Does your messaging have the flu?

Sometimes it starts with a headache. Sometimes it starts with the chills or a cough. Then the fever comes. And the aches. Before you know it, you’re miserable and in bed for a week with the flu. When it finally sets in, there’s not much you can do, but stay in bed and wait for it to pass.

Companies sometimes experience something similar with their messaging. Maybe a web page doesn’t look right. Or some of your sales collateral seems a little stale or off the mark. Before you know it, your whole marketing aresenal is down for the count.

Unlike the real flu, though, when your messaging starts to get sick, there is something you can do about it. Don’t let the problem piece infect the rest of your marketing – get a second opinion and call in a professional. Fight the bug before it drags the rest of your marketing down or – worse yet – starts to impact your sales pipeline.

How to make your technology sound as cool as it is

I love my iPhone. When I tell people it’s life-changing, I get one of two reactions. People either look at me like I turned green and suddenly started speaking Martian, or they emphatically nod their head and confess their love for their iPhone or similar device. When I explain to the people in the former category WHY I love my iPhone so much (it’s gotten me un-lost several times in new cities, ended squabbles with my husband about where to go to dinner, settled bets about what song was playing on the radio, bought me movie tickets, etc.) they get it.

How many of your customers can not only say your technology is life changing, but then clearly and concisely explain why? Can you even do that? I don’t mean ratlle off the marketing jargon that’s on your website now. Can you clearly identify what your technology does for your customers?

If you can’t, how can you expect your customers to?

Start with clear benefits. Think about WHY your technology makes your customers better. “Enables superior accounting processes” doesn’t cut it, but “Process invoices 3 days faster” means something. It’s clear, measurable and conversational.

Unless you’re opening a new office on Mars, stop speaking Martian to your prospects. Tell them why your product or solution can be life-changing, then show them how. You won’t regret it.

Never, ever, EVER forget this one rule…

No, it’s not never, ever, EVER eat an entire chocolate bunny, but I don’t recommend that, either. Just trust me.

The number one marketing rule for technology companies is this: don’t forget who your audience is. Sound simple? It can be, but it’s also often overlooked. Think your audience is full of prospects just begging to buy your products and services? Think again. Prospects are so inundated with messages and offers, yours will not stand out or rise above the noise if you don’t know how to talk to them.

If you usually sell to IT managers, their worries and problems are different from those of business managers, and both of those have different worries and problems than executives. The trick is aligning your messaging with what your prospective buyer cares about. If you can put their worries at ease, you can sell them.

You can start figuring this out by making a list of the top titles who have purchased your product or service in the past six months to one year. Not who was your contact or who called you, but who had the purchasing power? Who made the call to say, “Yes, this is exactly what we need. Here is a check.” Then, make a list about how those people are judged. What is their tail on the line for every day? An IT manager will be accountable for different tasks than a CFO. Finally, figure out how your offering can solve their pains and make their jobs easier.

Using those consistent messages will make your marketing stand out from other offers and will drive more leads and more business your way.

Which one of these things is not like the other?

I live in Cleveland. I have a kindergartner. I’m married and have two dogs. I’m not ashamed to admit that I don’t get out much.

But sometimes I still wonder if there’s something wrong with me.

I combine two things that don’t usually go together –  technology and lively writing. Since I got my first computer when I was 10 (some archaic Tandy from Radio Shack my uncle built that I used to make draw circles and elipses with 50 lines of code), I’ve loved learning about bits and bytes. I used to try to break my computer – not with a hammer or power tool – but with code and experimenting with early operating systems.

Then, when I discovered I could combine my two loves – writing and computers – I was happier than an Indians fan during the World Series. Many writers, though, well, they prefer to write about stuff most like to do for fun. You know. Sports. Travel. Wine. And most IT professionals aren’t known for their knack of edge-of-your-seat, conversational copywriting.

Then there’s me. I know I’ve always been a little different – not in a rocking back and forth while reciting The Federalist Papers on the train weird – and finally it’s paying off. I can make servers and SaaS sound sexy with the best of ‘em. Now how many people can get excited about that?

Look ma, no hands!

I couldn’t just stop at Facebook. Or Twitter. Now I have a blog!

Normally, I’ll share with you words of wisdom from my writing and working world, but sometimes you might get glimpses into the rest of my universe. Like a picture of my handsome son. Or my adorable dogs.

For now, though, why don’t you look me up on LinkedIn and answer my tech question there?

http://bit.ly/1hqqLI