A large part of marketing is simplifying a product or service. This concept is web marketing’s best friend. In fact, I like it so much that I’m going to give you a few pointers in creating your own technical content.

1. Start-and stay-high level. Save the nitty gritty for the phone call or initial consult. You only need to communicate enough information to instigate this meeting. The tech speak is what you use to sell your product/service and establish yourself as an expert.

2. Use someone else’s words to guide your own. Ask a trusted existing customer to explain your product/service, in his/her own words to a prospect. It doesn’t have to literally be TO a prospect, but use that as a starting point. Take the (hopefully) simpler language and add it to your own rapport.

3. Consider what people are searching for initially. Your prospects aren’t looking for your product, they’re looking for a solution to their problem–they’re looking for the BENEFIT of your product. My favorite thing to remind clients of when they’re forming their marketing message is to remain benefits forward. Read more about how to position your product to best met your customers needs–and catch their attention.

One of the authors of Graphic Design Referenced (a 400-page visual guide to the language, applications, and history of graphic design) contacted me for permission to use my work in his book! I am obviously pumped.

Congrats, Victoria. That’s an awesome honor!

Great marketing requires great design. Our trades are integral.

Stellar web copy will be bypassed without remarkable design;
remarkable design will be discredited without stellar copy.

Visit Victoria’s blog for more design love. You can also contact her for freelance work!

“Here, network: Own my brand.”

It’s no longer a message, it’s a conversation. This will challenge your traditional content like never before. Rather then talking at your consumer, you’re discussing your product/service with them. This means you don’t own the jargon, the message, or even the attitude: for better or worse, the conversation will happen.

A few tips on influencing your brand-related conversation:

• Never cover-up negativity; instead, immediately address it.
  A Twitter user recently tweeted a complaint about Comcast rates and reliability. Rather then ignoring the problem or bragging about how great their service REALLY is, the @comcastcares team responding with: “Can I look into that for you?”
• Don’t be afraid to let your company personality to shine.
  To continue driving home the “neighborhood” feel of their restaurants, Applebees launched their Real Videos promotion, requesting patron videos of them having fun and building community. While I wouldn’t model a plan after this initiative, it’s a step in the right direction.
• Let your network tell YOU what they want–and communicate your response to it. ASK them.
  Just 2 hours ago, @zappos (the Zappos CEO) tweeted: “Poll: “Poll: If you were able to take a peek behind the scenes at Zappos, what would you be interested in learning?” Rather then assuming the network wanted just another company-about video…they ASKED.

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If you made it through (or even if you didn’t), navigate your way back to slide 21. I’m among the few lucky enough to work for a web development company OBSESSED with great client ROI–and our clients are just as enthusiastic. This leads me to wonder “wtf” are the traditional television advertisers thinking… ANYWAY.

Creating value in your social networks starts with trust. Consider the infamous Comcast Twitter example: It began with one Comcast employee who began addressing customer complaints/issues as they’d gripe to their friends on Twitter (I’ve heard it’s since grown to a team of employees). These complaints/issues were ALREADY being talked about…and unaddressed, allowed to spread virally. Rather then the complaint resonating without resolution, the employee went above and beyond to solve problems–thereby incurring some great benefits:

• increased customer satisfaction
• resolved potentially viral negative press
• personal attention continues to reinforce consumer TRUST for the 2,239 users who follow the employee(s)
• News media picked up on their tactic and starting talking about it–FREE PR!

Cons? (They have to exist, right?) There is a time cost related to addressing these concerns (much like staffing a call center). Also, you have to understand social media: treating it like traditional avenues will TANK you. Stay tuned for a blog on how to use content to feed your social media conversations.

If you haven’t already, I invite you to subscribe to my RSS feed. It should keep you in the loop as to the things I get most excited about in online marketing.

Products and services are sometimes best illustrated with timelines, symbols, or flow charts. This might be pretty obvious, but you might be surprised at how much time people spend explaining ideas through text when a simple illustration might do.

There are 3 things I want you to put major consideration on when creating your illustrated idea:

1. Message: text that appeals to the reader only (concept specific)
2. Graphic Appeal: clean, familiar graphics are usually best (why I used a Venn Diagram)
3. Marketing Motive: usually a call to action (ex: “buy” “apply” “sign up”)

In all online marketing, there is an overlying theme: It’s not about you or your product. It’s about your user/prospect/client. Forget that and you will fail.

Since I’ve already given you quick rundowns of my 54-hour startup weekend, here’s a preview of beta Nudge.

Nudge is a text message reminder service. Businesses will be able to input contact information and send reminders via text with appointment details and a number to call for clients who can’t make it. A friendly nudge will save you time and decrease missed appointments. (Victoria)

Business Card Marketing

Home Page (beta)

partial group shot:

“I’m going to verb it.”

Consider what “verbing” means and how it works. Rather then using a stagnant, stationary title, “verbing” paints a picture or identifies a task.

OTHER things to consider when creating effective headers and titles…

• Use keywords for SEO (that’s organic SEO)
• Avoid cliches
• Be straight-forward
• Be relevant

At this point, we’re just about ready to launch our startup, called “Nudge.” It’s a text alert system we each own 1/13th of. Check out Nudge online (in a few days).

I’m sorry this is so quick; it’s a movement in progress. A couple candids:

Some of our team members (Team Nudge!):

Andrew, John (@jwphillips), Austin, me, Victoria (@typeis4lovers)

more photos of #swa2

It’s easy to forgot the ridiculous amount of copywriting required for a startup. Our web-based startup has meant:

• business plan (partial)
• marketing plan (partial)
• press release
• terms of service
• privacy policy
• site archetecture
• …and more

It’s getting a little scary now that everyone’s hungry. It’s probably about time for a break.

A secret: My idea pertains to social media. I’ll let you know how it turns out (or if we pursue it).