Download this free e-book now: The Top 10 B2B Marketing Mistakes . . . and How to Avoid Them, a Crowdsourced E-book compiled by Dianna Huff

My colleague, Mac McIntosh, and I asked our respective networks to send us the top ten B2B marketing mistakes they see other marketers making. From email to social media, people expressed their opinions — and often quite passionately.

The Top Three Mistakes?
1. No marketing strategy
2. Website not optimized
3. Wasting lead opportunities

Are the results surprising? Yes and no. You can find reams of blog posts, reports, articles, etc. full of how-to-do-it-right information. Yet, despite all of this information, you can still find many B2B Websites that aren’t optimized and companies that throw their unqualified “leads” at sales.

The remaining seven mistakes include:
4. Wrong messaging
5. No offer
6. Not testing
7. Jargon
8. Not paying attention to details
9. Not taking advantage of how people process information
10. Not marketing the Website

I included a description of each mistake as well as information from top marketers on how to avoid each one. And since it’s a crowdsourced e-book, you’ll find many of the survey responses on each page. It was a fun book to compile and write — I hope you enjoy it. If you like it, please be sure to tell your social network about it.

Thank you to following contributors who filled out the survey or sent in email:

Ardath Albee
Bob Bly
C. Edward Brice
Katie Brown
Meghan Carmody
Kirstie Colledge
Sarah Farrer
Ed Gandia
Mark Gibson
Matt Heinz
Anne Holland
Adam Jacobson
Russell M. Kern
Rob Leavitt
Michele Linn
Jim Loadholt
Kim Cornwall Malseed
Barry D. Martin
Mac McIntosh
Raymond Ng
Mike Ortner
Ken Poray
John Rasco
Erica K. Rice
Geraldine Roy
Steven Sessions
Mark Schaefer
David Meerman Scott
Altaf Shaikh
Jim Somers
Kate Spiers
Jeremy Victor
Kurt Weisenberger
Ralf Weiser

Edited to add:
No stock photography was used in the development of this e-book (Mistake #8). The people you see are actual contributors. I originally wanted to use an image of a “crowd” on each page, but didn’t want to use a stock photograph. The designer tried to custom make one out of people’s Twitter photos, but they were too low res.

I tried connecting the mistakes with each contributor, but that was becoming time-consuming and not everyone sent me a photo. So, the designer and I made the executive decision to post pictures of contributors through out to illustrate that “real people” were used in the making of the e-book (i.e. “crowdsourced”).

If someone was quoted on particular page, he or she is placed on that page — i.e. Ardath Albee or Michele Linn. The result may seem confusing — as someone just emailed me said, “Who are these people?” But I believe it’s a small trade-off for pictures of real people. What do you think?

The e-book was designed by Sonora DesignWorks (for those of you who want to know).

With print magazines and newspapers in serious decline, it’s easy to say that B2B print advertising no longer works. I beg to differ. I firmly believe that print advertising does work (and that people still read print, but that’s a different story). The reason people mistakenly believe that print advertising doesn’t work is because many B2B marketers / small business owners don’t know how to create print ads that drive leads.

Creating print ads that deliver a real return on investment isn’t difficult or expensive. It just takes a little know-how. Herewith, 10 tips you can use to increase B2B print ad ROI.

1. Develop a direct response ad versus an image ad — A direct response ad tells people what to do. If it’s done right, it also lets you track response.

When you look at a typical consumer image ad (re: Apple, Coke, or some other consumer product), you see a beautiful picture of the product and maybe some copy. An image ad differs from a direct response ad as it reinforces brand awareness. A direct response ad drives leads because it includes benefits-rich copy and a call to action (think TV infomercials). “Download our free report.” “Call today and request your free sample.”

2. Focus on what your prospects want — The best networkers know to keep the focus on the people they meet at face-to-face events and not on themselves. (Do this and you’ll gain a reputation as a great listener.)

It works the same for your ad copy. Instead of focusing on your company and how it’s an industry leader, focus on the challenges your target audience is experiencing and how you can help solve them.

3. Eliminate “we,” add more “you / your” — “We” is a very weak pronoun, as my good friend Tom Ahern says. Fill your copy with “you” and it will naturally be easier to focus on your target audience and their needs.

4. Send readers to a specific landing page — Want to waste a boatload of money? Create a print ad and include a URL that goes back to your home page. How in the hell do you track that? You don’t. Instead, create a specific landing page where people can go to get your offer and then track how many people visit and how many fill out the form. Tweak accordingly.

5. Create a great offer — Give people something of value: a new white paper, a report detailing survey findings, free samples, or a half-hour consultation. Make sure the URL directs people to this exact offer versus sending them to a page listing all of your white papers and reports and then make them hunt for the offer listed in your ad.

6. Put a benefit in your headline — Capture people’s attention by putting a benefit in your headline. Stay away from play on words or anything that will make people scratch their heads.

7. Include a testimonial — If possible, include a pithy testimonial from a big name client. Also consider dropping a couple of client names in the copy (i.e. “Product XYZ, used by Big Name and Big Name . . . “).

8. Include your phone number and email — Make it easy for people to contact you by including all relevant contact info including a phone number and email. Don’t hide this information in a 4-point grey font at the bottom of the ad.

9. Don’t use reversed out type — The biggest mistake I see people making, when it comes to print ads, is using reversed out white text on a tinted or colored background. This type of formatting was proven by Colin Wheildon and others to reduce reader comprehension. To ensure your ad gets read, stick with black type (in an easy to read font size) on a white background.

10. Don’t use stock imagery — Before the advent of sites such as iStockPhoto, we in MarCom would spend a great deal of time taking original photographs of products for ads, brochures, and press releases. The good thing about this process is that you had photographs that were used only by your company.

With the advent of stock photography, which is wonderful — and yes, inexpensive — you see the same people / photos *everywhere.* Spend some money and have original photography taken. The result is imaging and branding that is uniquely your own.

For additional tips, see my article, “Effective Print Ads: Tools to Increase Sales.” And, to see an actual B2B ad that’s getting phone calls, see the ad I created for Inca Gold Products, LLC (design by Sonora DesignWorks). Do you have additional tips? Post them below.

Here’s a safe exercise you can try at home: pretend you’re a B2B prospect looking for a company who can help you solve a business problem. Choose any B2B vertical / industry, a professional service or a product and then do an online search. Once you’re on the search engine results page, click through to those listings that look like company Websites (stay away from article spam and the like).

If possible, visit seven to ten sites. Quickly scan the home page of each one to see if you can figure out what the company offers. Don’t take notes — just run through each one.

Now, which company stood out in terms of content? Do you remember any of the company names? No? Congratulations, you just encountered what your prospects go through when they’re searching for providers / solutions.

The Problem? Poor Messaging

Poor messaging happens when companies use the same staged, corporate-y images purchased from stock photography sites and content written in jargon-y unreadable gobbledygook. After viewing a few sites, everything starts to look and sound the same.

The result is that prospects come to your Website . . . and click right back out.

How do you prevent this problem? Create fresh, original content that explains what your company does and why your company is different — in plain English.

Marketers usually refer to this process as “developing your message” or “determining your position.” It’s the first step you need to take when redesigning your Website. To develop your message, consider the following strategies:

1. Conduct competitive research
Most small and mid-sized business owners often know exactly who their competitors are and what they offer. Get this information out of people’s heads and onto paper (or an Excel spreadsheet or white board) by holding a strategy meeting with all parties. Also include any “scuttlebutt” you’ve picked up in your travels and from reading the news media.

Analyze your competitors’ Websites to see how they position themselves. What words and images do they use? How are their offerings similar or different from what you offer / provide?

My client, Greenway Golf, for example, differentiates itself from other golf course maintenance companies by stating that they help golf course owners and managers significantly lower costs while vastly improving playing surfaces.

2. Analyze your strengths
Look at how you’ve solved your customers’ challenges in the last few years: what value did you bring to the table? What was your expertise and how were you able to use it to solve the problem?

Ask your customers why they hired you and why they continue to do business with you. (Conversely, go over recent deals that fell through and ask why you didn’t get the deal — this knowledge will help you craft messages that resonate with future prospects).

Ask sales people for feedback they get from customers — this is all valuable information that you can use in your content and to help better define your position.

Also look at the awards you’ve won, industry certifications, and any data you have that shows how your customers are better off since implementing your solution. Veterans Development Corporation, for example, has earned a highly coveted 94% DECAM rating from the State of Massachusetts (a rating providing by the state based on past performance), a fact they point out on their Website in various places.

3. Tell some stories
Do you have great success stories — stories that really show your expertise, strengths and can-do attitude? Showcase them on your Website! While formatted PDF case studies that people can download are always wonderful, you can include vignettes and what I call “mini case-studies” within the content on your site.

These stories don’t have to be text-based or follow the traditional “problem, solution, result” format. I like how Macro-Air Technologies, for example, uses a video to show how their HVLS Six-Blade Fans beat out their competition. I also like how Greenway links to industry articles about their clients via their blog posts.

The goal of implementing these simple strategies is to create fresh, original content that reflects your company’s values and expertise . . . and that gets potential customers to call or email you.

I know lots of other strategies exist for developing great messaging — feel free to list yours below.