Justin King December 12th, 2008

I am sure that you have heard of Usability testing, and you might even understand the value proposition that Usability brings.  8 years ago I saw my first Usability test and was sold on why we should do Usability testing even though the testing identified an large amount of problems with the site (that I worked hard to build).  The end product was a vast improvement over the user experience we originally created.

For some reason there is a perception out there that Usability testing is primarily for Business to Consumer sites.  User validation is a global concept that should apply, possibly even more, to Business to Business organizations.  Usability testing provides:

• Robust user and customer experience
• Validation of user personas
• Reduction or elimination of any catastrophic concerns
• Discovers the real needs of customers
• Creates a competitive advantage
• Tangible evidence for recommendations for content strategy, information architecture, taxonomy and design
• Continued validation

In addition for organizations that sell B2B, Usability testing can provide validation of the user experience for your e-catalogs, search tools, quick order forms, lead capture activities (landing pages).

It is a fascinating (and sometimes painful)  experience to watch users interact with your site, and the issues that this process identifies is incredible.   Page upon page of recommendations along with wireframes correcting problems come out of these sessions.  We have moved beyond Usability testing for just “go-live” and are now implementing these services at all stages of your online channel including:

• design phase – testing wireframes and concepts
• pre-launch – functionality and customer experience
• post-launch – continued improvement

Here is  a great graphic that shows our lab in Beachwood, OH.

Tags: Add new tag, b2b marketing, business-to-business, Companies and Consultants, Human-Computer Interaction, Information architecture, Software testing, test, Usability, Usability testing, User experience design, Web Design and Development, Web Usability, Website

• Graphics and Charts , Usability testing
• Comments

Justin King December 11th, 2008

In order to connect B2B marketers, here is my current list of B2B marketers.  Feel free to add your name by commenting or @ me on twitter.

@jonmiller2

@collincanright

@sazbean

@chuckwilkins

@Darrin Grella (B2B recruiter)

@kimleonard

@Jeff Cohen (dgtlpapercuts)

@Lance Godard

@Joe Franz (Cup_of_Joe)

@Nancy Myrland

@MichelleBB

@Megan Maguire

@SocialMediaStat

@b2bCommunicate

@jeffwoelker

Twitter group for B2B at http://twittgroups.com/group/b2btweets.

Twitter B2B feed

Tags: business-to-business, Jeff Cohen, Marketing, Military, Online Communities, Social Networking, twitter, Web

• Social Media
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Justin King December 1st, 2008

I have been told all my life that sales is about storytelling.  We have seen it time and time again on places like eBay that a simple story for a product for sale sells the product faster and sometimes at a greater value.  As B2B marketers on our quest to create relevant content, story telling is part of what we do as well.  A recent article on DestinationCRM says story telling is:

Motivating your Audience to your Goal Interactively with great Content.

The keys include:

• Motivation—absolutely essential to get others drawn into the story you’re trying to tell;
• Audience—understanding that you need to get the customers’ attention before disclosing your intention;
• Goal—explicitly calling those hearing your story to some type of action;
• Interactive—engaging all of the senses and really fostering a two-way conversation; and
• Content—which can be found through your own experience, observations, history, metaphors, and analogies.

Marketing is about dialogue and conversations.  Great conversations are sparked by great stories.  How are you telling stories?

Tags: Arts, b2b marketing, business-to-business, EBay, Marketing, Motivation, Online Writing, Product, Storytelling

• Misc , relevant content
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Justin.King November 11th, 2008

I work a lot in developing strategies for b2b e-commerce. Not sure I adapted this from, but here are a few challenges marketers and IT face.

• Multiple Branded Sites
• Internationalization
• Website Maintenance: Cost and Efficiency
• High Cost of Customer Service
• Integration with ERP

Tags: b2b e-commerce, business-to-business, e-commerce, microsites

• b2b commerce
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