Author: Franz Malten Buemann

As a marketer, we’ve been talking about personalization and responsive advertising for some time now. And that trend isn’t going away.
In 2019, 72% of display ads were responsive (more than double what they found just two years previous).

Additionally, the ways people search are changing. Google found that 15% of search queries every day are new searches they’ve never seen before.
That’s why starting June 30, 2022, responsive search ads will be the only search ad type that can be created or edited in Google standard search campaigns. The goal is that this change will help simplify the way you create search ads and make it easier to drive performance.
To prepare for this upcoming change, let’s discuss what responsive search ads are and the best practices for creating them.

The goal is to show a different combination of titles and descriptions for different users depending on their unique queries and search history. Google will alternate between the titles and descriptions, showing 32,760 different versions of the ad. Then, the search engine will find the most effective title and description combination and use it the most often.
Responsive search ads are a simple and strategic way to create an effective PPC marketing strategy. You can boost your engagement and reach more potential customers with the most effective version of your ad.

 
Responsive Search Ads vs. Dynamic Search Ads
While they’re similar, responsive search ads and dynamic search ads are different. Again, responsive search ads are when you create multiple versions of your title and description, and Google will alternate between them.
On the other hand, dynamic search ads are when Google itself issues a headline for an ad — one you didn’t write — depending on the content and search query.
Responsive search ads are great to use for brand awareness and lead generation, while dynamic ads are helpful for content and keyword-based pages.
Now, you might be wondering what the benefits of responsive search ads are — let’s review below.
1. Personalized search ads.
One of the main benefits of responsive search ads is personalization. Since 90% of U.S. consumers find marketing personalization very or somewhat appealing, it’s important to make your ads as personalized as possible.
Responsive search ads are displayed based on a user’s search history, past clicks, device type, and search query (keywords used). Google will use the title and description you wrote that is most relevant. Additionally, responsive search ads can be tailored depending on a user’s current location, regular location, or location of interest.
This means that with responsive search ads, you’ll benefit from a more personalized ad experience.
2. Optimized search ads depending on the device type.
Similar to the point above, when a user is searching on their mobile device versus the computer, the size of the device is different (shocking, I know).
This means they can see less of the title and description of your ad. With responsive search ads, you can allocate smaller-width headlines and descriptions for the mobile experience.
Ultimately this can help you have more room to share your message and will hopefully increase your click-through rate (CTR) on all device types.
3. Simple A/B testing.
As discussed, with responsive search ads, Google will use thousands of variations of your search engine ads. This means that Google will automatically be testing the different versions of your ad, so you don’t have to micro-analyze CTR or impressions anymore.
Interestingly, according to Google, responsive search ads have also resulted in 6% more clicks and 5% higher CTR. This ad type will save you time since Google will do the testing for you, and drive higher results.
4. Compete in more auctions and reach more customers.
With more headlines and descriptions, your ads will compete in more auctions, match more queries, and ultimately reach more customers. Increasing your reach while also increasing your results is one of the main benefits of using responsive search ads.
So, now we know that responsive search ads are here to stay and can help change your PPC strategy. But, how can you write the best responsive search ads to guarantee results? Let’s look at some best practices below to help you get started.

1. Write unique titles and descriptions to create variation.
Since one of the main benefits of responsive search ads is the variation in writing 15 headlines and four descriptions, it’s important to make those titles and descriptions unique.
The goal is to have as much variation as possible. Test different CTAs, call out different features, include different keywords, have different header lengths, etc. Having unique titles and descriptions (instead of very similar ones) will drive higher results as Google can see which ones are more effective.
2. Experiment with different header lengths and types of descriptions.
As we discussed above, it’s important to experiment with different header lengths. You’ll want to include shorter versions of your titles for mobile devices, and longer versions for those on a desktop.
Additionally, you should experiment with different types of descriptions. These can include descriptions that have special offers, discount codes, savings, or product benefits and features.
3. Entice users with different offers in your descriptions.
Using offers and discounts is a great strategy for responsive search ads. You can test which special offers or discounts work the best by using several different ones in your descriptions. Depending on which performs better, Google will begin showing that description more than the other versions.
4. Have concise and straightforward CTAs.
The best responsive search ads have concise and straightforward CTAs. These should be short-form CTAs like “Save Now,” “Get Free Shipping Now,” or “Why Pay Full Price? Save 70% Today!”
Short and concise CTAs tend to perform better on PPC ads in general, so it’s important to continue using those types of CTAs for your responsive search ads.
5. Include keywords, product features, and benefits, where you can.
To drive results with responsive search ads, it’s important to include keywords in your headlines, and add product features or benefits to your descriptions. This will help you match several different queries, increase your reach, and ultimately drive more results from your responsive search ads.
6. Use existing content from high-performing ads.
You’ve most likely already done PPC advertising before this. Look for your high-performing ads, and use some of that existing content in your responsive search ads. This is the best practice for many types of PPC advertising, and it’s no different with responsive search ads.
Responsive search ads are becoming more popular and more important in the world of search engine advertising. Think about how you can implement these ads to drive results and improve your PPC strategy.

Your employees know your business processes well. They understand your brand messaging and vision and feel a general sense of connectedness to your organization.
Given this, many businesses choose to insource and have existing employees undertake new tasks rather than hiring freelancers or other agencies that don’t have an existing connection to your business.
In this post, discover exactly what insourcing is, the benefits it can bring to your business, and examples of scenarios that would cause you to use the strategy.

Insourcing brings a variety of benefits to companies, like:

Having more control over the decisions that go into tasks and projects because everything is kept in-house.
Existing employees are experienced with brand messaging and the brand experience, so you don’t have to spend extra resources getting others up to speed.
Communication isn’t tricky as you don’t need to reach out to third parties.
You don’t need to share critical business information with external sources.

However, insourcing can also become costly if it requires hiring new talent or creating new departments to be responsible for specific tasks and projects. Employees can also become burnt out if they are assigned a heavier workload to accomplish projects, so some businesses elect to use outsourcing.
Insourcing vs. Outsourcing
Insourcing and outsourcing are opposites.
With outsourcing, a company hires an external third party, like a public relations firm, to complete a task, project, or take over a continuous function for the company. With insourcing, all tasks, projects, or continuous processes are done by internal employees, even if it means hiring new talent or creating new departments.

A common use case for outsourcing is payroll needs. For example, if a business is smaller and doesn’t have the resources to create a payroll department, or nobody on staff is trained in payroll needs, they may outsource the task to an experienced payroll firm.
Businesses may choose to use outsourcing over insourcing for a variety of reasons, like:

Eliminating the costs associated with hiring new employees,
Reducing workload for internal teams to avoid burnout,
Allowing employees to focus on core business functions while external parties cover less critical operations,
New needs that arise due to scaling.

A business may choose to use insourcing over outsourcing as the ladder often requires handing over internal systems and processes to a third party, which can pose a significant risk when dealing with sensitive information, and communication can sometimes be challenging to navigate.
Insourcing Examples
Let’s go over some examples of insourcing that may provide additional insight into the practice.

A business is scaling to different territories, but its current marketing teams aren’t familiar with the language in the new area. So, it hires a new team in the territory that is familiar with the language and will be responsible for creating marketing strategies that speak to the needs of the new audience.
An organization wants to expand its line of products, so it works with internal product teams to brainstorm new ideas and bring them to fruition instead of outsourcing the work to an external unit. This ensures that teams working on new products have expertise on current business practices, and confidential systems don’t need to be shared with outside sources.
After scaling, a business CEO can no longer be responsible for payroll as it is a more significant task than before. So, instead of hiring an external payroll firm, the business hires new talent experienced in payroll duties and creates an in-house payroll department.

Over To You
If you want your business to undertake new projects or scaling has required you to need new processes, consider using insourcing if your overall goal is to have everything done in-house.
Your internal teams, or newly hired talent, will take ownership of new tasks, bring them to fruition, and contribute to your business success.

Email marketing can be your best friend when it comes to promoting your eCommerce business. But to make it happen, you need to make sure you’re doing it right — and that you’re taking advantage of all the various email opportunities available to you. There are four billion email users around the globe, and that…
The post How to Sell Your eCommerce Business With Email Marketing appeared first on Benchmark Email.

 

 

Amidst the digital revolution, data is what drives businesses and helps them run smoothly. Collected wisely and used repeatedly, it improves performance in most areas of an organization. How do you gain a global perspective on zero- and first-party data to permanently integrate it into the bloodstream of your business?

Time and time again, studies show that collecting and using the right data is a key factor for many businesses.

According to our recent proprietary research, 94% of businesses agree that data is a key investment area for them, yet almost two-thirds of companies have not created an up-to-date data strategy within the last 12 months. (Acxiom)
Today, 90% of enterprise analytics and business professionals say that data and analytics are key to their organization’s digital transformation initiatives(Gartner)
Up to 62% of retailers (and 63% of cross-industry respondents) have stated that information and data analytics gives them a competitive advantage.(IBM)
Insight-driven businesses are growing at an average of 30% each year; by 2021, they are predicted to take $1.8 trillion annually from their less-informed industry competitors. (Forrester)

Once you enter the digital space, you and your business gain access to unimaginable amounts of data.They are useful not only for marketing. On the contrary, when used properly, it can effectively power the entire organization on many levels and in many dimensions of its functioning.

 

10 tips to make zero- and first-party data a powerhouse of your business

 

How do you take a broader view of the endless ocean of information you have access to? How do you turn it into a solid foundation for strategic business operations? Here’s a subjective selection of 10 expert tips to get you there.

 

1. Make sense of the trillions gigabytes of data

 

Digital platforms are based largely on the constant transmission of data from and to the online store’s servers. This dialogue runs on many levels: by the store’s visitors, administrators and owners, store’s servers, servers of software cooperating with the store’s platform or third parties such as search engines, satellites locating smartphones or social networks. The data that flows in a wide stream in these lines of communication are meticulously collected, often “just in case”. A human being is not able to process such an amount of information. Standing in front of an undefined mass, it does not even know where to begin an analysis from which it can draw any useful conclusions. It is somewhat akin to looking through a microscope at van Gogh’s Starry Night.

The tool that makes it easier to understand hundreds of gigabytes of data flowing through your store’s servers is software that translates these impulses into a language more friendly to the average John Doe. However, just translating a huge amount of data into contact profiles can lead to a situation where you still have too much information. Putting them into a specific framework using zero- and first-party data selectors allows you to define the plane on which you are moving. Determining the overall structure where the collected data exists brings great comfort to your work, and allows you to analyze the remaining information wisely and systematically.

Tip: Start working with simple but effective tools to set the framework for further analysis. Prepare segments of contacts with specific characteristics or behaviors. Treat them as a starting point for further business analysis.

Read more about cutting-edge Hyper Segmentation module by SALESmanago >>

 

2. Actually use your data (unify-tidy up-make it usable)

 

The already-mentioned immense amounts of data have another characteristic: they are heterogeneous. It is like trying to analyze Lady with an Ermine and Bridget Jones’s Diary in a single comparison. It is almost impossible to compare these two very different products of the culture of their time. The same is true in the world of modern data streams. Do images entered into Visual Search carry similar weight as key phrases? How do location data collected by cell phones compare to clicks on a lab coat manufacturer’s eCommerce website?

Today’s Customer Data Platform (CDP) software, with its advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) algorithms, allows you to combine data of different types and from different sources. As a result, it also allows you to transform zero- and first-party data into a language that can be understood by multiple departments working at different stages of the product development or customer buying journey design.

Tip: Communicate customer preference information to those who design and execute customer interactions. Both strategists and customer service people will benefit from information about preferences regarding, for example, favorite communication channels of individual contacts. This data can take the form of both declarations (zero-party) and statistics on message openings across channels (first-party).

Read more to learn a few tricks to understand customer’s profile across brands using CDP >>

 

3. Switch to data-driven strategic decision-making

 

The foundation of an organization is strategy, and the foundation of strategy is data. There is no other way. All strategic decisions should be grounded in reality and based on something measurable and easy to describe. Examples of business flops that came from ignoring data are well-known and widely discussed in the business world. One of them is the bankruptcy of Kodak, a company that knew the chances of digital photography replacing analogue photography were high, but did nothing to prepare for the new order. Another example would be the launch of New Coke by Coca-Cola only to gain an advantage in cola wars, and without prior market research.

Tip: Get into the habit of starting every change with a data analysis phase. Zero- and first-party data combined with deep behavioral profiling is an excellent tool that will help you find out what your contacts really want (target group research). Juxtaposing it with the analysis of your competitors and business environment as well as placing it on the map of your strategic goals will help you make decisions that will most likely answer the needs of people for whom you create your products.

Read more about deep behavioral profiling >>

 

4. Get the edge you are missing

 

For most products, the market is highly saturated. Many factors contribute to this, including the huge availability of goods from all over the world, which can be easily purchased at any time online. So to stand out, you need to get the right pitch, the so-called Unique Selling Proposition (USP). Defining this unique feature of a product or business can be done in several ways. One is to find touchpoints among product features and the needs (stated or measured) of the people who use it.

Tip: Analyze the preferences and consumer choices of the people who make up your best and most profitable customer group.Use RFM segmentation to identify the customers who bring the most money to the company. Examine the preferences of customers who have the highest Customer Lifetime Value.  Based on this analysis, find out which feature of the product or company makes them choose it over competing options. Use acquired knowledge when constructing USPs, brand language and advertising messages to attract even more like-minded individuals.

Read more about the impact of Business Intelligence on eCommerce >>

 

5. Use data to shape strategy

 

Zero- and first-party data comes in handy not only when making strategic decisions, but also when building an actual strategy in any area. One of the key elements of this vital document is an extensive analysis of your target audience, broken down into ideal customers, promising customers, brand ambassadors, and even negative buyer persona. Analyzing CDP data provides a great deal of insight into how people behave when they visit your website, buy from your store, visit your stationary store, or stop being customers. Combined with data from other sources, they will allow you to supplement any strategy with first-hand information about the people who will pay for what you create.

Tip: Combine data from all sources to better understand your customers. With platforms like CDP, you are able to collect data from online, offline, and mobile app channels. Based on this data, you will understand your customers’ needs more accurately.

Read more about negative target group >>

 

6. Use data to optimize costs

 

The data you collect and compile in CDP covers a variety of areas. Among them there is information about declared color preferences, favorite communication channels, hundreds of pieces of data from calculators on websites, or location data. Most of them are used by the marketing department, but it is not the only department that will see their value. Much of this information can be used in planning for staffing scheduling, warehouse logistics, and supply chain planning.

Tip: Use location data to save on logistics. Manage inventory based on preferences of users who are from the same region.

Read more about location-based segmentation >>

 

7. Get unified view of a customer across touchpoints

 

A delivery, a stationary store, a banner on a website, an abandoned cart, an email inbox, even where an app is opened on a phone – all these interactions provide valuable customer intelligence. But for the picture to be unified, the system that collects them must be able to assign them to a single profile, unify and organize them. That’s how CDP platforms work. The data that is collected there falls into several categories, including zero- and first-party. These are the types of data that allow you to determine with the greatest certainty the preferences and reactions of the customer directly responding to the brand’s actions. Collecting this information gives you a complete picture of what and how much a person wants to share with you. What’s more, it brings the relationship to the level of a two-way dialogue because it allows you to directly ask the contact about specific issues and then add that data to the profile.

Tip: Personalize your campaigns based on the data users leave you and use the communication channel according to their preferences. If users leave you data then you can use it to grab their attention by personalizing your mailings. Moreover, with progressive profiling, you can also gather information about the users’ preferred communication channel, so you can leverage this information when implementing your campaigns. Create a coherent message in many channels at the same time using data declared and obtained thank to tracking online, offline and mobile application behaviors.

Read more about how to effectively build omnichannel communication >>

 

8. Get a unique edge in converting customers

 

There are a number of studies showing the link between customization and conversion rate. In short: the better you balance the degree of personalization of your message and use the information voluntarily provided by your audience, the greater the chance of conversion and purchase. In a world brimming with data, it happens that companies go beyond their audience’s comfort level by showing them ads and suggestions that never panned out in a consumer’s normal interaction with the brand. These are recommendations based on third- and second-party data. Far more effective than creepy stalking is to ask consumers directly about their preferences and tailor your communications specifically to that information.

Tip: Tailor your communications to users’ interests. Your campaigns will perform better if you target users according to their interests. If you are not sure about your contacts’ preferences, ask them. CDP offers a wide set of tools that will allow you to gradually increase your knowledge about the contacts in your database.

Read 5 tips how to use SALESmanago to improve conversions from your website >>

 

9. Prepare seamless, customer-centric Customer Experience (CX)

 

It is a vital skill to guide consumers through the entire purchasing process and what follows after conversion in such a way as to gain their loyalty. Customer experience design aims to meet consumer needs, but also to maintain the relationship with the brand. CX effectiveness is measured by churn rate, retention and Customer Lifetime Value. The longer and more intimate the relationship is, the more demands are placed on the brand. The customer provides more data with every interaction and keeps opening up more and more. It’s safe to say that failing to use this information to make this relationship easier and more enjoyable is one of the cardinal sins of eCommerce.

Tip: Use advanced Workflow automation processes to seamlessly respond to customer behavior based on stated preferences. Use ready-made templates and add your own elements to fully customize them to your company’s consumer path.

Read more about Workflow templates >>

 

10. Engage in dialogue, gather feedback and improve business performance

 

No business can exist without customers. Among zero-party data, there is a particular category that will allow you to better understand how consumers perceive your operations. This is, of course, wide-ranging feedback data, which includes ratings, reviews, and satisfaction surveys. Collecting this data and updating it at regular intervals allows you to continually develop and modify your operations in various areas of your business: from sales, to delivery, to customer service, to your brand’s public image.

Tip: Study feedback on your services. After a successful transaction, ask the user about the quality of your services. This will give you valuable insights and allow you to build even better relationships with your audience and customers.

Read more for 3 tips on how to get user ratings and increase customers’ sense of trust towards your store >>

 

Closing thoughts

 

Properly collected and standardized zero- and first-party data is the true lifeblood of any eCommerce business. However, it is not enough to collect them. You still need to make a habit of using them across different operational verticals.

If you already have data, but don’t know what you can do with it yet, be sure to speak to your Success Manager who can help you find order and practical use for this vast collection of information.

 

It’s hard to overstate the importance of furniture in our lives.
We literally live our life on furniture, yet often don’t realize the impact our chosen furnishings have on the planet in terms of chemicals, greenhouse gasses, and material waste.
Phantila Phataraprasit learned about sustainability early in life and wanted to build the kind of sustainable brand she’d be proud to shop at, so she decided to do something about it and co-founded Sabai Design, a sustainable furniture company.
Featuring insights from Buffer’s Small Business, Big Lessons podcast episode seven, and the accompanying unpublished interview, Phantila shared how Sabai got started, what she and her team do to embed sustainability into every business practice, and how she builds trust with the Sabai community.
Phantila Phataraprasit, Co-founder of Sabai DesignStarting sustainable
Phantila had a unique experience that drove her toward sustainability: she lived at an eco-lodge that her parents started and ran in Thailand.
That experience showed her how critical sustainability really is not just for business, but for preserving the natural beauty of our world. As a result, Phantila often says she is willing to prioritize sustainability above all else, being willing to pay more and even forgo aesthetic taste in the name of being sustainable.
However, this approach was no longer enough. She valued sustainability, but she also wanted to live the life of her choosing, not dictated by the small supply of “sustainable” items out there. And one area, in particular, stuck out, both from a sustainability and design perspective: furniture.
“Not only do a ton of valuable resources go into making these products but at the same time, every year, over nine million tons of furniture waste ends up in landfills,” said Phantila. “At the same time, a lot of furniture products include toxic materials and chemicals that off-gas and end up in our bloodstreams are also dangerous to people generally.”
An entrepreneur at heart, Phantila wanted to start a sustainable furniture company not just to solve her own problem but also make it easier for others to live more sustainable lives. However, she knew that she had to focus on more than just material sustainability.
“The whole mission behind the company is to think about sustainability as comprehensively as possible,” said Phantila.
In specific, she co-founded Sabai Design with four key outcomes in mind:
Affordability: Sustainability had often been used as a reason to charge higher prices, but Phantila wanted to build a business where items were fairly priced and affordable.
Convenience: Sustainability should not be at the expense of convenience, so the team worked to ensure it was easy to buy and receive their products.
Aesthetic: Products should have a clear aesthetic that is appealing to people versus using sustainability to justify limited aesthetics.
Sustainability: Not just sustainability in the product itself, but the entire business and product life cycle.
“We realized that for most people, if the pieces or products aren’t also aesthetically pleasing, affordable, convenient, then sustainability doesn’t really matter for them.” said Phantila. “And so, we kind of realized that you can’t really ask people to sacrifice on those things if you really want to make an impact.”
Embedding sustainability through every business practice
As Phantila built Sabai Design, she thought consciously about her four pillars of affordability, convenience, aesthetic, and sustainability. In particular, making sure that the entire business acted in accordance with those pillars versus just using sustainability in product development.
Across Sabai’s business, Phantila and the team thought about embedding sustainability.
Design: Every product is built in modular pieces. This means if something breaks or needs to be replaced, it can be done without having to throw out or replace the whole thing.
Shipping: The company tries to minimize the transport required to source and deliver its products, thus reducing greenhouse gasses emitted as a result of business growth.
End of product life: Not only does Sabai manage its own buy-back and second hand sales operation, but it also donates products that don’t sell second hand after three months.
“We definitely do recurring audits or analyses of our products to make sure that there aren’t any areas that we’re missing out on in terms of being able to limit the impact of our products or incorporate new, innovative materials into our products,” said Phantila.
This mentality is, thankfully, not exclusive to Sabai. Other brands like Paynter Jacket Co also think consciously about waste and sustainability and go about it in innovative ways. In the case of Paynter, the company only releases its jackets four times per year. For Sabai, sustainable growth starts with listening intently to customers. After all, Phantila explained, making things people don’t want will just produce more waste.
“With respect to product design, we do a lot of polls, a lot of survey work to make sure that we’re designing and producing products that people actually want because at the end of the day, if we’re producing things that people don’t want, that’s waste in another way,” said Phantila.
Transparency builds trust and business growth
After years of building Sabai, Phantila is keenly aware that sustainability isn’t a big bang. You get things wrong, as she has multiple times. But the key to continuing on the journey, said Phantila, is honesty and transparency.
She gets concerned when she hears of companies that market being “sustainable” because one element of the business is slightly more environmentally friendly than the norm. For her, building with sustainability also means sharing what you’re doing with your community. This ends up being a great community building tool, but Phantila said it’s also about education – she doesn’t assume people know about sustainability throughout entire business models, so she uses Sabai as a working example of how the process looks.
When Sabai misses the mark, Phantila is also honest with her community. While this might seem like the wrong way to build a business, Phantila said it generates a lot of trust and compassion with customers, meaning that they are more forgiving and allow leeway to let the company get back on the right track.
“The amount of transparency that we have with our customers definitely generates a lot of trust, because they understand that we are doing things that are new, that don’t necessarily have a roadmap for them, and that we’re trying things to improve the impact of our products,” said Phantila. “And so that generates so much goodwill within our community and gives us a lot of space to be honest with them about the things that we’re trying and the things that we’re trying.”

So, you’ve finally got your foot in the door at your dream company. You’ve submitted the perfect resume and made a lasting impression during the phone screen. All there’s left to do now is to win over the hiring manager in the face-to-face interview.

As a well-informed candidate, you’re doing your research on the company and preparing your answers to the most important interview questions you can think of — the most notorious of them all being: “What is your greatest weakness?”
You don’t want to respond, “I tend to work too hard,” or “I am too much of a perfectionist.” That can easily come across as scripted and insincere at best and lacking in self-awareness at worst.
Alternatively, you don’t want to respond with weaknesses that will prevent you from succeeding in the role. For instance, if you’re applying to be a project manager, you don’t want to admit that you’re “not very good with time management.”
Fortunately, there are ways to answer this question that will help you demonstrate your value as a candidate. Here, we’ve cultivated some incredible answers to the mainstay, “What is your greatest weakness” question — and don’t worry, these answers aren’t “perfectionism”.

1. Choose a weakness that will not prevent you from succeeding in the role.
When an interviewer asks, “What is your greatest weakness?” they want to find out:

Whether you have a healthy level of self-awareness
Whether you can be open and honest, particularly about shortcomings
Whether you pursue self-improvement and growth opportunities to combat these issues, as opposed to letting these weaknesses hold you back

Ultimately, you’ll want to use this question to demonstrate how you’ve used a weakness as motivation to learn a new skill or grow professionally. Everyone has weaknesses — your interviewer doesn’t expect you to be perfect.
If you’re applying for a copywriting position with little necessity for math skills, you might admit, “I struggle with numbers, and don’t have much experience with data analytics. While math is not directly tied to my role as a writer, I believe it’s important to have a rudimentary understanding of Google Analytics to ensure my work is performing well. To tackle this weakness, I’ve been taking online courses in data analytics.”
An answer like this shows the hiring manager that you recognize your areas for growth and are able to act on them without being told to do so. This kind of self-starter attitude is a plus for virtually any team.
2. Be honest and choose a real weakness.
The answer “perfectionism” won’t cut it when talking about your biggest weakness because it’s not a real weakness. Perfectionism can never be attained — it’s a fear-based pattern that leads to short-term rewards like getting the job done early and exceeding expectations. However, in the long-term, trying to attain perfectionism leads to burnout, low-quality work, and missed deadlines. Burnout is one of the biggest contributors to decreased productivity, turnover, and low employee engagement — all of which cost a company money, time, and talent.
Instead, choose a real weakness. Underneath the desire to do perfect work may lie a weakness of trust. Perhaps you don’t trust that you’ll be able to make mistakes on the team, so you strive to do everything perfectly. That’s a real weakness that you can definitely overcome.
3. Provide an example of how you’ve worked to improve upon your weakness or learn a new skill to combat the issue.
Hiring managers don’t expect you to overcome your weaknesses completely overnight. Everyone has areas they must constantly work on to keep them sharp. Think of it this way — if you’ve dedicated six months to working out, you won’t be able to stop one day and maintain your progress. It’s an ongoing process that you have to work at.

4. Think about weaknesses in your own personal life.

If you humanize yourself in the interview, it’ll allow your interviewer to connect and visualize working with you in the future. It’s not just about weaknesses that pertain to the job. For example, if you are an introvert and you notice your preference for quiet time stops you from taking risks, this is a relatable weakness. When you demonstrate your self-awareness this way, it shows you understand that self-improvement correlates to work performance.
5. Think of where you’d like to be and what support you need to get there.
Overall, growth is a part of life. Think about people you look up to that may be related to the field that you’re in. Ask yourself what character traits those people have and what work you might need to do in order to get there. By providing an example of how you’re working to improve your area of weakness, you’ll give the interviewer a glimpse into a few positive attributes about your awareness, including that:

You know how to identify and mitigate issues that come up.
You’ve found a helpful solution to a problem that you and perhaps others on the team face, which means you can be an immediate resource to the team.
You demonstrate self-awareness and an ability to take feedback from others.

More often than not, you’re going to need to look outside of yourself to overcome a weakness. Whether you look to your supervisor, the HubSpot Blog, or a mentor for help, the simple act of seeking help demonstrates self-awareness and resourcefulness — two skills that are hard to teach, but valuable to learn. Tapping into your resources shows the interviewers that you can solve problems when the answer is not yet clear. That’s a character trait that has a place on any team.
Briefly share an example of a time when you asked someone for help in an area that you’ve identified as a weakness. This gives the hiring team a clear picture of how you’ll work with the team to balance out that weakness.
6. Don’t be arrogant and don’t underestimate yourself.
The most important thing you can do when responding to the question “What is your greatest weakness?” is exhibit confidence in your answer. (If lack of confidence is your weakness, keep reading.) Even if you’re not the most confident person, I’m going to assume you’re at least honest with yourself. If you’ve identified an area of weakness and you’re sure about it, let that assurance shine through in your answer. There’s no need to feel embarrassed about something you’re genuinely not good at as long as you’re working to get better.
Before you start expressing a genuine weakness to your interviewer, get comfortable with the types of answers that make hiring managers want to work with you. Take a look at the following examples and find a few that fit your personality and work style. Then, practice reciting them aloud so they come naturally to you.
Ready? Here are examples of how you might answer “What is your greatest weakness?” and why they work.
1. Lack of Patience
Sample Answer:
“I don’t have much patience when working with a team — I am incredibly self-sufficient, so it’s difficult when I need to rely on others to complete my work. That’s why I’ve pursued roles that require someone to work independently. However, I’ve also worked to improve this weakness by enrolling in team-building workshops. While I typically work independently, it’s important I learn how to trust my coworkers and ask for outside help when necessary.”
This answer works because the weakness — the inability to be patient when working with a team — doesn’t hinder your ability to perform well in the role, since it’s a job that doesn’t rely on teamwork to succeed. Additionally, you display an eagerness to develop strategies to combat your weakness, which is a critical skill in the workplace.
2. Lack of Organization
Sample Answer:
“I struggle with organization. While it hasn’t ever impacted my performance, I’ve noticed my messy desk and cluttered inbox nonetheless interfere with my efficiency. Over time, I’ve learned to set aside time to organize my physical and digital space, and I’ve seen it improve my efficiency levels throughout the week.”
Plenty of people have messy desks. This answer works because it’s a relatable and fixable weakness. You note that disorganization doesn’t interfere with your ability to do your job, which is critical, but you also acknowledge it might make you less efficient. To ensure you’re performing at 100%, you mention personal steps you’ve taken to improve your organization skills for the sake of self-improvement alone, which suggests a level of maturity and self-awareness.
3. Trouble with Delegation
Sample Answer:
“I sometimes find it difficult to delegate responsibility when I feel I can finish the task well myself. However, when I became manager in my last role, it became critical I learn to delegate tasks. To maintain a sense of control when delegating tasks, I implemented a project management system to oversee the progress of a project. This system enabled me to improve my ability to delegate efficiently.”
This answer allows you to demonstrate an ability to pursue a new skill when a role calls for it and suggests you’re capable of flexibility, which is critical for long-term growth. Additionally, you are able to showcase a level of initiative and leadership when you mention the successful implementation of a new process that enabled you to succeed in your past role, despite your weakness.
4. Timidity
Sample Answer:
“Oftentimes, I can be timid when providing constructive feedback to coworkers or managers, out of fear of hurting someone’s feelings. However, in my last role, my coworker asked me to edit some of his pieces and provide feedback for areas of improvement. Through my experience with him, I realized feedback can be both helpful and kind when delivered the right way. Since then, I’ve become better at offering feedback, and I’ve realized that I can use empathy to provide thoughtful, productive feedback.”
This answer works because you’ve explained how you were able to turn a weakness into a strength through real-world experience. Typically, timidity can be seen as a flaw in the workplace, particularly if a role requires someone to provide feedback to others. In this case, you’re able to demonstrate how timidity can be used as a strength, through thoughtful reflection and practice.
5. Lack of Tactfulness
Sample Answer:
“My blunt, straightforward nature has allowed me to succeed over the years as a team manager, because I’m able to get things done efficiently, and people often appreciate my honesty. However, I’ve recognized my bluntness doesn’t always serve my employees well when I’m delivering feedback. To combat this, I’ve worked to develop empathy and deeper relationships with those I manage. Additionally, I took an online leadership management course, and worked with the professor to develop my ability to deliver feedback.”
Oftentimes, facets of our personalities can help us in certain areas of our work, while hindering us in others. That’s natural. However, you must demonstrate an ability to recognize when your personality interferes with the functions of your role, and how you can solve for that.
In this example, you first explain how your blunt nature allows you to be successful in certain situations. Then, you mention that you understand your bluntness can be seen as a lack of empathy and provide examples of how you’ve attempted to solve this issue. Ultimately, your awareness of how you might be perceived by others shows a level of emotional intelligence, which is a critical asset for a team leader.
6. Fear of Public Speaking
Sample Answer:
“Public speaking makes me nervous. While I don’t need to do much public speaking in my role as a web designer, I still feel that it’s an important skill — especially when I want to offer my opinion during a meeting. To combat this, I spoke with my manager and she recommended I speak at each team meeting for a few minutes about our project timeline, deadlines, and goals when developing a website for a client. This practice has enabled me to relax and see public speaking as an opportunity to help my team members do their jobs effectively.”
In this example, you mention a skill that isn’t applicable to the role, but one which you nonetheless have been working to improve. This shows your desire to meet more business needs than necessary in your current role, which is admirable. Additionally, it’s impressive if you can show you’re willing to reach out to your manager with areas in which you want to improve, instead of waiting for your manager to suggest those areas of improvement to you. It demonstrates a level of ambition and professional maturity.
7. Weak Data Analysis Skills
Sample Answer:
“I’m not great at analyzing data or numbers. However, I recognize this flaw can prevent me from understanding how my content is performing online. In my last role, I set up monthly meetings with the SEO manager to discuss analytics and how our posts were performing. Additionally, I received my Google Analytics certificate, and I make it a point to analyze data related to our blog regularly. I’ve become much more comfortable analyzing data through these efforts.”
In this example, you’re able to show your desire to go above and beyond a job description and actively seek out skills that could be helpful to the success of your company as a whole. This type of company-first mentality shows the interviewer you’re dedicated to making yourself a valuable asset, and try your best to understand the needs of the whole department, rather than just your role.
8. Indecisiveness
Sample Answer:
“Sometimes I struggle with ambiguity and making decisions when directions aren’t clear. I come from a work environment that always gave clear and direct instructions. I had such a strong team and leadership that I haven’t had much practice making decisions in the heat of the moment. I’m working on this by leaning more into my experience and practicing listening to my gut.”
This answer works because you’re demonstrating that you can both follow a leader and sharpen your leadership skills. It’s alright to not know what to do in the moment. Admitting that you relied on strong leadership shows that you can be a follower when needed, but knowing when to step up is important, too. With this answer, you’re showing that you’ll step up if a situation calls for decisiveness.
9. Harsh Self-Criticism
Sample Answer:
“My inner critic can be debilitating at times. I take pride in producing good work, but I feel like I struggle feeling satisfied with it, which has led to burnout in the past. However, I’ve started to push back against this inner voice by taking care of myself before and after work. I’m also learning to recognize when my inner critic is right and when I need to dismiss it.”
This answer works because your interviewer may relate; we all have harsh inner critics. It’s also effective because 1) It shows that you’re willing to work on your weaknesses outside of work, not just during business hours, and 2) It demonstrates your inner critic may have valid points. Discerning when to dismiss it is key to prevent burnout and increase productivity. Realizing how the inner critic may inhibit good work ethic demonstrates your willingness to grow and be an effective worker.
10. Micromanaging
Sample Answer:
“I used to work in industries where I had to cultivate a solid work ethic in my employees. This style of training has been so ingrained in me that I’ve forgotten to discern who may need that coaching and who does not. I’ve been reading books on effective delegation and team building to work on this shortcoming. One technique that works for me is assuring myself that if I establish clear expectations, then my team will follow. I’ve also learned to trust my team members.”
This answer works best if you’ve been in a leadership position before and are applying to a managerial role. However, you can still apply it to past experiences where you did have to show leadership. This answer shows that while you may be used to running your crew or team a specific way, you’re willing to admit when your method isn’t the most effective. Showing your flexibility demonstrates your ability to grow.
11. Talkative
Sample Answer:
“I enjoy developing a relationship with my coworkers by engaging in conversation, and that’s a great team-building skill. However, I have a habit of carrying on a conversation to a point where it may distract other coworkers. I have learned since then that there are other ways to connect with my coworkers, and that if I’m asking about their day, I need to keep it brief and redirect myself back to my work. “This answer works because it shows you’re aware of how your talkative tendencies may be distracting in the workplace. It takes a lot of courage to admit that. It also shows you are willing to develop a relationship with coworkers but not at the cost of productivity.
12. Trouble Maintaining a Work-Life Balance
Sample Answer:
“I’ve struggled with work-life balance, especially after I started working remotely during the pandemic. This increased my stress levels to the point where my productivity was at an all-time low and I didn’t bring my best self to work. Because I want to continue working remotely, I’ve started adding more structure to my day and instituted a sharp start and end time. I’ve already seen improvements in my levels of focus during work hours.”
At first, this might seem like a “strength” weakness — pouring yourself into work is great, right? That means you love your job. But if it impacts your productivity and your relationships with coworkers, that is not so great. This answer works because it doesn’t just say, “I work a lot, so my home life suffers.” It says, “I work a lot to the point of burnout, and I’ve realized that I need to structure my day.” If you’ve struggled with work-life balance issues in the past, it’s important to state how you’re restoring that balance and how it has impacted your work.
There’s Strength In Every Weakness
Regardless of whether you’re bad with numbers or you tend not to speak up in group settings, there’s a strength behind every weakness. The strength is in how you work to overcome it. Leaning on your teammates who excel in those areas is a great way to show that you’ll work well on the team and that you know how to use your resources to solve problems. Taking professional development courses shows that you’re willing to work toward improvement. No matter which of these answers you share with the hiring team, they’ll be more than happy to help you grow and exceed the expectations of the role.
Editor’s note: This post was originally published in December 2018 and has been updated for comprehensiveness.