Copywriting That Sells High Tech Blog

A new marketing book for copywriters

Although targeted to corporate marketers, the new book, eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale, has great ideas for technical copywriters. In particular, I gained new insights about how readers view and respond to any type of marketing content. Author Ardath Albee, a marketing consultant for many technology companies, also offers helpful ideas about using storytelling to engage readers.

This is definitely a book to read and share with your marketing team.

Learn more about the book and see my full review on Amazon: eMarketing Strategies for the Complex Sale

A Conference for Learning About Web Usability

Why should a copywriter care about the usability of a web site? Isn't that the responsibility of the web developers?

Well, yes ... but a site visitor's experience will also become more of a concern for copywriters as they seek to develop content that will attract, engage, and motivate buyers. 

The principles of good Web page design, user interaction, and site navigation are among the skills I listed in a recent post about what copywriters need to learn in order to survive the shift from documents to content. 

If you want a quick way to learn about these issues, consider the Usability Week conferences; the remaining events in 2009 are scheduled for Edinburgh, Las Vegas, and Berlin.

Each conference agenda focuses on in-depth learning for skills, strategies, technologies.  Speakers are chosen from working practitioners and acknowledged usability experts, including those from the conference sponsors, the Nielsen Norman Group. (This site has many resources on usability to explore.) 

View the conference details and the amusing and persuasive "Convince Your Boss" page.   

We Are All Copywriters, We Are All Freelancers

Maybe you have a secure (you hope) job today.

Maybe you're happy with the copywriting, technical writing, or late-at-night novel writing that is your work now.

But the major shifts I have seen developing so rapidly in recent months point to a belief that will soon be true for every writer:

We will all be copywriters
and
We will all be freelancers

OK, maybe not tomorrow, but definitely sooner than later. Why do I believe these statements to be true? Consider:

• Web and social media content, in multiple media and for multiple access devices, is changing what all of us are writing to encompass more promotional text and documents.

• More businesses now understand that even training and customer service content has a role in attracting and retaining customers, the same role held in the past only by marketing departments.

• The recession is accelerating the move toward a "just in time, just what's needed" workforce. And that trend will continue to expand as businesses of all types realize their operations must become much more adaptable and dynamic.

• Whether you are looking for a new job or a new project gig, you will be acting like a freelancer… seeking new "clients" while working to ensure you satisfy those who currently engage your services.

Deep down, you already know that a new world of work is emerging. 

Even if you want to continue as an employee with a "real job," the day will come when you face a reorganization, layoffs, or just the urge for new opportunities. And you will find yourself scrambling to learn how to make it as someone who is essentially self-employed.

Perhaps you are already there, learning how to act from the knowledge that true job security comes from you, not your employer of the moment.

The key point to remember: Possessing the right skills and marketing know-how that can help you promote a client, a product, and your own capabilities are fast becoming vital for anyone who wants to make a living as a writer.

What do you think? Have you seen changes in your assignments toward work that has been traditionally considered copywriting? Have you thought about going freelance or learning copywriting as a way to advance your career?

Related Post:

Learn From the Best: How to Grow Your Freelance Copywriting Business

The Long-Form, Text-Heavy White Paper is Dead

Every time I see a long-form, copy-heavy sales document these days, my first reaction is "Why do marketers still think prospects will read this?"

Like many people, my tolerance for reading lengthy text while I'm working is diminishing rapidly.

Part of the reason? We are all becoming more accustomed to "information foraging"* through the short text forms of online and social media content, from Web pages and blog posts to Twitter and Facebook updates. (*Thanks to Web usability expert Jakob Nielsen for this term.) 

Does this mean I think white papers are no longer effective as marketing documents? No, not at all. But they do need to change in length, content, and presentation.

Fellow white paper copywriter Jonathan Kantor also sees these changes and makes some additional excellent points in a post where he lists tips for engaging today's white paper readers.

Among his tips (and my comments):

• Executives simply don't have time to read a lengthy document. At best, they may send it to a subordinate to review and report back on any relevant information. (I would argue that time constraints apply to any prospective buyer.) 

• Standard white paper length has declined to 6-8 pages. (I've seen this with my clients, down from the 8-12 page length that was standard just a few years ago. The good thing is that brevity enforces more focused and concise content, which also appeals to readers.)

• Executive and concluding summaries are essential to convincing readers to explore further in the white paper's main content.

Jonathan also recommends using more visuals and layout techniques to catch the attention of readers who skim the document. But his list of suggested improvements is only a small set of the possibilities. You can find more extensive ideas in Chapter 5 of my book Copywriting That Sells High Tech and in the content ideas for white papers in Chapter 10.  

So, do you agree with my premise that long-form, text-heavy white papers are dead? What kinds of changes are you seeing in the white papers produced by your company or clients? 

Read these related posts:

• Infographics enliven technical content
• What Technical Writers Know That Copywriters Don't

What Technical Writers Can Learn From Copywriters

Last week I wrote about the writing skills that copy writers can learn from technical writers.

In the new world of planning customer communications from the perspective of content first and documents second, technical writers can also learn a few writing skills from copywriters.

As a former technical writer myself, I can hear some of you sniffing, "Why would I want to write fluff?"

Because good copywriting (not fluff) can truly help a customer's understanding of and engagement with your technology product or service.

You may already be working with your marketing counterparts more often as marketing activity increasingly relies on Web content -- and on your content development, production, and management assistance. 

But how will this increased marketing interaction affect your writing work?  The matrix below lists some likely areas:

 

Content Skills	How Technical Writers Have Been Trained	What Copywriters Know
Messaging	Limited if any knowledge of marketing message principles and techniques	Messages promote the product and company, but also reflect customer needs and issues.
Search engine optimization (SEO)	Some knowledge of SEO for online content	Required knowledge and skill for all copywriters today; helpful for online content.
Audience segmentation	Focus on users, not decision makers. Skills are applicable, but different focus.	Knowledge of technical and business decision makers, business vs. consumer marketing. Brings a new understanding of user interests and communication needs.
Social media writing styles	Style specifications; standardized vocabulary	Informal style and vocabulary suited to the norms of social media.

Like the skills listed in last week's post, this matrix is just a starting point for our discussion. What other knowledge and skills do you think it should include, for copywriters and technical writers alike?

PS: Whether you are a technical writer or copywriter, you can learn these technical copywriting skills from my book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech.

What Technical Writers Know That Copywriters Don't

If your company is like many high-tech firms, the technical communication (techcomm) and marketing communication (marcom) groups are in separate departments and rarely interact, much less collaborate on writing projects.

In some cases, techcomm may provide production support for graphics, loading files into a content management system, or posting items on a web site or blog. But writing help?  Thanks, but no thanks. The marcom group has all of the creative projects covered. You can go back to writing those dull procedural manuals.

Well, it's time to change those perceptions and that limited way of working together.

Why? The growing shift across marketing and PR from documents to content. This change is demanding new skills from copy writers, skills not typically taught in copywriting books and courses, but which are part of a technical writer's core repertoire.

I started my career as a technical writer, writing documentation for a few years before I made the transition to marketing writing. I'm glad I took this path, because it gave me tools for presenting very technical subject matter effectively and clearly in promotional text.

If you're a copywriter, check your knowledge and skills against the matrix below. What do you need to learn?

 

Content Skills	How Copywriters Have Been Trained	What Technical Writers Know
Short, "chunky" copy	Long-form, narrative-style text	Writing skills for short and long content elements
Structured copy, e.g., tables and lists	Long and unstructured bullet lists; few other structuring techniques	Structured lists, tables, and other information design techniques
Diverse content elements for information clarity and easy access	Some collaboration with a graphic designer during document layout	How to use content elements to improve communication clarity
Infographics	Little knowledge unless from a journalism background	Effective use of technical and explanatory visuals
Principles of good Web page design, user interaction, and site navigation	Limited knowledge or involvement	Information architecture and usability training; work with content management systems; focus on creating a positive visitor experience

This matrix is just a starting point for our discussion. What other knowledge and skills do you think it should include, for copywriters and technical writers alike?

See the related post: What Technical Writers Can Learn From Copywriters.

PS: Whether you are a technical writer or copywriter, you can learn these technical copywriting skills from my book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech.

Guest Post: Speak to the Right Decision-Maker in Your Case Study

A note from Janice King:

Although I have written hundreds of them over the years, customer success stories and case studies are still my favorite copywriting project and tool for technical sales and marketing. If you are a technology marketer, you know the power of customer stories for bringing life to complex and sometimes boring technology products.

Whether you're a marketer or a writer, I'm happy to recommend a terrific new book, Stories That Sell by Casey Hibbard. It presents clear, in-depth, and relevant guidance on producing case studies and managing customer reference programs. I rarely give a five-star review on Amazon, but this book deserves it -- and a place on your marketing bookshelf. Check out the book here.

Read on for a taste of Casey's ideas. In this guest post, she discusses a case study challenge that often arises in technology sales: purchase decisions that are made by both business and technical buyers.   

Consider Casey's insights, then share your tips for targeting decision-makers with customer case studies and success stories by commenting on this post.

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Speak to the Right Decision-Maker in Your Case Study, by Casey Hibbard

In selling technology, customer case studies educate buyers about complex solutions and validate a pricey investment better than just about anything else.

Yet many technology companies miss the mark with case studies. They break a major tenet of Marketing 101 – failing to target the right audience. A case study simply isn’t one-size-fits-all.

If you’re selling a technology solution, a case study should address the technology benefits, right?

Wrong. In fact, a case study should only focus on technology benefits if the key decision-maker is in a technical role. Maybe the reader is an executive, a business unit manager or an end user.

Ideally, the decision-maker should see themselves and their organization reflected in a case study. A case study will “click” for readers when the industry matches, the challenges match and the individuals quoted match the prospect’s situation.

Whether you’re a writer or marketer, here are four questions to ask to help you target the right decision-maker with the right information.

Who’s the primary decision-maker?
Find out who in the customer’s organization typically makes the purchase decision. Is it one type of professional or usually a selection committee comprised of various types?

If you can’t answer this question, survey the sales force formally or informally. Ask a few sales reps to tell you who (roles) actually made the purchase decision in recent sales.

What matters to the audience?
If the key decision-maker is in a technical role… focus on the specific technology benefits that person cares about. Technical people typically want more “how it works” information, as well as details about maintenance, training and support. Find out from internal sources about the technical decision-maker’s common concerns, and ask interview questions accordingly.

If the key decision-maker is in a business role… emphasize business benefits and measurable results. Also learn the business decision-maker’s primary concerns and ensure you address them in the interview.

Can you accomplish the goal in one story?
When multiple people are involved in the purchase decision, decide whether you can achieve your objectives in a single case study. Some organizations create “technical case studies” and “business cases” to address multiple audiences.

But not every organization has the resources for both. If you create a single case study, include more business benefits with some mention of technical benefits. Then supplement the case study for technical audiences with other marketing materials that address technical “how” questions, such as white papers or other collateral.

Can I interview a person in a similar job title?
For the greatest impact, match the person quoted in your case study with the type of person that will read the story. The job titles should be similar. Again, if the story addresses multiple decision-makers, try to interview more than one person.

Always keep your audience top of mind, and check back regularly with sales and marketing contacts to ensure that the case studies continue to hit their targets.

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Contributor Casey Hibbard is president of Compelling Cases, Inc. and author of the book Stories That Sell.

From Copywriter to Content Developer

I predict that within the year, many freelance and corporate copywriters will start to call themselves content writers, content marketers, content developers or, perhaps, content copywriters.

The reason? Marcom and PR activities for many high-tech companies are shifting from traditional, document-based communications to more dynamic, multimedia forms of information sharing and dialogue.

In the past, the marketing-communication process for new product launches typically started with a checklist of "we need a data sheet, white paper, press release, and a few case studies." 

Now, with communications media from print documents to webinars, videos, and podcasts, from web pages to blogs, wikis, and Twitter tweets, marketers and their copy writers need to look at what they produce in a whole new way. 

Communications planning can now begin with questions such as:

• Who are the different audiences we want to reach with this product?
• What will they want to know about it?
• What are the best ways and places to reach them?
• How can we develop appropriate content for each of these outlets?
• How can we maximize the visibility and use of our content elements?
• How can we ensure that all content presents our information accurately, clearly, consistently, and coherently?

The result of this analysis is likely to be a unique list of content resources to develop for each marketing activity -- a mix of traditional print documents with web and social media content.

For the copywriter, working in this new world means expanding your thinking and writing skills beyond the traditional document definitions.

You'll need to learn how to think in visuals as well as words, from creating image concepts with graphic designers to writing scripts for Flash-based web presentations, video broadcasts, and webinars. 

You will also need to become a master at crafting "bits and chunks" -- or, as it is more formally called, "atomized" content, that lends itself to easy referencing and replication across the web and blogosphere.

You will need to understand copywriting techniques for search engine optimization certainly, but also effective strategies for tagging and writing "link bait" copy, the text that can attract visitors to your blog or website.    

For those of you with experience as technical communicators writing online manuals and help files, the concept of content development and management isn't new. But it may not be implemented as formally by a marcom group as it may be by the technical publications group.

If you have always been a copywriter, especially writing long-form marketing materials, you have some learning ahead about new ways to conceive, write, and manage your information.

And if you're like me, with experience in both the technical writing and copywriting realms, it is a matter of learning the best content development principles, practices, resources, and skills.

I will be exploring this topic more in 2009 and sharing the resources I find in future blog posts. But to begin, I looked at my book Copywriting That Sells High Tech, where I found especially useful ideas for content marketing in these chapters and sections:  

• Chapter 6:  Content Types describes how to handle the types of subject matter typically found in marketing materials for technical products, services, and companies.      
• Chapter 5:  The section on Visuals; also see my recommendations for infographics.
• Chapters 10-12: For each of the sales, press, and alliance materials described in these chapters, I present a list of content ideas that can be adapted to many media types.

Are you starting to see a shift in the nature of your writing assignments?  If so, how is this shift changing your work and writing skills?  Which resources have you found to be useful as you learn to write for podcasts, Webinars, blog posts, and other social media outlets? How is your marketing department starting to practice content management?

Share your insights by entering a comment on this post.