop Retro Fingerboard Basketball game for your office, just
email us a request! Three subscribers
who have not won a giveaway item in six months will be randomly selected to receive one.
|
|
|
