June 10, 2008

Infographics enliven technical content

Infographics -- the  highly annotated  visuals that appear in newspapers to explain complex stories -- can be great tools for  clarifying and enhancing technical content. Infographics_book

I have studied many infographics books and recently found another book to recommend:  A Practical Guide to Graphics Reporting by Jennifer George-Palilonis.

This book will help you will evaluate content to find cues for visuals and consider how different types of graphics might enhance your text. Individual chapters cover multimedia graphics, writing the text to accompany infographics, and interpreting statistics correctly.

A clear writing style and numerous examples makes this book a highly accessible and useful learning tool.      

May 27, 2008

Avoiding "legalese"

Especially in white papers or other marketing documents that need a formal writing style, it can be easy to include "legalese" words such as heretofore, whereas, and above-mentioned. 

These words are often confusing for readers and can create a style that is unnecessarily stiff. Substitutes can be easily found that are more understandable while still maintaining a sense of formality. 

For see a list of similar words and expressions to avoid, see this list from the US Federal Register: Drafting Legal Documents

May 14, 2008

Hurry -- A great online seminar for promoting your business

Red_dlr_sign

You may have seen the promotional emails that flew around the Internet in the past few days about a new video series from Michael Stelzner, author of the authoritative book on writing white papers.

If, like me, you have seen the complete video series, you know they are well worth any business person's viewing time.

And you can take the next step for growing your business by registering for Michael's upcoming online seminar on marketing white papers.

You'll get a whole new way of looking at how to promote yourself, your company, and your clients.

But you can't dawdle ... registration is open only this Friday, May 16. If you consider only one training or marketing event in 2008, this is the one.

Watch the video series and get the exclusive registration details here.

April 22, 2008

Reviews: Juggling Egos, Comments, and Schedules

Detour_sign For many copywriting projects, an enormous amount of time, effort, and political negotiation goes into the review process. You must continually juggle different comments from multiple reviewers against firm project schedules and budgets--not to mention the political sensitivities and personalities that often get in the way of objectivity.

Several strategies can make the review process more fruitful and manageable.

Their Review, Your Control

An essential strategy is to determine in advance how you will control the review process. In particular, identify who will serve as reviewers and how they will work with drafts.

Different projects will have a different numbers and types of reviewers. For some projects, only one or two reviewers will be needed. For other projects, it will seem like half the people in the company will be giving feedback. Typically, the more significant the document is to the marketing effort, or the greater the visibility it will give your company, the larger the number of reviewers and the more review cycles.

However, not all reviewers need to see the copy at every stage of its development. Some reviewers will see the copy in every draft while others reviewers will only need to see the final text.

Giving reviewers copy at different stages of its development offers several advantages for managing your projects.

First, you can ask the subject experts to review copy in the early drafts, when extensive revisions can be made easily and inexpensively.

Second, some people have trouble visualizing how draft copy, which is usually printed as straight text without any formatting, will appear in the final document. For these reviewers, presenting the copy in the design layout can help them make more constructive comments.

Finally, reviewers such as company executives may need to see the final layout--with text and visuals together--in order to verify that the piece will convey the desired messages and branding.

Tell Reviewers What to Do

Use a reviewer's checklist to present instructions on the type of comments you want from reviewers. Without guidance, reviewers may assume that any and all aspects of the draft are open for comment. This means an engineer from whom you wanted a technical review may give you comments on the marketing messages as well.

Caution reviewers about attacking the tone, style, or concept in the draft. Remind them that even if the approach is not one they would choose, they should be able to accept it as long as the approach does not introduce errors in the content.

A frequent hurdle in managing reviews is motivating reviewers to complete their work on time. Tell your reviewers that if you do not receive their comments by the due date, you will interpret their silence as implied approval of the copy in its current form.

Another strategy is to identify an "information freeze" date for reviews--a point past which you will not accept major changes to the content. Make sure your reviewers understand the relative costs--in time and expense--of changes made at each point in the document's development. This strategy can go a long way to discourage last-minute "tweaking" by a company executive.

Getting Useful Comments

Realize that reviewers won't always give you the type or amount of comments you may want for a piece. Some reviewers may never look at your draft, some will read only part, while others will wait until the last minute and give it only a cursory look. Comments may be vague and incomplete, or at the other extreme, the reviewer may return a complete (and usually poor) rewrite of your text.

You will need to make a judgment call when selecting which reviewer comments to incorporate in the document. It is usually helpful to have one person other than yourself designated as the "referee" who can negotiate with the reviewers who provide conflicting comments.

Of course, like any writer in an organization, you'll need to develop a thick skin when reading reviewers comments. Understand that a draft returned to you with a substantial amount of edits may not be an indicator of poor writing on your part. Instead, it may simply be a case of changes in the product positioning or information.

"No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft," said H.G. Wells. By applying the strategies discussed here, you can streamline the review process and receive comments that are more about content than ego.

P.S. You'll also gain valuable ideas for managing the review process in my book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech.

About the Author

Janice King is an award-winning freelance copywriter who helps technology companies around the world produce clear, compelling sales and PR materials. Learn more about Janice's copywriting services.

Janice's latest book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech, has been called "a superb guide to great copy for any technology-based product or service." Learn more at the book's companion site.

Copyright (c) 2007, Janice King. To republish this article on your site, access the article text and read the usage rules at: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Janice_King.

 

April 08, 2008

Teleclass: Techniques for Interviewing Experts

Interviewing subject matter experts, especially technical people, can be a great learning experience ...  or an exercise in  exasperating bewilderment.

Phone2_2Learn more about effective interviewing techniques in the teleclass Techniques for Interviewing Experts with guest John Brady, author of The Interviewer's Handbook.

The live class will be held on April 16, 2008, but you can also order the audio file later. Better yet, consider ordering the complete 2008 White Paper Teleclass series and enjoy substantial savings!

Learn more about this class and the series: Techniques for Interviewing Experts 

March 18, 2008

"Everything I know about writing I learned from ..."

Books_glasses You know the old saying: "Everything I know about life I learned from ... [my mother, my dog, my kindergarten teacher, insert your favorite source here].

Well, I'm sure that when you think back, you can identify a major influence on your development as a writer. Perhaps it was a teacher, a colleague, a particular project. 

For me, it has always been the "challenging" reviewers, the people who read my prose with a very different perspective than what I had in mind while writing it. They help me  understand different ways of learning, different interpretations of words, and many ways to presents my ideas with greater clarity and interest. 

Who or what has been your greatest influence as a writer?  Share your stories here; I'm sure we will all learn from your experience.

March 04, 2008

Essential books for every technology marketer or copywriter

Many books have been published about copywriting and the challenges of marketing technology products. Some are good, many are a waste of time. I know, because I have read most of them and continue to keep the latest books in my reading stack.French_book_stall

I have chosen the books that I think are worth your time in my recommended reading list. It includes marketing classics, writing references that I keep close at hand on my desk,  and useful introductory guides for students and newcomers to the field. 

Check the list to find a new book to add to your shelf.  Also, check the Books category on this blog for my latest recommendations!

And of course, I recommend my own book: Copywriting That Sells High Tech.  I wrote it because it was a resource I needed, but could not find, for my own copywriting work for global technology companies.   

Do you have a favorite book to recommend? Share the information in a comment on this post. 

February 19, 2008

Smart marketers deal with recession fears

Sun_from_cloudsIs a recession coming? Are we in one already? These are hot questions for many marketers today. And the fear that comes with a potential economic downturn is prompting some to change their marketing plans for 2008, as reported by BtoB Magazine.

Having gone through several recessions -- including the tech bust a few years ago -- I still believe that an active communications program, with on-target sales and public relations materials, is key to boosting sales and customer confidence.

Think of how you can refresh your marketing efforts, while still watching the budget, with these ideas:

  • Communicate your product and service value with customer case studies and success stories.
  • Convey the strengths of your company and solutions through Web content, white papers, and online articles.
  • Engage customers in conversations that can set the stage for future sales, whether in a sales call or an online blog or discussion forum.

Read the full article. What tips can you share for smart marketing in a slow economy?

February 05, 2008

Teleclass: Mastering White Paper Layout and Design

Whether you are a writer, market, or graphic designer, you need to be just as concerned about the look of a white paper as its content. If a white paper isn't visually appealing, then it won't be as attractive or engaging to readers. It may even be perceived as a lower-quality document. 

Phone2_2You'll learn more about how to improve the visual aspects of a white paper  in the teleclass Mastering White Paper Layout and Design, with guest Roger Parker, a very well-known designer and author.

The live class will be held on February 13, 2008, but you can also order the audio file later. Better yet, consider ordering the complete 2008 White Paper Teleclass series and enjoy substantial savings!

Learn more about this class and the series: Mastering White Paper Layout and Design

January 29, 2008

Videos, Podcasts, Webcasts -- Don't Forget the Print Documents

Rich_media I regularly write about advanced technologies, but I will admit what some may consider a hopelessly antiquated bias: I much prefer print materials and rarely watch online videos or listen to podcasts. 

The main reason: Most rich media wastes too much of my time.

I want to find to the information I'm looking for fast, and skip all of the introductory throat-clearing content, company and product promotional hype, empty transitions, and other irrelevant information.

Easy to do when you scan a printed document; much more difficult to find the relevant parts by using the fast forward or reverse functions on a rich media file (if those functions are even available).   

Of course, this assumes that I can actually stream or download the media file easily, and that the file has enough quality to make watching or listening a tolerable experience. 

So, if a site offers content only in video or podcast form, I usually leave and look for a print resource elsewhere.

It turns out that I am not the only one who prefers reading print materials as the first or only way of becoming a sales lead from a Web site. 

In a B2BOnline Webcast, Alexa Wriggins, the director of online marketing for PC World Magazine, discusses the factors and constraints that guide site visitors to choose a traditional print document such as a white paper over rich media content (audio or video).

She notes that site visitors have limited time, and may find reading a document faster and easier. They hesitate about investing the extra effort required to view or listen to rich media files. And, working in a cubicle means that video & audio files may be an annoyance.

Her conclusion: Marketers need to offer communications in a variety of formats to meet visitor needs. 

Although her presentation is brief and high level, it will likely prompt you to consider more carefully the choices you offer site visitors for accessing lead-generation content.

See the slides and link to the Webcast:  Lead Generation Webcast

And a survey from the firm Doremus and the Financial Times newspaper found that C-level executives prefer print materials over online information.  Read the article in BtoB Magazine: Executives Prefer Print 

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