This week my focus has been leaning heavily on accessibility, as you’ll see below too. In the past I’ve tried to make my own subtitles for my videos, but it is incredibly hard (or at least for me who is hard-of-hearing and not trained at making subtitles). So for years, I’ve just let YouTube make the auto-generated ones and hated myself.
Someone recommended I check out Rev.com and I’m in love. The cost is right, the speed of return is good, and the quality is great! I know, this sounds like an ad. But, what stopped me before was the cost. I don’t make any money out of any of my content and based on pricing I had seen other places, I could never afford it. Now, everything will be captioned.
While going through this process, I also realized there is ZERO excuse for mid-sized and larger YouTubers. For $1.25 per minute they could get full captions. That means if you churn out a 30 minute video a week, that is UNDER $40 to be full accessible for hard-of-hearing and deaf people. This is also true for ANY brand. There is no excuse your videos aren’t accessible with both captions and descriptions of any visual shown for blind people.
While I have your attention about this topic, making content available in other languages with proper translations is NOT the same as accessibility. People who speak other languages aren’t disabled. But, more on accessibility below…
Onto this week’s newsletter:
– Working with the sales team now that they have some more time.
– Fixing your accessibility problem.
– Hot links.
– A new Get Better Friday video! This one all about telling the truth.
Sales and Marketing – like PB&J
I’ve been thinking about this guide since I added it to the Hot Links section last week. In particular, I’ve been thinking about this section. Your sales team is a powerful marketing machine. In the past, we’ve always wanted their help in marketing, but rarely get their undivided attention. With current market changes, you might find your sales team now has a renewed interest in the marketing funnel and how to get more leads.
In order to close more sales and increase conversion at the bottom of the funnel, you have to keep adding quality (and qualified) leads at the top. Now is the time to renew your focus on top of funnel content by give unbelievable value, all created by your sales team who have the unique insight to the industry by speaking with hundreds of people in your industry. Now’s the time to get them engaged, now’s the time to build those FAQ’s, fact sheets, and infographics your customers need.
This is well worth your time, whether you’re in B2B or not.
How to Take Your B2B Prospecting Strategy From Pivot to Profit – Bloobirds
Fix your shit
Is your marketing process accessible? Seriously. Because if its not, you’re signally that people who need additional support through accessible options are peope you don’t want to be your customer. You are telling them they are not welcome.
Being extremely hard of hearing, I know this feeling all too well and its something I’ve experienced just this week. I’ve been shopping for new insurance, online schools for kids, and services to support my WFH setup. In every case I fill out on online form, with zero options to signal that a phone call is not helpful. The only option is to have someone call me, which is very problematic. I absolutely have to schedule these phone calls. I have to setup my PC and have to have my wife nearby to help in case I get into a scenario where I can’t understand the other person. This takes coordination and a lot of patience.
By not giving me options to book an appointment, do the entire process through chat/email, or through video chat so I can see the other person speak (seeing their mouth significantly helps) you are telling me that your product is not for me. I’m not the target audience and I should go elsewhere. What are you telling other users? Users that have screenreaders or assistive tech. Are we all not welcome? Do we not deserve your product? Are we not worthy?
Fix it. No excuses. Just fix it.
Hot Links
- Optimizing Content in Category Pages while Keeping its Commercial Nature
- SEO competitor research: Why are your competitors ranking so well? | Zest Blog
- 20+ digital marketing pros reveal their industry stressors – Mental Health & Me
- Even B2B Audiences Want Emotion in Their Content
- Twitter Rolls Out List Search, Providing More Options for Users to Follow Topics | Social Media Today
What am I telling myself | Get Better Friday
Current quote on the quote board: “What’s the story I’m telling myself and what’s the story I’m telling other people.”
Tell The Truth | Leadership & Marketing
Listen now, no subscription required: RSS | Spotify | iTunes | Google | Pocket Casts | YouTube | TuneIn
Are you saying to others (and your boss) you’re happy with your job? But in your head you’re telling yourself you’re better and deserve better?
Why the gap? Why are you telling one person something different than what you know to be true.
When I was out of work, telling myself I’m a loser and unskilled, scared every day. I let it become personal for me. They must have laid me off because I wasn’t good at my job, because they knew I was a fraud. Nearly 10 years ago when I first got into marketing, I dealt with an overwhelming amount of imposter syndrome. When I got laid off, all those feelings came roaring back.
But, the story I’m telling other people is that I was prepared and will be okay. I was telling people what I thought they wanted to hear, instead of telling the truth. I thought they wanted to hear that I was okay and that I was prepared. Why? Cause that’s what people think of me! I wanted to keep that “brand” going. I’m always prepared, confident, and strategic. I didn’t want them to think being laid off caught me off guard.
In reality, people wanted to help me. If I was willing to be honest, put out there what was bothering me and where I needed help, there were dozens of people who were ready and willing. Instead, I kept it all to myself and gave two versions of the same story. One, the truth. The other, the reality I wanted desperately.
So, what is it that you’re telling other people that is different than what you’re telling yourself? Is it about your job? Your life? Your significant other?
An example of this are the times when we’re self-deprecating. When we put together an amazing slide deck, ready and proud of the work we accomplished. Then, in the meeting tell the group, “Sorry for the slides, I know they’re not the best, but they’ll do for today.” Why are we telling others something we don’t believe?
Maybe, we should just tell the truth.