Part Two in the “reworking my blog” series
If you’ll recall, I got my site reviewed by Men with Pens and am sharing all the interesting stuff I learned with you.
And today we’re focusing on wordishness.
James and Harry, the wonderful, witty Canadians (or imposters posing as Canadians, as some have claimed) that together comprise Men With Pens, were less than keen on a lot of the wording that I use around the site.
They gave all sorts of examples of stuff that was confusing, unclear or just got on their nerves. Some examples to which I instantly had to agree and say, “Oh, you’re so right!”
Then there were other examples which prompted more reflection, followed by a fairly decisive, “Mmm, no.” Usually because of something I happen to know about my audience that they don’t. Because they don’t know you guys. But more about that in a later post.
Jeepers = Oy
There were also some examples which made me go “Jeepers!”*
As in:
Jeepers! I also don’t know what to call that thing! Okay, not the thing you said, but also not the thing I said! Aargh! Where are my blog readers when I need them?”
That’s right. I need you.
Yeah, I want your help please. And anyway, this should be interesting/relevant as hell for you too.
Because whether your website is still just a sexy glimmer in your eye or a big, crazy full-time business, you’re also going to have to regularly deal with these questions at some point.
So come peek at my stuck bits of wordishness? Awesome.
And maybe I’ll get lucky and you’ll be struck by a bit of genius that you’ll share with me in the comments … because I’m in a hardcore namestorming crisis and can really use your help!
The tagline: not working, apparently
James and Harry totally misunderstood my tagline. My “When you need some destuckification” tagline.
I’m not even going to get into the bizarre details, but let’s just say that their not getting it made me think thrice about things.
Basically, they want the tagline to “tell people what the site is about and what they’ll get from being here”. Right.
And okay, I’m up for a new tagline. I mean, this site has had about a hundred of them, and I’m definitely ready for one I can really truly fall in love with.
So, Men With Pens, and everyone else who reads this, let me throw some of my old ones out there … and maybe you all can help me a. fall back in love with one of them, or b. come up with something entirely new and better.
My very first tagline, if I remember correctly, was Learn anything. Change anything.
Way too vague, everyone hated it, it had to go.
Later on came Rewrite your patterns, which I liked, because it neatly sums up what I do. But the business coach I was working with at the time thought it was boring. And also not “chock full o’ benefits” enough.
Which is true. I still like it though.
Another incarnation was Rewrite your patterns. Tap your possibilities.
But that never resonated with me. Too commercial. Too pat.
When I created the Destuckification Station as a platform for my Emergency Calming Techniques package, a bunch of people wrote saying how much they loved the name.
That was where the When you need some destuckification tagline came from.
Now, I still think destuckification is pretty clear. But if it wasn’t clear for James and Harry, who are bright bulbs, maybe I should be worried.
Okay, dear readers, help me out here. Anyone want to take a swing at coming up with a new tagline? Or do you have fond memories of any of the old ones?
I’m listening. So please, comment away if you have any ideas!
Beware what you call yourself
I always mercilessly judge people by their Ahem, I always click on people’s About Me pages.
But I also get that it’s important to have a wee mini-bio that goes with your photo so that people realize that yes, they do actually want to read about you.
Mine used to read “duck-positive habits educator“.
But upon reading the Men With Pens critique, I was moved to quickly change it. To anything really.
Their reaction:
What are duck-positive habits? What does that mean? How does this relate to visitors who don’t know you, who you are or what you offer?
Point taken. I mean, yeah, why should anyone be expected to get my little joke without actually knowing anything about me and my duck-positive state of being?
So I talked it over with my duck, and we settled on: “Habits educator. With a duck.”
Follow conventions. That’s why they’re there.
Men With Pens weren’t crazy about the Destuckification Sampler I offer either. Well, that’s not true at all. It’s just that they weren’t crazy about the name.
“Sampler”… What is that? This is usually a term associated with arts and crafts, so it doesn’t reflect terms that people expect to see, such as “Free Report” or “WorkBook” or “Guide”.
Change that term and you’ll probably see better results.
Okay, I can dig it. I mean, the sign-up rate is pretty high, but it could always be higher.
Here’s the thing. It’s not a workbook. It’s not really a guide. It’s not really a report. Plus “free report” has already died a long painful death from boringness.
I absolutely get that people need to have a clearer idea of what they’re getting so they can feel safe and secure and not confused. Just don’t like any of the “usual suspects” when it comes to choosing a new name.
This specific freebie give-away is actually a sample. It’s a taste. But, with all due respect to Andrea J. Lee and her Pink Spoon Marketing, I also don’t like the phrase “free taste”.
Wait, let me clarify: I love the concept of giving people a free taste. I just don’t like saying to people, “Hey, you know what? Look at me. I’m doing that thing that Baskin Robbins does.”
Soooo tacky.
Okay. I still don’t know what to call my Mysterious Give-away Thing. I guess it could be a booklet. But then do I have to call it an e-booklet? Because that would be lame.
Guys, I need your help here.
I’m not at all attached to Sampler. Sampler can get lost, but nothing else is coming up that feels right. Anyone? Anyone? Bueller?
Ow, brain pain. (Again!)
So much for wordishness and related considerations.
Well, at least until the next post in this “me critiquing the critique” Men With Pens series.
I hope it’s clear that their main point — Be clear, never be clever! — is completely valid and really, really important.
Yes, you can have fun with words (and goodness knows I do), but you really have to make sure people know what you’re talking about.
This is a place where I’ve been known to slip up. Sometimes due to a tendency to err on the side of subtlety, and sometimes due to plain old not thinking things through.
So you can imagine that the Men with Pens review has given me some serious food for thought.
Again, if I were you I’d head over to the Men with Pens website and take advantage of their Drive By Shoot Up Your Site offer.
I mean, you know you want to throw some monies their way anyway, just because they’re cool.
And $30 is so ludicrously not-very-much for the extremely thorough, very straight-forward, “here’s how to make your site way better” feedback they give you.
Then if you still feel like it, get back here and lend me a hand with my namestorming process.
Because I could really use your help on this one.
Follow
Trust me, I know how tough it is. Hey. We have a gun/sharpshooter thing going on – it ain’t always easy to work that into our text, considering I’m a peaceable Canadian and all that.
Here’s my no-fail recipe for taglines:
http://www.copyblogger.com/create-a-tagline/
(And yes, you’re right. I’m an imposter. Not Canadian. Quebecois. Harry’s just somewhere hugging the middle of the border of culture, so we haven’t figured out what he is yet. But we’re both still very cool.)
Instead of giving away a sample, why not give away a complete ebook? It doesn’t have to be your life’s work, obviously don’t give away the store, but it lets people try your ideas while avoiding the “sample our ice cream” or “I’m holding back the *really* good stuff” feeling.
Definitely encourage people to pass your PDF (or whatever) along. Your “free” readers will be doing your marketing for you, and only to people who they think will be receptive to your ideas.
Oh, and your blog is now your primary sampler anyway since it’s there’s always something new and URLs are the easiest way for your readers to spread your message.
Also, I should never ever read a comment before posting because I always edit something but forget that I’ve left an “it’s” in there. 🙂
ok – you asked. I don’t know if Men w/Pens talked to you about the “look” of your site – but the first thing that turns me off is your color scheme…it’s hard to read the light text on the white and the gray on the side and the pale blue doesn’t help. I need darker text and more contrast to read something quickly and easily. It’s way too pale – like you are almost going to invisible – your stuff is good – put it out there boldy…there is no calming effect online with colors -it has to be easy to read. It feels like your words are almost disappearing off the page – I want them to stand out.
So, then, why have I hung around? Well, you are one quirky chic (no pun intended w/ the duck thing)….yeah – I get the whole destuckification thing – and I like that – if I wanted a boring mainstream life coach site to read – there are a kajillion out there – it’s similar to why I like IttyBiz – she has attitude that resonates with me.
Maybe, you need to make up your mind who you want your clients to be first- maybe you could create an alternate site and see which works best for you – if you want to go more mainstream a lot of things need to change – to appeal to a different market – one maybe, that is more willing to pay for your goods and services….makes good business sense…but is it authentic and will that come through? So before you revamp, I would say you need to figure that piece out. Who do you want to sell to? Then you can go to the benefits stage. Then your tagline(with passion) will come.
Also – why not list out right here what you think your benefits are…it’s tough to ask for help on a tagline without listing that out. Writing out the benefits is the first key. They have to make sense to you and to the customers…spell it out.
Am I your buyer? Not right now, not just yet – ….so you shouldn’t really worry about that. What has appealed to me here is your authenticity – it’s kind of rare once people really start selling on their sites. Some people can pull it off – but most can’t. There is so much “sameness” online especially in blogs- even if you just look at color alone – look at Men w/Pens, Copyblogger and marketinghackz – and even Itty – shall we say RED,WHITE, GRAY/ BLACK? This is not random. It works, it sells.
It’s difficult – the benefits I see of your biz may not necessarily be the benes I see of your blog. I think you actually give a lot away in your posts – and I appreciate that. Does it make you cash – no – does it do goodwill – yes. So, for me, selfishly, I would like you to balance out your blog site – to create the right marketing kitsch without taking away from the quirkiness and authenticity of your writing.
Do I think they are correct about being clear over clever – well yes and no – I actually like – the Mysterious Give-Away Thing – it fits your site….but hey – you have to make a living – and they are directing you into a path that will allow you to capture that – and you should. Personally, I think if you changed your graphics and site appearance to be a lot bolder and crisper and easier to look at visually – then some of the wording would be less important – because people would get it from the images they see. We all know what a “sampler” is – and visually we know where to look for it – and how to buy and download things – it could be in Greek for all I care – I still will get the idea of what you are offering from a good visual. So you can call it “That Free Give-Away Thingy” and I would know to click on it and get it.
Finally – here are some benefit statements just off the top of my head – to me – benefits mean results…so what are the results people are experiencing?
practical tools and techniques you can use for the rest of your life
lower your stress and anxiety levels now
expanded awareness will teach you to make changes now and anytime in your life
peace of mind helps you make good decisions in your life
know the secrets to connect why you do what you do
oh – so from those benefits…I might get something like…I don’t know…
The Fluent Self – your path to change
The Fluent Self – tools for life
The Fluent Self – making the right decisions now
The Fluent Self – the secret behind your success
The Fluent Self – techniques to take you where you want to be
The Fluent Self – your steps to make things happen
The Fluent Self – when you need destuckification
Dear Havi,
I absolutely like the “Destuckification Station”. It is crystal clear to me. Also a lot of other wordings! Positive-duck habits is absolutely gorgious, as you can sit down and wonder about positive dugs behaviour – seems to me to be a very relaxed, happy life in water, water is so cleansing.
I love this advice to be clear about everything, I think this has to do with respect towards the reader. I read one book (in German) how to write understandable, it is really cool: “Deutsch für Profis” von Wolf Schneider.
Anyway, I don’t want to say that you are not writing understandable. I just want to say that these words that you created make me think and I find some deeper meaning behind it and for me. And this is what I love about your site and what made me hanging around there before we got to know each other!
Love
Sandra
@Laura, re: RED WHITE GRAY BLACK
Uh oh, those are the colors I was using for my redesign. Wonder if I was influenced, was definitely feeling the “red” before, now might have to rethink it.
@ Nathan – Choose whatever colors you like best for the reasons you like best knowing how they’ll influence your target market.
There’s good reason why Men with Pens, Copyblogger, IttyBiz and other large blogs have used those colors. Since the sites were all professionally designed, I’d say whoever picked the colors knew what they were doing.
@ Laura – Those are interesting comments – pretty strong. I’d like to know more about your experience in the field but I see that you don’t have a link to your site?
@ Sandra – I agree, they’re fun words. But if Havi were to do a blind test and ask 50 people who didn’t know her already what a destuckification station (man, I still have trouble with that word) mean, what sort of look do you think these people would have on their face?
Websites have to serve two purposes (amongst others) – keep the people already reading, and attract new people in. If people don’t understand “duck-positive habits” at a glance, they won’t stick around. Make sense?
Whoah, looks like my duck and I missed an entire debate while we were on the plane!
Thanks, guys, for the feedback party … each one of you has given me lots of good stuff to chew on. And I’m sure this won’t be the last post on these particular questions either.
@Nathan – The thing that came up first for me re your color conundrum is this: I remembered how madly in love I was with Mark Silver’s Heart of Business site when I first found it.
Not, god forbid, for any aesthetic reason. Not my style at all. But because Mark is so obviously one of the good guys (rare!). And he *speaks my language*. Huge relief.
But now that all of his disciple-ey people have sites using the same language and terminology the whole self-help-ey internet-world is packed with clone sites. The reassuring freshness factor they were trying to borrow is dead now.
Once all the internet biggifiers are using the same color palettes, you’re just one of the crowd. Use stand-out-ey colors, yes. (You’re not in the calming-people-the-heck-down business like I am). But you do want to avoid the “looking like a sheep” thing.
Anyway, I’m going to go do a little meditating on the various aspects of my wordishness challenges and will keep you (plural) posted.
Am absolutely grateful to everyone who’s been mulling this stuff over with me, and curious to know what people think!
Nathan: I agree with James – pick the color that works for you – but it’s not a sin to steal what is current and working right now. As I said, “it’s not random” – it’s by design for a reason. And then stay current – don’t lag behind when the others are already making a change in style and color – move with them. Tell your designer that upfront…s(he) might give you a deal if they know you’re coming back soon.
James: I am not self-employed (right now) – thus no link. I think Havi seems like the type of biz-person who can stand up to some direct opinions – so I just put it out there. I trust she’ll she’ll sift and discard what she doesn’t like.
re: the “new” words – I do think too much is too much – there is definitely a fine line between keeping your quirk and getting biz done….with talent and creativity some people can do both.
There are definite benefits to making things the most professional they can be in any business -(1) reaching more people and making your ideas (products, services) more accessible, and (2)your work just gets better…you begin to create products and services that meet higher expectations.
Don’t be afraid of success.
The first time I saw “destuckification” I got it instantly.
Now that Havi is blogging, people will be coming from search engines, with search terms they chose, and landing on blog posts with descriptive titles and content that (hopefully) fit what they were looking for.
By their very nature, incoming links from other blogs, social bookmarking sites, and plain old email referrals will also give fluentself.com a frame of reference for new visitors.
On the homepage “That thing you do that you hate? It’s a pattern.” tells me everything I need to know about what’s going on here, and the rest of the design and word choices support that while giving it all a personal touch.
Finally, the great thing about web stuff is that everything you do is easy to measure, and you can adjust accordingly. Launch, test, tweak, repeat.
Hiya
I’ve always been a fan of “Rewrite Your Patterns.” How ’bout make it a bit more specific as follows:
Rewrite Your Patterns. Redesign Your Life.
You know, seeing that’s exactly what you’re helping people like me do. Sums it up quite nicely, if I do write so myself.
Thanks Men with Pens for your insightful comments and your recommendations. I look forward to checking out your site and the links! Just got all fired up ‘n’ inspired and wanted to share.
I’m a total word nerd so I tend to go the way of the more clever (in my mind) than clear (in everyone else’s). I’m sure the Men with Pens recommends will prove very helpful as I begin the process of creating my own company, including website.
Yep. Big News! Many thanks for the inspiration are due to you, Havi.
best,
Libby
More good stuff!
@Libby – You’re doing the thing! That is exciting news! *does a little happy dance*
@Laura – Absolutely. You’re right — I wouldn’t ask for advice if I didn’t trust my own ability to receive it.
My personal philosophy on that is: welcome feedback, practice letting other people have their opinions, take time to genuinely consider said opinions, and then give yourself permission to take as much as you want and ignore as much as you want.
So that’s what I try to live by … (smile)
@Nathan – Thanks so much for the reminder (always welcome) that time and usability-testing are the keys to everything. It’s always good to remember that it’s not a rush job.
Love having you all on my team!
I find myself shaking my head against much of what you report being suggested by MWP, despite their BMOC status (and lovely personalities, I’m sure.) With all due respect, I don’t think they’re taking context and audience enough into account.
“Destuckification” isn’t being SPOKEN to 50 random citizens. It’s being READ (de-stuck is pretty clear) by people who have come here on purpose, either by following a link, a google ‘get lucky’, a referral, whatever.
I agree with Nathan’s noon post verbatim; I too got the tagline instantly; “That thing that you do that you hate? It’s a pattern” sets up the arena excellently.
And the design works completely for me.
Laura did have good input — but I’d stay with this wonderful pale blue and maybe just boost the color of the text a lumen or two. The only primary color is Selma, by design; it looks lovely, feels true in tone and in mood, and is such a relief after the mess that are 99% of the blogs out there.
I’d be thoughtful about using “redesign” in your tag, only for accidentally capturing website-design-shoppers or interior decorators via the search engines. The word ‘rewrite’ has brought your site up in writers’ searches (although most writers could use your services!), but that’s a core position of your service.
You might think along the lines (as you have) of what the person whats to rewrite their patterns FOR. Maybe “Rewrite Your Patterns to Redirect Your Life.”
They want something to be different. You could also consider the softer ‘revise,’ the academic ‘reposition,’ the judgmental ‘redeem,’ or the cheerleading ‘restart.’ I like ‘Redirect’ because I inferred your Readers want to head in a new direction, and it supplies a benefit (and a goal) to the hard work of rewriting. We want to see an expected outcome, some light at the end of the tunnel. Or carrot on a stick.
If “sample platter” doesn’t come to mind before “needlepoint” does, SOME need to eat out more often (or at least more than they embroider.) I almost suggested ‘buffet’ or ‘tapas’ or ‘appetizers’ or ‘tidbits’… before I realized I was just hungry. But that’s what you’re offering, true, and it works as is.
The “Destuckification Sampler” title actually delivers the promise, the product, your ‘voice’ and POV — VITAL when offering a product that is Intellectual Property. We want to know the kind of mind that puts out these tips; it ain’t a pen I’m buying, it’s a philosophy.
But if you want other “sampler” replacement ideas to show you how good your originals are, consider: Tips, Tools, Lessons, Techniques, Helpers, Give-Aways, Secrets, Methods, Exercises… I like what you got — AND I really like “The Mysterious Give-Away Thing” too.
And consider “Habits Educator. Plus duck.” (instead of MWP’s “with a” or “and”). ‘Plus’ is a positive, and it’s got pluck, as does your tone; it says that Selma adds to the package, not just that she happens to be along.
But this point is important: any great wordsmith can be, and can aspire to be, clear AND clever. It’s not an either/or. Don’t be limited by other people’s ‘rules.’
You’re a WONDERFUL writer Havi — the parables you share, the development you reveal, the journeys and the obstacles and the triumphs and the reversals you describe — your writing (and your talent) is connecting with your Readers. Your blog offers a high value, your services seem divine, and your warmth comes across as wise and human and sincere. Only change for specific desired improvement, not just for change’s sake. You’re nothing like the rest of them; retain that specialness that is this safe and scary place.
So maybe just a bit darker a dusty blue for your text if others besides Laura mention the desire for contrast), and maybe a revision to:
“Help with Destuckification”
since it states the service (help),
implies the problem (stuck),
and clearly names the process (destuckification).
If you’re thinking about change because you’re not seeing enough sales, consider offering a wider range of price points. Something (fun and) cheap (I’d buy Selma’s sisters at $10) so people who love your blog can buy as a support effort; something (useful and) mid-ranged (I’d buy a special journal set up to capture habits or whatever for $20-$30 — see blurb.com), and then something else more of an investment but less than the hundreds or thousands you deserve to get on your core services/products. Note that I’m NOT suggesting you lower your fees/prices; only that you might consider offering a wider range of exchange.
Okay Cap’n, enough of this buttinskyness — back to the coal mine for me. Change is not the same as growth. Trust yourself. We do.
@ GirlPie – Don’t mistake our suggestions with Havi’s own comments; you’re confusing the two 🙂 We didn’t make suggestions about “habits educators with a duck” at all. “Sample platter” didn’t figure in our drive-by either. “Sampler” did, though.
Also, taglines and website content need to reflect benefits to the user to be the most effective on the web. Do other taglines work? *shrug* Sure. Do they work the most? Debatable.
Regarding audience: Changing a site is not always about pleasing the current audience. In fact, it’s often to attract a new audience and grow the audience currently reading. Kind of a win-win, and finding the balance point is important.
Anyways. I find it interesting that many commentators see change as something to resist and oppose. I think it’s good to take stuff and make it better, but that’s me 🙂
Yes James, I did confuse your suggestions with Havi’s solution (‘with a duck’) but we were BOTH reading too quickly: it was I who wrote that I thought ‘sample platter’ (as in food) should come to mind before a ‘sampler’ (as in needlepoint.) Because MWP was quoted with “Sampler? what’s that? …arts and crafts…” If you poll 50 at a sewing bee and 50 at a sushi bar… But ask the readers: who didn’t know what “Sampler” meant, in position and context? Some people, when they are curious about something they don’t know about, click through to the amazing discovery that she’s giving a freebie, like they suspected.
Taglines and content should reflect benefits, yes, I know (the 67 taglines I riffed for Naomi way-back-when all contained benefits). What you get (get=benefit) from Havi’s service/tips/blog/tools/sampler/etc., which she promises clearly all over her site, is “help with destuckification.” You don’t like the word, though, so that’s coloring your ability to work with it. Wow, you must get to turn down clients if you don’t like the brand name, cool!
And then you wrote:
“Do other taglines work? *shrug* Sure. Do they work the most? Debatable.”
Sorry, that sentence leaves me with a shrug.
“The most?” By what measure? Did you mean “most effective” as barkers, or as identification, or as sales tools or–? Or did you mean “most” as in “best?” What are you trying to measure? Her sign-up rate is very strong. Are you measuring diggs or subscriptions or sales or what? Change must be purposed, as I’m sure you’d agree, not just opined.
Changing a site can also lose an audience; only by GROWING a site will you grow your audience. If you want a different audience, start a different blog. If you want more, decide ‘more of what” — subscribers or readers or loyal referrers or media coverage or sales or exposure or links or guest bloggers or press or social buzz or donations or clients or page views or diggs or comments or… the “change agent” should define the goal for “more” and then guide careful growth, rather than call for random change.
So — which commenters resist or oppose change? None even intimated that change was bad; most just voiced support for what was working, what was strong, what didn’t need to be changed for change’s sake. Just because some of your thoughts were countered doesn’t mean change was opposed.
And James, change is only good when it’s for the better.
So yes, if you make something better with one of your suggestions, you do deserve a pat on the back, as does the person who filtered your suggestions and decided what would help, rather than just change, their site/business/blog for the sake of change. I tend to think that the change has to actually improve the material, but that’s just me. ;>
Wow – comments aplenty.
a quickie to add to the mix, to Girlpie’s point regarding tagline, forgot to mention an alternate –
Rewrite Your Patterns. Redefine (as opposed to “Redesign”) Your Life.
…although for me, “redefine” is a bit like “leverage” – ad speakier than I’d prefer but gets the point across.
‘Redefine’ is a lovely option, good noggin’!
Whoah, that will teach me to go out to dinner! I missed huge chunks of the super-interesting conversation happening at my own party. 🙂
Yes, I was unclear. The “Habits educator. With a duck” formulation was all me, not Men With Pens.
Their reaction helped me understand that I need to make it easier for people to feel at home and know where they are before I start in with my peculiar sense of pro-duck humor.
At the same time, what can you do. I’m an eccentric quirkaholic who makes up words (ooh, I’m doing it right now) and has an unusual relationship with a duck.
So my goal in working with/processing the excellent advice from Men With Pens is to find the middle line between clean, clear, sensible on the one hand and being true to my voice on the other.
This is something I think that James and Harry manage to do quite well on their own site.
@Girlpie, @Libby – Thanks a bunch for the positive namestorming help. I’m really liking the direction and looking forward to more playing with this.
Re: “The Mysterious Give-Away Thing” — I might just call it that and be done with it.
The blog is all about giving people useful concepts and tools to help rewrite their patterns and habits so they can de-stuckify and get more done (see, that’s what I do!).
But I don’t share my super-genius brain-rewiring vulcan mind-transforming techniques — those and my “magic wand of awesomeness” (thanks, Nathan) are for the products and coaching clients.
I think about four or five posts are going to need to be birthed just from some of the stuff coming up in the comments. This is all great material, and again I’m so pleased that Men With Pens have given so much time and energy to thinking through all these issues with me.
Obviously I don’t have to agree with or follow everything they say, nor do they expect me to, but they walk the talk, and I’m all admiration for that.
When I found your website 1 year ago, Havi, it was love at first ‘site.’ I don’t remember what the tagline was then. I think it was Rewrite your patterns. Honestly, I didn’t pay much attention to the tagline. It was the headline on the homepage that grabbed me, & then the copy pulled me through.
If this copy had been vague (or too literal), or too fuzzy & rah rah, I would have clicked away. But it was specific & empathetic & very smart, made me want to know more.
So I clicked around and felt this instant connection, like you got it and that I could trust you. And since I’m in your target market, that’s got to be a good thing, right?
Since then you’ve made a few changes & added lots more copy & products & of course a blog. If I had found your site all over again today, I’d be even more excited than I was a year ago. Especially since now you’re letting even more of that quirky personality shine through.
It all goes back to who your audience is and what you are trying to accomplish.
I think it’s your about page that says “I wrote this specifically for a very particular type of person that I like to work with.”
Exactly! That’s the impression I have always gotten.
There are more than enough people who will be attracted to what you’ve got to offer without literalizing every single piece of it.
I can’t be the only person out there who appreciates cleverness. It’s not like you’re 100% clever. There is 100% substance & truly useful content underneath it all…content I can’t find anywhere else.
I believe these people will find you, even if every single [insert tagline, product name, etc here] isn’t 100% literal & SEO optimized. (Who searches for “destuckification?” But that’s why I love it!)
This is the thing that adds complete credibility when you say you can get creative people unstuck. You’re obviously unstuck yourself–and only in the best of ways. Reading anything you write is always so much fun & so reassuring at the same time.
In the end, it seems you’ll have the most fun if you trust your judgment. Sure, shorten the blog posts. Play around with different taglines, try new approaches and see what works.
What Nathan said above, about constant tweaking & testing, is just right.
But I don’t think you have tweak yourself to death redoing things you’ve already done. Just keep going & writing more! Stay true to your quirkiness. It’s the reason I got so excited about your website in the first place!
@Kelly – Everything you said right back atcha. *blows kiss*
Appreciated. And no worries. The quirk abides. Tweaking is par for the course, but the essence isn’t going anywhere.
@Kelly — Exactly! EXACTLY! Perfectly put, and ditto.
@ GirlPie – “Help with destuckfication” is not a benefit. That is a feature. A benefit is what you receive from using the feature. A benefit answers the question, “So what?”
As for the rest…
Havi, you have a great readership who seem to be very loyal and firm with their opinions. We’ve given you our professional opinion of an outsider’s view, as you requested, and I think you’re smart enough to know what’s worthy advice while leaving what you feel doesn’t work for you.
Cheers.
Oh James – you’re so funny!
@James – You are absolutely right.
I went to you and Harry specifically asking for outsider perspective, knowing that it was this very quality of outsider-ness that had immeasurable value for me. And I got it. And am seriously happy to have it.
Got way, way more good stuff than I’d hoped for, and am truly enjoying the learning process.
I also knew you guys weren’t going to expect me to follow all your advice and that you’d respect my work-in-progress for what it is. You guys proved me right on that too.
@ everyone else – I also asked you guys, who read my stuff, to tell me what you think. And got plenty of thoughtful, insightful replies (nearly as many via email as in the comments).
Just so you know, I appreciate the hell out of it. And now have a bunch of useful angles to think about.
More interesting for me is that these people commenting and writing to me are not people who know me in the real world or even people who met me at a workshop.
These are all people who found me through the magic of the internets and at some point decided to email me to say “cool beans” or whatever.
Something’s working, because this stuff is helping total strangers … and that’s inspiring. And yeah, there is more stuff that can work. Or work better.
And I’m all for tweaking and playing to figure out how to help my right people feel at home.
Right now I’m just happy to have such bright, caring people sharing their thoughts with me on this, even if each of us is drawing his or her own conclusions about what the right way is. *blows kiss at everyone reading*
havi
(cue up billy Joel piano schmaltz)
“don’t go changing…” changes are like birthdays…
“to try and please me…” when you come to me I can’t come to you…
“I love you just the way you are…” just keep building your body of work, sweetheart…
you are an original, dear. the rules don’t apply to you. in a year they will simply describe you. stay focused on your own wonderful vision. lots of people don’t get tim burton either.
Havi,
Don’t over-think this. You are not trying to appeal to a mass audience, which is clear by the tone of your site: “this is what I do, take it or leave it” – but in a much friendlier way. I think that your wonderful personality comes through in everything about your site; it would be a shame to see that “thunk” away into being one more lowest-common-denominator site aimed at pleasing Google algorithms. Be you. Those other sites aren’t nearly as interesting, and they don’t get to charge your rates.
Brandon Watkinss last blog post..brandonw: My cat is in my lap asleep, squirming around. He must be having a dream. I wonder if it’s a good one?
Havi et al
Your site is a reflection of you, your style. You want to attract the people who are most attracted to you, the people with less resistance to self-helpyness – the audience to whom you can be of the most help. I see the duck and your style as your filter for the clients you can really benefit.
The fact that you work with a duck, your personality, and the look and feel of your site are all extensions of you, conveying your Havi-specific message, which presents the first challenge to internal resistance within your audience: “Am I willing to suspend my disbelief (in myself) in the form of disdain for the duck and/or Havi’s wordishness, just enough to entertain the scary notion that I may actually be capable of being helped to express myself and whoa…learn to love myself?!”
That’s a scary proposition, especially when you throw Selma into the mix. But that’s exactly the point! Accepting Selma is the first step outside the comfort zone that defines and limits what we believe about ourselves and the world around us. If we can look past the duck, the clever turns of phrases, to see Havi’s mission and even better, choose to accept it, we’ve just made ourselves into a client worth talking to and willing to be helped.
To be sure, certain pr/marketing/online advertising rules are there for a reason – as guidelines for what’s most effective when targeting to a mass market. The mass marketing principle that applies to you: Your message needs to be clear. I think it is. I get it loud and clear. Got it from the start – rewrite your patterns, destuckificiation, whatever… I’m your audience. I’m not part of the mass market. I’m a person who was not only looking for the self-helpy/self-actualization services you offer, but even more importantly, I had dropped enough layers of resistance to be open to using your extraordinary services.
Keep on keeping on, in your signature Havi n’ Selma way,
Getting unstuck with a little help from Havi and her duck can help you make major life changes. I’m living proof of that.
xo
Libby
So I am super-late to the party and all, but I couldn’t resist a comment anyway. As someone who found your site only recently and signed up for stuff as a result, I have some pretty recent & (I’d think) relevant impressions.
I love the colours and readability on your site. They are very readable to me, and calm and fitting. I find sites that are too black/white/red hard on my eyes for extended reading, especially if they use light text on a dark background.
Your tag line and the word “sampler” made perfect sense to me.
Good improvement on the little bit next to your photo.
If I had to nitpick any language I’d say there’s only one Internet. But hey, I’m a geek, and that’s just one more thing that makes you YOU.
Tzaddis last blog post..A meeting with the Walrus
Tzaddi and I are *both* super late to the party. Yay!
So my feedback, because I know YOU’VE BEEN WAITING:
Love the colors. Love the design overall, it’s head & shoulders over 99% of what I see.
If one is stuck + the kind of person who would like to work with you (red velvet rope again), I think “destuckification” works perfectly. I personally think “destuckification” is a benefit. The state of destuckness is a very desirable place to be.
It’s so funny to read these comments, because I think it points to how we feel like there’s a Right Answer and a Wrong Answer, and really it just depends absolutely on who you’re trying to talk to. 100 different experts will give you 100 different answers, and that doesn’t mean any of them is bad or wrong or a sham. If your stuff gets a good response from the people you want to reach, you’re on a good path. If it doesn’t get a response, or gets a response from people who aren’t a good match, it’s not the right path. But it could be a perfect path for James or GirlPie or me or Naomi.
Someone stop me or I will start singing Kumbaya.
Sonia Simones last blog post..Objection Blaster Series #2: The Zen of Selling
@Sonia – Hey, no Kumbaya on my blog! No air guitar either. Just kidding.
No, I love what you’ve written here (you too, @Tzaddi — late to the party is when the cool people come!), and it’s helpful for me to revisit this a couple of months later.
I’m definitely feeling more comfortable in this space than I was when the blog first got going, and it’s been fun doing tiny ongoing adjustments and tweaks along the way.
Getting comfortable with presenting what I do in a very open “Hi, this is who I am!” kind of way was a big part of growing my business, and the next round has been getting comfortable with not always following conventional wisdom or really any wisdom/advice for that matter.
Business really does seem to be all about whatever you need the most. So it’s themes of trust and stability and authenticity and all the other stuff we all work on.
But it’s great to see people coming here and totally GETTING IT even if I’m breaking a bunch of rules.
And yeah: many experts, many opinions. Always back to the red velvet rope. And the duck!