Copywriting That Sells High Tech Blog

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.

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.      

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.

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. 

Sometimes the best writing tools come in small packages

Transition words and phrases are one area where writers often get into ruts. But not with this this handy little reference: A Writer's Guide to Transitional Words and Expressions by Victor Pellegrino.

The book contains word lists based on the content of the transition, which, along with a thumb-tab page design, makes it easy to find an alternative phrasing.

If you often write articles or other materials that present quotes from sources, the book is worth the price just for its list of substitutes for the word "said."

Only a few books earn a spot on my desk because I use them every day. This book is one of them. 

A useful and entertaining book for proposal writers

Writing customer proposals, especially in response to a lengthy and complex RFP, involves more than simply answering the questions and attaching the required support material.

It involves creating compelling messages and value propositions, understanding the customer's true needs, and establishing the credibility of your offering.

In the book Persuasive Business Proposals: Writing to Win More Customers, Clients, and Contracts, author Tom Sant provides a practical, clear guide to both content and process when writing proposals. Many of his suggestions are relevant to other types of technical writing and marketing writing projects as well.

His lively writing style and lots of examples makes an otherwise dull subject an entertaining and informative read.   

The best copyediting guides for business writers

As a professional copywriter, I like to believe that my work does not need copyediting. But of course, there are always some improvements that a copyeditor can bring to any text.

As a writer, I have learned a great deal from the book The Copyeditor's Handbook: A Guide for Book Publishing and Corporate Communications by Amy Einsohn. The book's exercises and the explanations that accompany the answers will help you develop your writing skills and understand why copyeditors make certain changes in your work.

Einsohn's book is comprehensive, clear, and very readable. It will likely gain a place next to The Chicago Manual of Style as one of my standard references to check for questions about grammar, punctuation, etc.

As a side note, Chicago has long been my favorite style guide as I find its content is highly applicable to corporate writing. The other popular style guide, The Associated Press Stylebook, is directed primarily to journalists and has less relevant content for my work.

Do you prefer Chicago or AP? Or, do you have another style guide that helps your copywriting?

Using Copywriting That Sells High Tech in Course Packs

September always means back to school time for me --  a time to open books and learn something new. 

One of the reasons I wrote my book Copywriting That Sells High Tech was to help students learn from a comprehensive textbook for college courses in technical writing and marketing communication.

Several professors have already found the book useful as a primary course text while others have included selected chapters or sections in a course pack of materials.

Obtaining permission to copy book excerpts for a course pack is simple. Contact the Copyright Clearance Center for authorization and fee information.   

Enhance your learning with the Exercises Guide for Copywriting That Sells High Tech

Do you want more ways to learn copywriting skills? Are you looking for guidance on practicing the techniques presented in the book Copywriting That Sells High Tech? Are you a course instructor looking for ideas about student assignments?

The Exercises Guide for Copywriting That Sells High Tech is now available for direct purchase. It is packed with questions, explorations, and practice activities that will help you get the most from the book -- now and as you work on new projects in the future.

Order the Exercises Guide.

A note for course instructors and trainers: Do you want to use or adapt these exercises for a course or training seminar? For a free copy and permission, send a brief description of your planned use, college/university/company name and course name to: info@writinghightech.com.

How Copywriters can help sell to large companies

Many technology products are sold to large companies or organizations, yet copywriters and marketers are often insulated from the challenges of that sales activity.

Jill Konrath's book Selling to Large Companies is an essential read for understanding this environment. Her insights are spot-on about what is happening in the corporate world and what your salespeople feel and experience in trying to sell to that market.

Although this book is directed to salespeople, marketers should also read it to understand the daily challenges that face their sales forces and how new marketing efforts can ease the sales process.

Understanding "Geeks" and "Suits"

Anyone who has had any part in a technology project will smile with wry recognition at the stories in the book The Geek Gap: Why business and technology professionals don't understand each other and why they need each other to survive. 

But whether you are a "geek" (a technical person) or a "suit" (a business person), you may not have fully understood why you have such difficulty understanding and communicating with the other. As technology writers or marketers, we often work as a bridge between these two groups, so this knowledge is essential.

This book will give you valuable insights, along with brief, general ideas for how technical and business people can work together effectively.

Just Released: 2007 White Paper Standards Report

The just-released White Paper Writer Industry Report: Second Edition is full of valuable information for anyone who writes these popular marketing documents.

Based on a survey of nearly 600 writers, this report reveals the latest trends in the industry for writing and billing white papers.

More than just a compilation of survey results, the report offers vital insights that will help you produce better white papers -- faster and more easily -- that deliver greater value for your company or client.

And if you're a freelance writer -- or a marcom manager who contracts white paper projects -- you'll see the latest data on pricing.

Learn more and order your copy today: White Paper Writer Industry Report