My trainer, Sherry, holds 13-week bootcamps where the goal is to reduce body fat and get into your “skinny jeans.”

The other day I saw her flyer in the locker room and was instantly struck by what a great job she did showing the results of working out with her. (I cut off her call-to-action that includes her contact info in order to protect her privacy.)

What I like about this flyer:

1. She posted results in language her prospective clients understand — Who doesn’t want a smaller pant size?

2. She made her customers the stars — Instead of talking about herself, the flyer is all about her clients.

3. It’s short and sweet — You “get” the message instantly. Work out with Sherry and look fabulous in 13 short weeks.

Quick Tip: When posting success stories or case studies to your B2B site, call out the important facts that people can see at a glance and use numbers your customers instantly understand (whatever they may be).

Like this tip? Be sure to share it with your network. Thank you!

Do you have a great “results” example? Share it in the comments below. And, if you want more tips like this one, follow me on Facebook — I’m posting 31 Tips in 31 Days for Generating Website Leads. Woot!

As I’ve been posting of late, I’m in the middle of a complete rebrand / redesign. While I do these types of projects on a regular basis with clients, I’m surprised at how fraught with anxiety I’ve been regarding my own redesign.

I realized last week it’s because I’ve had a hard time giving feedback to my designer, Rachel Cunliffe. When working with clients, I see myself as the bridge between them and the designer. My clients don’t speak “design” and “marketing” — it’s up to me to communicate what they want to achieve and then make it happen.

But when it comes to my own work, suddenly, that “bridge” is gone. So when Rachel sent me the first mock up for the interior pages of my site, I didn’t like it. I hemmed and hawed for a few days and fretted. I knew I didn’t want to tell her how to do her job as I didn’t want this result, “How a Web Design Goes Straight to Hell,” cleverly portrayed by The Oatmeal. (This comic always leaves me in stitches because it is the absolute truth. BTDT.)

But I also didn’t want to be a “difficult” client by saying the mock-up wasn’t working for me.

Finally, I sat down and looked at the interior page and the home page she had given me and listed out the differences and why one made me feel “blah” and why the other made my heart sing.

And that made all the difference. Instead of doing her job for her under the guise of “Can you make this and this and this change?” and getting the same result I’ve had for years (safe, boring, ho-hum), I listed out what bothered me about the mock-up and what I liked about the home page — and left it up to her to do her job.

Rachel’s response? “Ahh! Thank you! I see exactly what you mean.” She sent back revised designs and nailed exactly what I was trying to achieve. And, now that we’re on the same page, I’m getting designs for other pages that are knocking my socks off. I just keep looking at them and going WOW!

Tips for giving constructive feedback

When working with creative professionals, it pays to give feedback that helps them “see” what you’re thinking. Design and copywriting are iterative processes — you need communication on both sides to get amazing results. A true professional gracefully welcomes feedback as he/she wants to do a superb job that makes the client look good (as well as meet the project objectives). Consider the following tips:

1. Communicate your ideas — Instead of saying, “That sucks,” or “That’s ugly,” which isn’t helpful, try, “I can see where you’re going with that but what I was really envisioning was this,” and then explain as best you can what you had in mind. Or, do as I did. I explained what I didn’t like and why, but left it up to Rachel to take that feedback and make changes versus telling her what to change.

2. Give high-level concrete feedback — Instead of focusing on micro changes, focus on the overall piece (content, design, etc.). One client I worked with, for example, said to me, “You tend to state things in the negative. Let’s stay positive.” Oh. Thank you. I hadn’t even noticed I was doing that — and once she pointed it out, I made a point to weed it out of my writing.

3. Accept recommendations — I recently had my bathroom redone, right down to the studs. I originally told my plumber and contractor that I wanted a cast iron tub with tile around the shower walls, but they both *highly* recommended I opt for a laminate tub and shower walls due to a number of factors.

I really wanted that cast iron tub but said ok to the laminate and let them do their jobs. The result is a GORGEOUS bathroom. In fact, it’s my dream bathroom. Now when I take a shower, I can’t even imagine why I thought I needed cast iron.

When working with creative pros who know what they’re doing, give them your input, but also listen to their recommendations — and then give them the freedom to achieve superb results for you. We all like to control things, but we hire experts *because* we want different results. When you micro-manage, you cut off creativity, passion and amazing outcomes.

What do you think? Do you have other tips for giving constructive feedback? Post them below.

As I posted a few weeks ago, I’m in the process of completely rebranding myself: new logo, new look, new tag line and a completely revamped Website.

I’m doing this because my work has changed quite a bit in the last few years. I no longer “just” write copy. Today, my business is all about helping small B2B companies generate Website leads through what I call Website Overhauls. I now consult with clients on everything from strategy and positioning to Website audits and SEO.

This sea change in my business prompted me to completely rebrand myself so that I could focus more on this type of work — and less on straight copywriting. You can see my home page mock up to the right. (If you love it, you can get one like it from the fabulous Rachel Cunliffe at Cre8d Design. She designed it.)

And so, as a way to countdown to the launch of my rebranded Website (and to light a fire under my butt to get this new site DONE before the end of May), I’m doing a Facebook campaign: 31 Tips in 31 Days for Generating Website Leads.

I didn’t come up with this idea. Constant Contact did something similar back in February with their awesome “Fanbruary” campaign, which I loved. So I adapted it.

Coming up with 31 tips has been fun. I had no idea I had so many until I started going through my files. (My copywriter associate Holly Yoos says I have enough content to write a book.) I hope you enjoy them and implement some of them too!

You can get easy access to all 31 tips by “Liking” my Facebook page (I’ll also be posting them on Twitter). If you like the tips, let your fans know. Thank you!

And thank you for your support, comments and feedback these last 14 years. It feels really good to be making this change. It’s a great fit for me and what I love to do. I’m very excited! Woot!

Google Analytics (GA) collects a great deal of data about your Website visitors and then dumps it into your lap. GA has no clue *who* visits your site, it just records the traffic.

To make sense of your data and visitor patterns, it helps to exclude visitor data that doesn’t count. This kind of “doesn’t count” data includes traffic from your marketing and sales people, your Web designer or programmer — and you!

Filtering this traffic is important. You want to make marketing decisions based on meaningful data — not data skewed by your team’s Web surfing.

Fortunately, filtering this traffic is really easy. Make sure you have administrator access to Google Analytics, then follow the steps below.

1. Log into Google Analytics and click the “Admin” button on the right corner.

2. Under the “Profiles” tab, click “Filters.”

3. Click the “New Filter” box.

4. Give your filter a name (i.e. ACME’s IP) and make sure the “Predefined Filter” radio button is checked. In the three boxes with the drop downs menus, configure them to read: “Exclude,” “traffic from IP addresses,” and “that contain.”

5. To learn your IP address, open another browser tab and go to: myIPaddress.com. Make note of the IP address listed.

6. Go back to Google Analytics and insert the IP address into the boxes. Click “Save.”

That’s it! Now Google Analytics will filter traffic from your IP.

If you have people that log onto your site regularly, such as an outside Web designer or programmer or people who work from different locations, you can set up filters for them, too. Just ask each person to visit myIPaddress.com from wherever they’re working and send the IP numbers to you. Follow the instructions above for creating new filters.

Have a quick and easy Google Analytics tip? Feel free to post it in the Comments section. And, if you found this article helpful, be sure to share it with your network. Thank you!

“You know, you’re not the first person I’ve talked to who simply raves about Infusionsoft,” said a business colleague last week during a phone conversation.

When I signed on for Infusionsoft a couple of months ago, I thought I was getting a centralized database, marketing automation, and an application that incorporated the tools I use, such as email marketing and a shopping cart.

I changed my thinking when I read the book, Conquering the Chaos, How to Grow a Successful Small Business Without Going Crazy, by the Infusionsoft founders. The book talks about the mental changes you have to make in order to see real success, which they define as more time with family and/or pursuing your interests, fewer work hours, and profitability.

Then I attended Infusioncon, the users conference two weeks ago. Oh. My. God. The roof was blown off my carefully constructed ideas about marketing. I came back to my business with a totally different perspective about how I can use Infusionsoft to grow it and be of better service to my clients. It’s why I’m an Infusionsoft partner and have plans to become a certified coach later this year.

So I’m really pleased to promote The Small Business Success Club from Scott Martineau, the co-founder of Infusionsoft. One, *everything* Infusionsoft does is top-notch. And two, this Success Club is just another way the Infusionsoft founders live their values: They love small businesses and they love sharing their knowledge to help you succeed.

So take a minute to sign up. It’s free — and you’ll get a whole new way to look at marketing and your business. (And if you already dig Infusionsoft, feel free to leave comments below.)

I’ve recently run into a slew of “small” Google Analytic (GA) problems with my clients / prospective clients — enough that I realized I should write about them as these “small” problems often impact business in a huge way.

1. You’re not the account owner.

I see this problem quite a bit. A business owner will rely on an agency, Web designer or SEO / marketer to set up Google Analytics — which is fine. What happens, however, is that the account gets set up as a “Profile” under the agency’s or designer’s main account.

When GA is set up this way, you can run into a number of big problems:

• If you’re set up as a “User” versus an “Administrator,” you have limited capabilities.
• If you rely on your agency or designer to send you reports, you see only the data they want you to see.
• If you stop doing business with this company, you lose access to your data.

The Easy Fix: Have your agency or designer set you up as an Administrator using your Google login information. You can “demote” your agency or designer to “User” and then change your login / password information — making you the owner. For detailed instructions, see this Google help page.

When you’re the Administrator of your account, you should see the User tab when you click “Admin” once you’re in GA — this tab allows you to add Users to your account.

Bonus tip #1: Make your password strong and keep it somewhere safe where you can find it should you forget it.

Bonus tip #2: Instead of giving vendors Administrator access, add them to your account as Users. Even better, add people as Users using their Google Account login. This lets them see your data in their GA account — without having to login to yours.

Your GA data is GOLD. Protect it by ensuring you are the owner of your account. You should NOT be begging your agency or designer for access to your data. I can’t stress this enough.

2. Someone within your company set up the account.

Another problem I see regularly is when an employee in the company sets up Google Analytics — using his or her Gmail login. So while you may have GA login information and Administrator privileges, technically you don’t own the account. Some problems with this scenario are:

• You (and whoever accesses GA) can access your employee’s Gmail account (which could make for interesting reading, haha!).
• If your employee quits and changes the Gmail password, you’re locked out of GA.

The Easy Fix: Follow the “Easy Fix” instructions above.

3. UA numbers don’t match.

The UA number refers to your Google Analytics account ID number — which starts with UA, as seen in the screenshot. The UA number listed in your GA account has to match the UA number that’s in your HTML source code in order for Google to properly track visitor behavior on your site.

If they don’t match, you get zero data — a problem that always gives me that sinking feeling in my stomach. UGH. The fix, listed below, is easy. Unfortunately, you now have to wait a few months to collect meaningful data.

The Easy Fix: If you have a standard HTML site, get the correct tracking code from GA by clicking the “Tracking Code” tab within the Administrator interface (click “Admin” once you’re in GA). You’ll find the script or code on this page. Email it to your designer and have him or her add it to all pages on your site. If you use WordPress, install the GA plugin and add the UA number that way or have your WordPress person add it to the correct template.

4. The site doesn’t have a tracking code.

When business owners tell me they don’t have any Web analytics whatsoever, I’m a little shocked. As I always tell my clients and prospects, I don’t make any recommendations on what should be changed on a Website unless I have data. Nor should you!

The Easy Fix: Open a Google Analytics account — today — and then get the tracking code installed on your site pronto. It takes only a few minutes and costs nothing.

5. No link between AdWords and Analytics.

If you use AdWords, it’s really important you know which traffic is coming to your site from your ads and which is coming from SEO. The more data you have, the more you’re able to enhance your SEO efforts and spend your ad budget wisely.

And too, according to Google AdWords expert Pauline Jakober, of Group Twenty Seven, linking your accounts gives you more robust conversion and e-commerce data. “Within your Google AdWords account, you do get data such as click costs, impression share and quality score stats, but Google Analytics provides in-depth data on what value your PPC traffic is providing, such as conversion data and sales data if you have an ecommerce site” she says.

The Easy Fix: Follow these easy instructions for linking your accounts.

6. No Webmaster Tools.

Google Webmaster Tools gives you a wealth of information on how Google sees your site, including site performance and site load time, malware detection, the site links Google adds to your search engine listing and a bunch of other useful stuff.

Often, however, small businesses have failed to set up Webmaster Tools. In addition to not seeing important information about your site, you also can’t link Webmaster Tools to your Analytics data — which makes it easy to see information in one dashboard.

The Easy Fix: First set up your Webmaster Central account, if you haven’t done so already. Once your account is verified, Google will prompt you to link your two accounts. For step-by-step instructions, read this Google help page.

The first step in ensuring your site generates leads is to have Google Analytics working properly — because without data, you’re basically in the dark without a flashlight.

Do you have a Google Analytics horror story? Feel free to share it!

When I asked my newsletter subscribers for feedback in December regarding challenges they faced, a vast majority said, “I’m overwhelmed!” “I can’t keep up with all of it.” “I’ve no time for social media.”

I’ve struggled with these challenges too — especially fitting in social media. I started writing my blog in 2006 and just kept adding things as they came out — LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, G+.

The more social media platforms and tools proliferated like mushrooms, the more stressed I became. Having the ability to be “always on” via my iPhone and iPad didn’t help.

One day in August 2011, I decided to take a break. I stopped reading and listening to the news and music while driving. I stopped reading marketing books, magazines and blogs. I even stopped posting on social media and my blog for a month.

The result? For the first time in a very long time, I could hear myself think.

And boy, did that feel good.

I also got lucky. While taking this break, I happened to be ghostwriting a book about social media. For the first time, I found myself **watching** social media happen instead of participating.

I began asking myself questions such as: “Why was I trying to maintain four social media platforms and a blog — in addition to running a business and raising my son?” “Why did I feel like I needed to be an expert in everything?” “Did I really need to be a top blogger or have thousands of followers to be effective?”

I came back to social media with a much different perspective — one I was afraid to say in public because, well, it’s not what social media gurus advocate.

I realized the fewer gurus I followed and the less content I read, the more I actually learned and the smarter I felt.

I learned my real priority and mission is to be of service to my clients.

I learned that by paying attention to what showed up in my own news feed, I could easily see which social media activities worked – and which ones didn’t – and that I didn’t need to be a genius to figure this out.

I learned that by controlling social media, instead of having it control me, I could regain some peace in my work day and life. I now have plans to plant an herb garden this spring, take afternoons off to go sailing on the Charles, and just relax and enjoy solitude when I can. It feels really good.

I kept my secret to myself for months because revealing it felt like I was pointing out the emperor has no clothes. But then I began reading the new book by Susan Cain, Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking.

When I watched her TED video the other day — a video that has “smashed all TED records” – I knew it was time to come clean.

The upshot? I’m an introvert, and part of being creative is honoring the time I need to think.

Because I was filling my spare minutes trying to “keep up” with social media, I didn’t get this down time. And too, with social media, and the Internet in general, you’re subject to lots of noise and “group think” — a condition where everyone ends up thinking and doing the same things.

Group think doesn’t lead to innovation, new ways of looking at things or creative problem solving, a topic Cain discusses at length in her book.

I breathed a huge sigh of relief.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, it may be because yes, you’re busy. But it may also be because you’re an introvert and need some down time. Watch Cain’s video, then get her book. I think you’ll come away with a different perspective on your work and your life.

Let me know what you think in the comment section below. I’ve also started a discussion on my Facebook page.

And for those of you who watch Cain’s video, here’s what’s in my suitcase: books, books, and more books, trusting my own genius, service to others, spiritual journey, and personal transformation. What’s in yours?

I’m doing a complete revamp of my branding and Website. As part of this process, I had new photos taken — photos that express the creative, fun, and dare I say it, authentic “Dianna Huff,” meaning, I ditched the “safe” corporate look I’ve held on to for so long. (For a sneak peek, you can take a look at my in-progress Facebook page.)

But as wonderful as my new photos are, I found myself questioning whether I should go with such a “different” look. I looked at photos of other marketers I know and heard myself thinking, “Hmmm, maybe I should play it safe and dial back a little.”

My copywriting assistant, Holly Yoos, set me back on the right path. “Dianna,” she said, “Seth Godin has his distinctive bald head and Malcolm Gladwell has his crazy hair. Your new look is authentic. I say go with your gut.”

As soon as she said this, I knew she was right. Why? Because it’s the same advice I give to my clients when it comes to creating messaging for their Websites

“Be yourself; everyone else is already taken.”
– Oscar Wilde

Before starting work on a client Website, I do competitive research. I assess competitor sites in terms of design, content and SEO – but more importantly, I look at messaging.

After 30 to 60 minutes, I usually come away with glazed eyes and a headache. No matter the industry, I often have to wade through incomprehensible jargon, grey mouse type I can barely read, and what I call “me too” messaging.

“Me too” messaging is copy that says exactly what everyone else is saying. In fact, if you put Company A’s site and Company B’s site side-by-side, you could plug Company A’s message into Company B’s site (or vice versa) and no one would know the difference – ha!

The problem with “me too” messaging is that it doesn’t differentiate your company from your competitors.

It also reduces potential leads.

Search overwhelm

When prospects do research online, viewing site after site, they get tired and confused. “Hmmm,” your prospect thinks, “Company A offers x, y, z, but so does Company B (and C and D and E). Which one is better? And what exactly is ‘x’ anyway? No one explains it. Maybe I’d better go look it up so I know what I’m getting.” And away clicks your prospect. Buh-bye!

So how do you fix this problem? With lots of unique, fresh and engaging content. (You knew I was going to say that, right?)

Here’s the deal: People will buy a product or service to solve a problem. But, they decide WHOM to buy from based on intangibles – intangibles that often never make it into Website messaging.

Case in point: I was visiting a new client (an IT services business) last summer when a call came in at their help desk. A malicious worm was eating through their client’s database (and everything else they had on the server) – and they couldn’t stop it. The owner and his assistant immediately contacted their two most experienced techs – even though one was on vacation – to fix the problem, fast.

Suffice to say, I was suitably impressed. I bet the prospect was, too.

These types of stories make YOUR company stand apart and you need to tell them on your Website.

To create your own unique content, sit down with your team for a few hours and do the following:

Research the Competition – Look at your competitors’ sites to see what they’re saying and how they say it. Do they offer the same products and services as you? Are they approachable (i.e. do they invite people to call or email them or do they hide behind forms)? What “buzz words” do they use? What makes them different from or the same as you?

Research your Industry – What are some of the issues and trends pertaining to your industry? What problems are your customers facing? How are you or others solving them? To find answers to these questions, look at industrial publications, application notes, white papers, case studies, etc.

Brainstorm and Analyze – Finally, let your team answer some of these questions. What makes your company unique? What are your strengths – and weaknesses? What are some of your success stories? What’s your company culture like? Does this come through in your messaging – or is your site bland and dull so that your company “fits” in with what everyone else is doing?

What all of this boils down to is going outside your comfort zone and making your company stand out with content that’s unique to YOU.

Although this can be a little discomforting (trust me, I know), the result is worth it. Because when prospects come to your site, they’ll say, “Yes! These are people I want to do business with.” Why? Because they feel like they already know you.

What’s your opinion? Leave your comments below.

When I explain to prospects and clients how to get more leads from their sites, I sometimes think my expertise is too “simple.” That is, until I find a site that’s a great example of how NOT to do things.

I’m currently doing competitive research for a client and ran across a site that’s very well done. The company has incorporated a great deal of informative content, the site includes testimonials, case studies, and press releases. It’s a great site. I’d call the company for more information if I were in the market for the service they provide.

**Call the company** — hahaha — well, that’s just it. I clicked through the site numerous times because surely I must have missed something.

As wonderful as this site is, it’s lacking the most crucial piece of information — CONTACT US INFORMATION!

Not one page has a call-to-action in the form of “Call us at [phone number]” or “Email us for more info” or “Fill out this form.”

I finally found the “Contact Us” link. It’s buried at the footer of each page — and is so small, you barely see it.

I wonder how many leads this company gets from its Website. Based on my work, I’m guessing not many.

When designing your small or mid-sized B2B Website, keep these top two rules in mind:

• Make it super easy for people to contact you.
• Encourage people to contact you — on every page.

A few easy-peasy tactics include:

• Adding a phone number and an email link at the top of each page
• Incorporating forms on your products / services pages
• Using calls-to-action to tell people what to do next: Subscribe, Engage, Call, Email, Download

Do you have a good story of a site that buries its leads? Feel free to share it in the comments section.

When SMI Powders contacted me years ago, they wanted help getting leads from their site.

A ten second look at their site, and I knew exactly what the problem was – no content. Their “Services” page (below) with its brief list of services, was all they had to explain what they offered. (I normally don’t call out companies this way, but SMI Powders is no longer in business.)

When I said, “You need to create additional content and explain what each service is and how it will benefit people,” the response was, “Our customers already know what we do.”

I still hear this from clients, and unfortunately, I still see B2B manufacturing firms with these light-on-content pages. Here’s the skinny on why you need content that explains what you do:

1. Your customers don’t know what you do – Even after being in business for 13 years, clients still say to me, “I didn’t know you did [X].” People are busy and they don’t keep up with your company. It’s up to you to remind them of all the goodness you provide. Use marketing tactics, such as email, advertising, and direct mail, to drive customers to your content-rich Services pages.

2. Your prospects don’t know who you are –- Many of your prospects have no idea you even exist, so they certainly don’t know what you do. You need to tell them when they come your site.

3. Content (if it’s optimized) gets found via search – The more content you have, the easier it is to optimize it for search engines. (Read how my team and I did this for Flood Solutions.)

4. Content helps drive leads – Content that explains what you do helps people decide whether they should do business with you.

For a better example of a Services page, check out the Capabilities (Services) and Products pages for the Lacerta Group, Inc.

In consultation with our client, my team and I created short and to-the-point copy for each Lacerta page. Yet, the content is also informative enough so you know what this company offers: custom thermoforming design, prototyping, mold-making and packaging. (We also optimized their pages for search engines.)

If you’re a small B2B manufacturing firm and your Website isn’t working for you, give me a call at 603-382-8093 or send email to info@dhcommunications.com. My goal is to help your business grow through effective Web marketing tactics.

“From the moment you visited and toured our facilities to the multiple drafts, revisions, and final content you were truly amazing.”
–Danielle Brown
Director of Marketing
Lacerta Group, Inc.