Internet “usabilty” expert Jakob Nielsen is puzzled.
In an e-mail newsletter article today, he writes about business to business websites – and why they're so hard to use.
“User testing shows that business-to-business websites have substantially lower usability than mainstream consumer sites,” says Nielsen. “If they want to convert more prospects into leads, B2B sites should follow more guidelines and make it easier for prospects to research their offerings.”
Nielsen says many B2B sites are “stuck in the 1990s” in their attitude to the user experience. They emphasize internally focused design and fail to answer customers' main questions.
“These sites haven't realized that the Web has reversed the company-customer relationship,” says Nielsen. “Most online interactions are demand-driven: you either give people what they want or watch as they abandon your site for the competition's.”
In Nielsen’s user tests, B2B sites earned a mere 58% success rate (measured as the percentage of that time users accomplished their tasks on a site). Mainstream websites had a success rate of 66%.
Here’s the puzzle. “Considering that there's immensely more money at stake for B2B than for business-to-consumer," says Nielsen, "it's astounding that B2B sites offer a much worse user experience.”
For pete's sake, put the customer first.
For Nielsen's full details, click here.
Interested in usability issues? Canada now has its own usability blogger: Dmitry Buterin of Bonasource. He's actually pretty good (so you'd better hope he doesn't find your site). Click here for his blog, Blinking VCR.
Tuesday, May 30, 2006
Friday, May 26, 2006
Move your prospects forward, faster
I have a professional services client in Toronto that is very interested in the entrepreneurial market, so I have been working with them to help them understand better how to identify and work with growth entrepreneurs.
Yesterday we held a session with one of Canada’s top growth leaders as he candidly outlined some of the problems he has faced in his business.
One of his comments should be of immense interest to anyone selling services and systems to small business.
Every entrepreneur in a growing business faces a conflict between trying to develop the staff that has been with the company for a long time, and bringing in more experienced professionals who really know how to do the job. Essentially, the conflict is the business’s need for greater professionalism vs the entrepreneur’s sense of loyalty to the people who have helped the company grow – but may no longer be the best people to help it grow further.
This entrepreneur admitted he was very slow to resolve that conflict. In the end, there was no doubt – without more professional management, his company was doomed. He took the plunge and brought in new people with the skills he needed. Some of his long-serving colleagues accepted reassignment; others accepted severance.
Most services companies targeting small business are selling professionalism. But not all entrepreneurs are ready to buy. Like yesterday’s guest speaker, many put it off for years. This suggests that there is a huge opportunity to sell more professional services to more entrepreneurial companies earlier – if you can help the leaders deal with their natural reluctance to upset the delicate balance of people and skills they have set up in their businesses.
How can you get loyalty-minded entrepreneurs to move forward faster?
Acknowledging their dilemma is one step. Explaining how other entrepreneurial clients have successfully solved this problem would be another. Paint a picture of what success looks like – and why so many more people – staff, customers, other stakeholders – will be better off in the long run.
Review your experience and ransack your client list to identify success stories of how you have helped other entrepreneurial firms grow stronger and faster by establishing more effective processes. Ask satisfied past clients if you can refer prospects to them for a personal discussion on how to manage such tricky transitions.
Entrepreneurs distrust experts who promise them the moon. Like everyone else, they tend to drag their feet when change is painful. But they are willing to listen – and act – if you have compelling evidence and testimonials proving that short-term pain will produce sustained long-term gain.
The client company will be stronger for it. And so will yours.
Yesterday we held a session with one of Canada’s top growth leaders as he candidly outlined some of the problems he has faced in his business.
One of his comments should be of immense interest to anyone selling services and systems to small business.
Every entrepreneur in a growing business faces a conflict between trying to develop the staff that has been with the company for a long time, and bringing in more experienced professionals who really know how to do the job. Essentially, the conflict is the business’s need for greater professionalism vs the entrepreneur’s sense of loyalty to the people who have helped the company grow – but may no longer be the best people to help it grow further.
This entrepreneur admitted he was very slow to resolve that conflict. In the end, there was no doubt – without more professional management, his company was doomed. He took the plunge and brought in new people with the skills he needed. Some of his long-serving colleagues accepted reassignment; others accepted severance.
Most services companies targeting small business are selling professionalism. But not all entrepreneurs are ready to buy. Like yesterday’s guest speaker, many put it off for years. This suggests that there is a huge opportunity to sell more professional services to more entrepreneurial companies earlier – if you can help the leaders deal with their natural reluctance to upset the delicate balance of people and skills they have set up in their businesses.
How can you get loyalty-minded entrepreneurs to move forward faster?
Acknowledging their dilemma is one step. Explaining how other entrepreneurial clients have successfully solved this problem would be another. Paint a picture of what success looks like – and why so many more people – staff, customers, other stakeholders – will be better off in the long run.
Review your experience and ransack your client list to identify success stories of how you have helped other entrepreneurial firms grow stronger and faster by establishing more effective processes. Ask satisfied past clients if you can refer prospects to them for a personal discussion on how to manage such tricky transitions.
Entrepreneurs distrust experts who promise them the moon. Like everyone else, they tend to drag their feet when change is painful. But they are willing to listen – and act – if you have compelling evidence and testimonials proving that short-term pain will produce sustained long-term gain.
The client company will be stronger for it. And so will yours.
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Entrepreneur Reality Check
While looking for something else (as always), I ran across a great post on how an entrepreneur’s strengths become weaknesses – written by entrepreneur Thomas J. Leonard for all the long-suffering spouses of entrepreneurs.
It’s a great way to study both the common characteristics of entrepreneurs, as well as their needs (and thus your opportunities to help them).
The post, “The Top 10 Great Qualities of the Entrepreneur that Cause the Most Problems,” dates back to 1996, but it is none the worse for that. The species hasn’t evolved much since then.
Here’s my summary.
1. Can't focus, lots of ideas, runs in circles.
The entrepreneur's currency is ideas, often a flood of ideas. Encourage MORE ideas, don't try to pin them down.
2. Not good with details.
Suggest they give up even trying. Sure, this may create a mess, but challenge the entrepreneur to solve the mess as if the mess was a new business! (Entrepreneurs are like kids; it's good to divert them.)
3. Feel odd, different, alone, strange.
Entrepreneurs are simply wired differently and they SHOULD feel this way, because it's TRUE and there is nothing wrong with it. If you can help the entrepreneur relish their unique, contrary, leading edge ways, you'll help them feel better about themselves, which will increase the flow of ideas and success.
4. Good at starting businesses, bad at running them.
Help the entrepreneur to set a "sell date" right now, so they know they're getting out and when! This relieves some of the pressure and also forces the entrepreneur to create a salable company vs. one that is just a monument to their ego.
5. Chaos reigns in the company.
Creation is messy! A solution is to help the entrepreneur create fully automated and foolproof systems, usually managed by outside contractors or vendors who are not IN the business day to day.
6. They fail. And fail again.
Just as a kid has to fall when learning to ride a bike, so do entrepreneurs fail as they learn how to be successful.
7. They exaggerate and are too optimistic.
Entrepreneurs are so far out in front of the rest of us that they NEED to exaggerate how well things are going, in order to keep the faith -- hey it's lonely out in front (or in left field).
8. Always at the edge financially.
Get the entrepreneur to direct this energy into creating a healthy savings account instead of leveraging so much.
9. Family of the entrepreneur suffers.
You didn't just marry a man or woman, you married an ENTREPRENEUR! Develop your own strong interests and let your husband/wife do their own thing. You'll always be #2 (well, maybe #1 and a half). You can have a great marriage if you get this.
10. Sales dip.
Take this as an invitation for the entrepreneur to get back to selling, where they usually shine.
I agree with most of these, though No. 9 seems excessively harsh. What do you think?
For the original post, see http://topten.org/public/AA/AA3.html
It’s a great way to study both the common characteristics of entrepreneurs, as well as their needs (and thus your opportunities to help them).
The post, “The Top 10 Great Qualities of the Entrepreneur that Cause the Most Problems,” dates back to 1996, but it is none the worse for that. The species hasn’t evolved much since then.
Here’s my summary.
1. Can't focus, lots of ideas, runs in circles.
The entrepreneur's currency is ideas, often a flood of ideas. Encourage MORE ideas, don't try to pin them down.
2. Not good with details.
Suggest they give up even trying. Sure, this may create a mess, but challenge the entrepreneur to solve the mess as if the mess was a new business! (Entrepreneurs are like kids; it's good to divert them.)
3. Feel odd, different, alone, strange.
Entrepreneurs are simply wired differently and they SHOULD feel this way, because it's TRUE and there is nothing wrong with it. If you can help the entrepreneur relish their unique, contrary, leading edge ways, you'll help them feel better about themselves, which will increase the flow of ideas and success.
4. Good at starting businesses, bad at running them.
Help the entrepreneur to set a "sell date" right now, so they know they're getting out and when! This relieves some of the pressure and also forces the entrepreneur to create a salable company vs. one that is just a monument to their ego.
5. Chaos reigns in the company.
Creation is messy! A solution is to help the entrepreneur create fully automated and foolproof systems, usually managed by outside contractors or vendors who are not IN the business day to day.
6. They fail. And fail again.
Just as a kid has to fall when learning to ride a bike, so do entrepreneurs fail as they learn how to be successful.
7. They exaggerate and are too optimistic.
Entrepreneurs are so far out in front of the rest of us that they NEED to exaggerate how well things are going, in order to keep the faith -- hey it's lonely out in front (or in left field).
8. Always at the edge financially.
Get the entrepreneur to direct this energy into creating a healthy savings account instead of leveraging so much.
9. Family of the entrepreneur suffers.
You didn't just marry a man or woman, you married an ENTREPRENEUR! Develop your own strong interests and let your husband/wife do their own thing. You'll always be #2 (well, maybe #1 and a half). You can have a great marriage if you get this.
10. Sales dip.
Take this as an invitation for the entrepreneur to get back to selling, where they usually shine.
I agree with most of these, though No. 9 seems excessively harsh. What do you think?
For the original post, see http://topten.org/public/AA/AA3.html
Monday, May 15, 2006
The entrepreneur's favourite knowledge tool
Enterprise Toronto, the municipal agency dedicated to new business development, recently polled its visitors (most of them are presumably business owners or aspiring so) about their principal sources of small business knowledge.
I was pretty surprised at the one-sided nature of the result. I guess I shouldn't have been, but in blogs one is supposed to be truthful.
The major source of small business knowledge cited by 41.5% of the 106 respondents was…
(a few blank lines to build the tension and give you time to guess)
(a few more blank lines to further build the tension and give you time to change your guess)
The major source of small business knowledge cited by 41.5% of respondents was… the Internet!
I have known for a long time that entrepreneurs are wary of books and magazines and formal instruction, and that they prefer the school-of-hard-knocks wisdom they can derive from discussions with experienced business people. But I was surprised to see the Internet run away with it all.
The actual results:
What is your major source for small business knowledge?
The Internet – 44 (41.5%)
On the Job Experience – 24 (22.6%)
Books - 13 (12.26%)
Seminars – 13 (12.26%)
Other Entrepreneurs – 6 (5.7%)
School – 5 (4.7%)
Audio/Video Programs – 1 (0.94%)
Obviously these aren’t the only sources entrepreneurs use – but merely the distribution of their preferred methods. With just over 100 respondents, this is clearly not a scientific sample. But I think the results are important.
(Although I wish they hadn't included "On the Job Experience" as an option. That's a different kind of knowledge, and it's one which everyone has and gains more of daily, so I think it diminished the results for some of the other sources of info.)
So why did the Net win so big? With the flexibility of Google and other search tools, the Net’s round-the-clock availability, and the sheer depth of (mostly free!) business, management, market and financial information online, the Internet is a tool almost made to order for entrepreneurs. The question is: what are they looking up, and why? **
Follow-Up: How are your customers using the Internet? And how can you use digital technologies to reach them when they are using their favourite mode of business research?
(**Of course, there is also the matter of sample bias. You would expect the results of an online survey to reflect the fact that all respondents, by definition, already use the Net for business purposes. I think the same bias accounts for the relatively high ranking of the fourth result, Seminars, since ET puts on lots of workshops and seminars, for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs alike.)
I was pretty surprised at the one-sided nature of the result. I guess I shouldn't have been, but in blogs one is supposed to be truthful.
The major source of small business knowledge cited by 41.5% of the 106 respondents was…
(a few blank lines to build the tension and give you time to guess)
(a few more blank lines to further build the tension and give you time to change your guess)
The major source of small business knowledge cited by 41.5% of respondents was… the Internet!
I have known for a long time that entrepreneurs are wary of books and magazines and formal instruction, and that they prefer the school-of-hard-knocks wisdom they can derive from discussions with experienced business people. But I was surprised to see the Internet run away with it all.
The actual results:
What is your major source for small business knowledge?
The Internet – 44 (41.5%)
On the Job Experience – 24 (22.6%)
Books - 13 (12.26%)
Seminars – 13 (12.26%)
Other Entrepreneurs – 6 (5.7%)
School – 5 (4.7%)
Audio/Video Programs – 1 (0.94%)
Obviously these aren’t the only sources entrepreneurs use – but merely the distribution of their preferred methods. With just over 100 respondents, this is clearly not a scientific sample. But I think the results are important.
(Although I wish they hadn't included "On the Job Experience" as an option. That's a different kind of knowledge, and it's one which everyone has and gains more of daily, so I think it diminished the results for some of the other sources of info.)
So why did the Net win so big? With the flexibility of Google and other search tools, the Net’s round-the-clock availability, and the sheer depth of (mostly free!) business, management, market and financial information online, the Internet is a tool almost made to order for entrepreneurs. The question is: what are they looking up, and why? **
Follow-Up: How are your customers using the Internet? And how can you use digital technologies to reach them when they are using their favourite mode of business research?
(**Of course, there is also the matter of sample bias. You would expect the results of an online survey to reflect the fact that all respondents, by definition, already use the Net for business purposes. I think the same bias accounts for the relatively high ranking of the fourth result, Seminars, since ET puts on lots of workshops and seminars, for beginners and experienced entrepreneurs alike.)
Thursday, May 11, 2006
Luck, or something like it
I was talking to a Canadian entrepreneur recently who has a fabulous view on luck.
In the past 10 years he has seen one business partnership crumble, then another partner die. His office has been flooded out, at great expense. And as most of his revenues come from U.S. customers, the rise of the Canadian dollar has been nearly lethal.
Yet he still considers himself a lucky man.
Typical entrepreneurial megalomania? Hardly. He’s just figured out where success comes from.
Here’s how he sees it. In baseball, you get three strikes and you're out. But in business you can keep swinging as long as you want – so long as you’re standing at home plate. Take enough pitches and eventually you’ll get one you can hit out of the park.
So despite tragedy, floods and cash-flow crunches (and a nightmare insurance claim), this entrepreneur considers himself lucky because nothing has ever knocked him off home plate for long. That’s why his motto is: “The secret of success in business is staying in business.”
And by the way – he and his company have been hitting a bunch of home runs lately. No one deserves it more.
In the past 10 years he has seen one business partnership crumble, then another partner die. His office has been flooded out, at great expense. And as most of his revenues come from U.S. customers, the rise of the Canadian dollar has been nearly lethal.
Yet he still considers himself a lucky man.
Typical entrepreneurial megalomania? Hardly. He’s just figured out where success comes from.
Here’s how he sees it. In baseball, you get three strikes and you're out. But in business you can keep swinging as long as you want – so long as you’re standing at home plate. Take enough pitches and eventually you’ll get one you can hit out of the park.
So despite tragedy, floods and cash-flow crunches (and a nightmare insurance claim), this entrepreneur considers himself lucky because nothing has ever knocked him off home plate for long. That’s why his motto is: “The secret of success in business is staying in business.”
And by the way – he and his company have been hitting a bunch of home runs lately. No one deserves it more.
Friday, May 05, 2006
How to sell to Entrepreneurs, part deux
Last month I offered five characteristics of growth entrepreneurs, and speculated on what they may mean to marketers. If you haven't read that post, scroll down two posts or click here before reading on.
Growth companies are a huge potential market, fiercely loyal and ready to buy. To help you tap this growing market, here are five more attributes of successful entrepreneurs and growth firms - with a few clues about how you can use that information to sell to them.
6) An abiding personal interest in their products or industry helps most growth entrepreneurs persevere and succeed. Tip: Sell with passion. Entrepreneurs expect you to be as excited about your product as they are about theirs.
7) Growth firms pour most of their profits back into the business. However successful these businesses are, many remain cash-poor for years. Tip: When they question your price they're not being "cheap" - they have legitimate cash-flow concerns. To make the sale, acknowledge those concerns and address this need.
8) Growth firms think and operate globally. For them, borders are opportunities, not obstacles. Result: They need solutions that will work around the world.
9) These firms are keen to keep growing. That means their needs are always changing. And it means your products and services must be able to serve these customers all along their growth path.
10) These companies are on missions. Many of today’s top growth entrepreneurs truly believe their products and services can make the world a better place. Tip: To connect with these entrepreneurs, your business brand should stand for something, too.
If you want to add to this list, or if you have questions about any of these characteristics, please leave a comment below. Or e-mail me at rick(at)rickspence.ca
Growth companies are a huge potential market, fiercely loyal and ready to buy. To help you tap this growing market, here are five more attributes of successful entrepreneurs and growth firms - with a few clues about how you can use that information to sell to them.
6) An abiding personal interest in their products or industry helps most growth entrepreneurs persevere and succeed. Tip: Sell with passion. Entrepreneurs expect you to be as excited about your product as they are about theirs.
7) Growth firms pour most of their profits back into the business. However successful these businesses are, many remain cash-poor for years. Tip: When they question your price they're not being "cheap" - they have legitimate cash-flow concerns. To make the sale, acknowledge those concerns and address this need.
8) Growth firms think and operate globally. For them, borders are opportunities, not obstacles. Result: They need solutions that will work around the world.
9) These firms are keen to keep growing. That means their needs are always changing. And it means your products and services must be able to serve these customers all along their growth path.
10) These companies are on missions. Many of today’s top growth entrepreneurs truly believe their products and services can make the world a better place. Tip: To connect with these entrepreneurs, your business brand should stand for something, too.
If you want to add to this list, or if you have questions about any of these characteristics, please leave a comment below. Or e-mail me at rick(at)rickspence.ca
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
What do women entrepreneurs want?
According to a recent survey by RBC Financial Group, personal priorities are more important than money in motivating women to start their own businesses.
Just 23% of women polled said getting wealthy was a prime motivator for owning their own business. The comparable figure for men was 36%.
By contrast, 63% of women said they wanted a more flexible working schedule. (Editor's note: What were they thinking?)
According to Kris Depencier, RBC's national manager for small business, "for a large portion of these women, building a business is not only a labour of love, but also a way to balance work and family obligations."
The survey found other differences between men and women entrepreneurs:
* Currently, more women (73%) were first-time business owners than men (65%);
* Women are more likely to employ a spouse or child in the business (59% of women vs 47% of men).
Men and women described surprisingly similar frustrations when asked about their key problems in launching and running a business. Their three main challenges:
* finding customers (57% women/56% men);
* keeping a steady workload (37% women/38% men);
* and working long hours (34% each). (Editor's note: See previous editor's note.)
In my experience, people who get into their own business to gain more control over their time are like a kid who joins the army to get some peace and quiet.
Marketer's takeaway: How can you help entrepreneurs find more time in their schedules? How can you help them make the most of the spare hours they find to themselves?
Or better still: how can you help them land more customers?
Chant that like a mantra and you will always have the entrepreneur's ear.
Just 23% of women polled said getting wealthy was a prime motivator for owning their own business. The comparable figure for men was 36%.
By contrast, 63% of women said they wanted a more flexible working schedule. (Editor's note: What were they thinking?)
According to Kris Depencier, RBC's national manager for small business, "for a large portion of these women, building a business is not only a labour of love, but also a way to balance work and family obligations."
The survey found other differences between men and women entrepreneurs:
* Currently, more women (73%) were first-time business owners than men (65%);
* Women are more likely to employ a spouse or child in the business (59% of women vs 47% of men).
Men and women described surprisingly similar frustrations when asked about their key problems in launching and running a business. Their three main challenges:
* finding customers (57% women/56% men);
* keeping a steady workload (37% women/38% men);
* and working long hours (34% each). (Editor's note: See previous editor's note.)
In my experience, people who get into their own business to gain more control over their time are like a kid who joins the army to get some peace and quiet.
Marketer's takeaway: How can you help entrepreneurs find more time in their schedules? How can you help them make the most of the spare hours they find to themselves?
Or better still: how can you help them land more customers?
Chant that like a mantra and you will always have the entrepreneur's ear.
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