WriteSpark Tech Marcom Insights

White Papers: Refresh or Write Fresh?

Your marketing department may produce dozens of new white papers each year, but how often do you refresh an existing one?

For many technology marketers, once a white paper is written and posted it's instantly forgotten. Yet many older white papers can deliver renewed value to your promotional efforts with less expense, time, and effort than producing a new one.

Use these criteria to determine whether a white paper is a good candidate for a refresh:

• Continues to attract a large number of sales leads or downloads. These papers offer proven performance that you'll want to sustain.
• Promotes a major product or service that will continue to be sold by your company. Why reinvent the wheel with a new paper when you can revive an existing content asset?
• Was written more than a year ago. The media company UBM Tech found in a survey that 63 percent of IT buyers will only consider information useful if it's less than 18 months old.* For some products or marketing situations, your renewal cycle may have an even shorter timeframe.
• Updated product details, new case studies etc. are readily available or can be quickly found or developed.

Of course, you may find some white papers that are so dated it's better to simply replace them with a new paper, e-book, or other content to meet your marketing goals. In this case, your evaluation effort won't be wasted because you will identify content that is actually hindering your marketing efforts and should be removed.

How a Copywriter Can Help

When you have identified a white paper that's ready for renewal, a good copywriter can help you determine the specific changes and new information needed. If you go back to the writer who wrote the original document, the revisions will be easier and faster to complete than would be possible for a writer who is seeing this for the first time.

In any case, refreshing a white paper--or any other marketing content--can be a cost-effective project that expands the return on your original marketing investment and extends it well into the future.

What are your criteria for refreshing a white paper or other marketing content? Do you have tips about doing so successfully?

* http://createyournextcustomer.techweb.com/lp/content-connects-peers-research/

Why You Still Need PDFs for Content Marketing

Last month I was on the website of a major technology company, looking for basic information about a product. I entered the product name into the search field and the first page of links to come up were all related to developer's notes. Not exactly what I was looking for.

Going through the product menu was no help either, because the overview page I found there was so full of photos and fancy formatting and there was no option to get a simple print version.

Is this company trying to push prospects away (unlikely) or is it simply caught up in the trend-du-jour of web interfaces and content presentation that view a downloadable PDF document as belonging in the dark ages?

Especially for many technical decision-makers, an early question about a product is "what are the specs?" They want to see the technical information in all of its detailed glory in the form of a PDF catalog page, data sheet, or brochure that can be printed, email, or viewed side-by-side with information about a competing product.

They want a document they can markup, pass around in a meeting, keep in a paper file of project information for future reference.

But most of all, they want to document they can read in-depth and understand, something that's much harder to do on an electronic screen than on paper.

Moving marketing content to the web shouldn't mean leaving traditional print documents behind. You may not actually be printing them anymore, but in PDF form data sheets, brochures, application notes, white papers, case studies, and more all deliver value for your prospect's decision-making.

Good Content Marketing Resources You May Have Missed

The quiet that comes when work slows for the the holidays is a good time to catch up on the best marketing resources of the past year. Here are three that I recommend:

101 Examples of Effective Calls to Action from Hubspot. Full of useful examples for presenting an eye-catching, action-motivating call to action on a webpage. Although largely focused on the visual presentation of call to action buttons and links, copywriters who work with a designer on web content can also learn new techniques from this guide.

Blueprint of a Modern Marketing Campaign from Kapost. The concept of "content pillars" presented in this book is a particularly useful way to look at content planning and production activity. Also provides ideas on how to organize content teams and worksheets to begin your planning.

Mind of the Engineer study from UBM. If your marketing targets technical decision-makers, you'll want to read these insights about how engineers use information sources when looking for new products and vendors.

 

Maximizing the Content Value of an Interview Call

Good content is a shame to waste.

Especially when it's right in front of you, ready to be adapted for a document, video, or presentation.

So often when I'm working on a content marketing project, I see good stories and information go by the wayside simply because they don't fit the immediate need.

For example, when interviewing customers for their perspectives on a white paper topic, I often gather a substantial amount of information that would be useful for a case study. All it would take is a few more questions and a few more minutes of interview time to get information for two high-value marketing documents.

But because of the narrow focus on just the one project, the typically small amount of work to plan the extra project and gain the customer's agreement to participate simply isn't done. And so, a potentially very valuable marketing opportunity is wasted.

How can you make sure you're not missing an easy content win? Start with these ideas:

• Identify all of the potential content elements you may want to develop from a single interview with a subject expert or customer. Then work with the writer to make sure the interview questions will gather the needed input.
• During the call, be on the lookout for content ideas that come up by surprise. For example, the customer's creative use of your product may be good source material for an application note.
• When the primary project is in draft form, look for interesting anecdotes, project or configuration descriptions, and user stories that could be expanded into stand-alone content.

Of course, not all interviews will yield more than one piece of useful content. And in some cases, the customer story or input may not yet be ready or substantial enough for publication. A good writer can help you recognize those opportunities when they come up, and alert you in those cases when a story won't be helpful for your marketing goals.

How do you handle unexpected content opportunities?

See Also:

An excellent overview of creating multiple content pieces from a single source is presented in this blog post from Kapost Marketing: One Simple Tip for Filling up Your Editorial Calendar.

Can Your Copywriter Do the Math?

What's wrong with this statement?

30% of users who rely mostly on voice calls + 40% of users who rely mostly on texting = 70% of users are ready to adopt video calls

It seems pretty simple: The numbers 30+40 add up to 70, so the statement must be correct, right?

Well, maybe. The statement isn't clear about the causality of the final result, in two ways:

1. About the relationship of choices: The fact that some users rely on voice and some on texting does not inherently mean they are ready to adopt video calls.

1. About the complete data set: There may be other users besides voice call users and texting users, and their readiness for video may change the number for total users.

Would your copywriter catch this error or have the knowledge to avoid it?

Technical content often involves citing statistics, survey results, and other types of numeric data. A writer should check all numbers in a document to assure accurate presentation and context.

Yet many writers haven't taken a statistics class and haven't had training or experience in fact-checking skills. Some writers even have an aversion to math and believe that verifying data is someone else's problem. Indeed, it becomes your problem when an error of fact or interpretation appears in your content.

What level of numeric and statistics literacy should you expect from a technical copywriter? The points below will give you a start; add or modify them based on the needs of your content and readers.

• Ability to recognize when the right data is being used as input for a calculation or interpretation.
• Basic math: Accurate addition, subtraction, multiplication, or division and correct use of mathematic symbols.
• Basic statistics: Knows the difference between average (mean) and median and when to use each; knows how to calculate percentages and change rates.
• Financial measures: Understands the difference between return on investment (ROI) and payback as well as accounting data such as gross versus net, revenues versus profits.
• High or low? Although high, positive numbers are usually of most interest, sometimes low numbers can make a valuable point. A good writer will look through all of the available data to find the most potent numbers to convey your message, which may not be the most obvious ones.

In addition to choosing the right data sets and understanding causality, a numbers-literate copywriter knows how to handle several related issues.

Context. Presenting data without accurate context can confuse readers, perhaps even mislead them. This confusion can happen even when the statistic or data point is presented as a direct quote from the source material. A good copywriter will help the reader gain the right understanding of the data.

Source and fact checking. Data presented in marketing content doesn't always include a source citation, so it is easy to ignore the important step of source checking. Taking a few minutes for this step helps to avoid introducing errors such as typos, misinterpretations, inadequate context, and failure to comply with laws about comparisons and promotional claims.

Charts and infographics. Although these visuals may be produced by a designer, the writer should be able to provide quality input and review them for accuracy.

Best Books About Numbers for Copywriters

I recommend these books as useful references to keep at hand on your desk or computer:

The Fact Checker's Bible

The Chicago Guide to Writing About Numbers

The Wall Street Journal Guide to Information Graphics

 

Do You Need a Long-Form or Short-Form Copywriter?

A typical job ad for a copywriter includes a statement like this: "Must be able to write all types of content, from white papers to webpages to tweets."

Sounds good, right? Indeed, some freelance writers promote themselves as the one person who can take care of all your copywriting needs.

But that single-source approach may not in fact be the best way to serve your content marketing projects. Different project types simply have differing needs for a writer's knowledge, skill, and focus.

For example, consider the demands of writing a long-form project, such as a white paper, compared to the short forms of email messages and Facebook updates. It's easy to understand that writing white papers requires much more skill and experience than writing social media updates. Indeed, it may be better to hire a social media manager who has the necessary, basic writing skills than to hire a highly experienced writer who does social media as a sideline. Alternatively, social media updates and other short content pieces can be handled by a junior writer who adapts the long-form content developed by a more experienced copywriter.

What should you expect of a long-form copywriter? The factors below will help you evaluate the skills and experience of job candidates and freelance writers.

• Well structured, coherent presentation of all content in the document
• Appropriate use of multiple document elements to attract and retain reader attention
• Ability to tell a lengthy, multi-themed story without losing the reader's interest or understanding
• Content is tailored to address multiple audiences
• Clear explanations of in-depth, very technical subject matter

Another benefit offered by long-form copywriters: They are able to translate these skills across multiple content types, including technical white papers, product brochures, web articles, e-books, and customer case studies.

So instead of looking for one "do everything" writer, consider building a list of freelance writers who can best meet your needs for specific project types. You'll see the results in better content that is also better matched to its audience and purpose.

Read these related posts:

Justifying the Cost of an Experienced Freelance Writer

Do You Need a Specialty Copywriter?

 

Do You Need a Specialty Copywriter?

Justifying the Cost of an Experienced Freelance Writer - See more at: http://writinghightech.typepad.com/writespark/2012/08/the-value-of-an-experienced-freelance-writer.html#sthash.vL9HrllE.dpuf

Justifying the Cost of an Experienced Freelance Writer - See more at: http://writinghightech.typepad.com/writespark/2012/08/the-value-of-an-experienced-freelance-writer.html#sthash.vL9HrllE.dpuf

Better Targeting of IT Buyers with New Content Marketing Insights

A recent series of TechTarget reports offers many helpful insights for content marketing that targets IT buyers. Four insights in particular caught my attention.

Serial IT Specialists. TechTarget correctly notes that many IT professionals now move from one area to another as new technologies emerge and are adopted by their employers. These buyers seek content that will help them progress from basic to advanced topics in their new technology focus. White papers, video tech talks, FAQs, case studies, and buying or application guides are content ideas to consider.

Globally Relevant Content. The TechTarget survey found that for IT buyers in most countries, localized content is less important than finding the best practices, product information, and research resources they need, even if those resources are available only in English. Although you want to evaluate the expectations of your specific target markets, it may be possible to shift some budget from localization to creating English-language content that appeals to prospects around the world.

Comparison Content. A typical part of any purchase decision is defining the right buying criteria and making an "apples-to-apples" comparison among products. TechTarget notes that IT buyers would welcome help from vendors in making those comparisons. This help can be provided directly through charts or evaluation reports that compare your products to competitors (although it's important to comply with local advertising laws about this type of marketing material).

An indirect method is to give prospects an evaluation worksheet or guide that lists only recommended criteria for making their own comparisons. Of course, you could define the criteria in a way that will present your product in its best light.

"Deep Dive" Technical Content. As TechTarget points out, technical decision-makers may already be familiar with your solution and how it generally compares with alternatives. What they don't know, but are eager to find out, is more in-depth information about product capabilities, architecture and design choices, implementation scenarios, etc. White papers, blog posts from your engineers, implementation and design guides, and recommended best practices are marketing content types that can deliver the deep technical information that IT buyers seek.

I recommend that you take a look at the insights and data in this report to help in planning your technical marketing campaigns. Read the TechTarget series: "Understanding and Influencing the International IT Buyer"

 

Packaging Case Studies to Increase Their Promotional Value

Go to the website of many technology companies and find the link for case studies. The page that appears is likely a long, undifferentiated list of all the case studies the company has ever produced.

What a lost promotional opportunity!

Instead of taking time to look through the list, most customers will click on just the first one or two links. Or, they'll look for a company name they recognize, even if that case study isn't necessarily relevant to their interests or situation.

Two quick and easy projects can make your case studies much more appealing to customers and increase their marketing value for your company.

First, on the web page that lists your case studies, organize the title links by the categories most relevant to your customers, e.g. by industry, product, world region, etc. Simple subheads can be enough to segment the list, as shown by this example of a categorized case study list, used by my client MegaPath.

Another idea for this organizing project is to create a table that shows how the individual case studies fit into multiple categories.

The second project is to collect related case studies into a downloadable book. Again, the book can be organized by relevant categories in order to improve SEO and attract the attention of prospects as they browse through your site. A case study book can justify registration from prospects before the download and can serve as a "leave behind" printed document for your salespeople when they meet customers in person. One example, with case studies in summarized form, is provided by this customer reference booklet from SunGard UK.

Are there other ways that you have packaged case studies to increase their usage and impact?

 

Refresh Your Best Marketing Content

At the beginning of the year, your content marketing plans are likely focused on new, new, new: New white papers, sales brochures, Web articles, and customer case studies. But equally valuable marketing opportunities may await you in the old--through a relatively simple, fast, and inexpensive refresh of your best existing materials.

For example, look at white papers and ebooks where the core content is still relevant, but information such as market statistics, application examples, and messaging about your products needs updating.

Some years ago, I wrote a tutorial guide which my client used as the primary piece for attracting sales leads. This 36-page booklet became a perennial favorite among prospects and sales reps, prompting the client to make annual revisions for eight editions.

The yearly cost of my services for researching and writing the updates was negligible compared to the revenue attributable to this one promotional piece, especially over time. Has any piece of marketing content in your library had the same ROI?

If no, it's time to go looking for current materials that could continue to deliver value if only given the chance. And it's time to add "content refresh" as an essential task in your regular marcom planning.

What factors are you considering in your marcom plans for 2013?

2012 B2B Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets and Trends [Research Report]

Justifying the Cost of an Experienced Freelance Writer

"How long have you been freelancing?" is a question I rarely hear when I am discussing my copywriting services with a potential client.

But it's a question you will want to ask any freelance copywriter you hire. The reason? A writer who is experienced in running a business and managing projects as a freelancer can save you time, money, and headaches through more effective project activity and relationships.

The factors below show the often-overlooked value to be gained by working with a long-established freelance writer.

Value Area	Experienced Freelance Copywriters …
Project Management	Know how to productively manage a very dynamic workload and help keep your project on target, on schedule, and on budget.
Project Focus	Deliver high quality for your materials by focusing only on project types where they can produce their best work.
Fresh Insights	Offer ideas and perspectives, gained from working with multiple clients, that can improve your materials.
Communication Mastery	Know how to powerfully convey a story or marketing message.
Customer and SME Relationships	Interact with customers and subject experts, including high-level executives, in a way that maintains a positive perception of your company and the marcom department.
Project Politics	Keep an appropriate objectivity during project discussions and alert you about issues that need your intervention.
Work Quality	Deliver complete, well-written drafts with strong attention to detail, reducing the time and amount of edits in the review process.

By considering these value factors when you evaluate potential freelance copywriters, you can find one who offers the project savvy and business commitment to be the long-term resource for your marcom needs.

Case Studies: Does Your Team Know What Makes a Good Success Story?

One of your sales reps sends a breathless e-mail: "XYZ company just signed a contract. They'd make a great success story!" Or, you're preparing to launch a new product and you know that a strong customer case study would be very helpful for substantiating your marketing messages. So, you ask the product manager whether any of the customers involved in beta testing or early product release would be good candidates.

In both cases, what input do you receive? Most likely, just a customer name and contact details, with little if any information on the story itself. And so you must spend the time and effort pursuing these customers to determine whether their stories are good fit for your needs. And in doing so, you may place your company in an awkward position if the customer is unwilling, is contacted too early, or doesn't have the hoped-for positive experience with your product.

You can avoid these unproductive situations by educating your team about the types of customers and stories that make a good case study. This education effort can be as easy as asking a few key questions in a phone call or e-mail:

1. Why are you recommending this customer? Example answers: It's a well known company, the customer is in a target industry or market segment or has an interesting product application.
2. Has the customer agreed to participate in the case study? If so, can we name the company or must they remain anonymous?
3. Is the product deployment or testing complete and has the customer seen valid and significant results? In other words, is this customer story ready to tell now or will it be a better story later? 
4. What would our prospects find interesting in this customer's story?

The answers to these questions can be brief, just enough for you to determine whether this is a case study you want to pursue. For your colleagues, these questions will help them give you the suitable and contact-ready customer names that contribute to a successful case study program.

White Papers: Too Much Fat, Not Enough Meat

It's easy to overload technology white papers with content that is irrelevant and poorly structured for the reader's interest. These bloated documents can mean not only diminished marketing results, but also a missed opportunity for delivering the information prospects seek.

According to an Eccolo Media survey of IT buyers, "... white papers that don't contain enough technical information are more likely to disappoint than those that possess too much."

The ideas below will help you avoid this problem by trimming the "fat"--unnecessary or excessive content--from your technical white papers.

Avoid throat-clearing text. Many documents begin with a history review, basic definitions, personal reflections, or company positioning statements. This content may seem like necessary stage-setting or a way to ease into the main text. But unless it's essential for understanding the document's topic, throat-clearing text can quickly lose the reader's interest in the rest of the material.

A good white paper writer will look at the introductory text with the questions: How can we get to the point faster? If I was a reader, would this white paper capture my interest right away and would I be willing to read further?

Tailor the corporate boilerplate text. Basic information about your company isn't the place to drone on about your company's mission, historical achievements, information about individual products, commitment to providing outstanding customer support, blah, blah, blah. Instead, create one short paragraph with a link to an About Us page on your website that contains more detail.

Segment lengthy content. Are you trying to cram too much content into one white paper? Instead, segment and sequence that content into multiple papers, including cross-reference links where appropriate.

Narrative text. Instead of complete sentences and full paragraphs, some types of information can be presented more clearly and concisely in bullet lists, tables, infographics, and links to other content.

Now, with the "fat" out of the document, you can look at adding more "meat"--the substantive content that is directly related to the white paper's topic.

Remember: "The writer does the most who gives his reader the most knowledge and takes from him the least time." Charles Caleb Colton

Do you have other techniques for making content more relevant readers interests?

Missing Technical Details May Turn Away Buyers

What can a catalog about sewing threads teach a technology marketer about writing effective sales content? A lot about missed opportunities for engaging prospects and motivating them to make a purchase.

I create art quilts as a hobby and at a recent trade show I eagerly picked up a catalog from a well-regarded specialty thread manufacturer. With hundreds of threads on the market, I was looking for detailed guidance about the qualities of each thread, its best application in terms of projects and fabrics, and which needle size to use for best results.

What I got was a lot of pictures of thread colors, but an inconsistent mish-mash of specifications for each thread family. Although a product selection guide was somewhat helpful in narrowing the list of threads that might suit my needs, I put down the catalog feeling more overwhelmed and confused than when I started.

Could this scenario described your printed sales literature and web content? Can prospects easily find the technical information they need to even consider your product as a candidate for purchase?

Two tips will help you present technical details in a useful way:

• Identify the types of technical details buyers want to know for your products. For example, buyers typically seek information about specifications such as size, capacity, and speed as well as target applications. If you sell products (like threads) that have common characteristics, present a consistent set of details. For a diverse product set, define relevant details for each product or family.

• Create a standard structure for presenting product details. A table of specifications is a common element in data sheets and product web pages. A consistent format for this table helps readers find information quickly, especially when they are comparing details for multiple products.

For more ideas on structuring content and describing technical specifications, see my book Copywriting That Sells High-Tech.

Do You Need a Specialty Copywriter?

It's easy to understand that not every freelance writer is a good match for every marketing project. Yet, how can you recognize when you need a specialty writer and identify what kind of writer to seek? These ideas can help your search.

You need a writer with specific technical or subject knowledge. Teaching a generalist writer about your products, customers, and applications probably isn't a good use of time--for yourself or your subject experts. A specialty writer, such as a technical copywriter, brings strong knowledge to your projects. And this experience makes a difference in producing on-target content quickly and with minimal guidance or management throughout the writing and review processes.

Your project requires a specific writing style. Advertising, direct mail, and speeches are project types I routinely decline because I don't have the talents for those specialized writing styles. Instead, I recommend that clients find a writer whose focuses on this kind of work.

Your company has a particular market focus. A writer with experience primarily in B2B marketing may not be able to write effective copy for a B2C promotional effort and vice versa. Additionally, your content may need a writer with knowledge of the trends and issues in a particular vertical market, such as green energy or healthcare.

You have a mix of short-form and long-form projects. Writing and managing short-form social media content has become a specialty for some writers. Other freelance copywriters focus on long-form projects such as white papers, case studies, and sales materials. Additionally, some writers may know how to work with producers on video and podcast scripts, while others may not have the visual and auditory thinking skills required by these projects. Ask your writers to indicate which projects are truly their strengths, then consider whether you need specialty freelance writers to handle certain project types.

It may seem that you'll add to your workload if you start managing a stable of writers. But if you choose the right writers--and use them for projects where they can work most effectively--you'll likely ease your project burden and receive better content as well.

 

Great Ideas and Resources for Technology Content Marketing

As the new year begins, you likely have plans for a long list of content marketing projects. Or maybe you're not sure about the best types and formats for content that will best fit your marketing challenges, budgets, and needs.

Whatever your situation, you'll find great ideas and resources for B2B and technical content marketing in the Content Marketing Institute site.

The site is full of useful information, templates, and tips--all written and presented clearly and professionally by a broad range of contributors.

Highly recommended; this is one of the very few sites on my regular reading list.

 

http://www.contentmarketinginstitute.com/

Content Tips for E-Books

E-books have become a popular form of collateral for technology marketing because they can present complex, dry technical topics in an appealing format.

If you haven't considered adding e-books to your sales materials, then learn more about e-book advantages and drawbacks.

But if you're ready to develop an e-book, the following tips will help you create more engaging and effective content.

Plan for longevity. An e-book will likely have a longer useful life than other marketing collateral, so plan for refresh cycles from the start of the project. For example, I wrote a primer on wide-area networking for a client that was so popular, we revised it annually for six editions until the topic became too large to handle in just one document. Depending on the topic of your e-book, a review and update of the content every 6-12 months will likely be appropriate.

Create an information design. Choose a page layout and graphical elements that are suitable for your audience and topic, and that comply with corporate branding standards. To increase the visual appeal of an e-book, the temptation is to be too clever with illustrations, color schemes, fonts, and other design elements. But an overly-cute design can distract from your information and perhaps even cause readers to overlook your book because it doesn't appear to be serious or credible.

Avoid the kitchen sink syndrome. Just because an e-book can be longer than a white paper doesn't mean it should contain every bit of information or every possible topic on the subject matter. Solution: Link to content such as other e-books or white papers that are targeted by topic, audience (e.g., business decision maker vs. technical decision maker), or vertical market.

Find the right writer. Not every writer can create the right type of content, with the right style, for an e-book. An e-book writer needs to understand  how a more visual presentation affects the reader's attention and understanding, particularly for technical content. A technical e-book writer with information design skills can help you create engaging e-book content.

Outline with storyboards. An e-book page usually covers just one topic because the reader's attention shifts when they load the next page. This also means you need to watch for transitions and continuity of ideas from one page to another, which is easier to see in storyboards than traditional written outlines.

Highlight key content on each page. Use formatting and visual elements such as callouts and sidebar boxes to serve skimmers. The e-book format encourages reading online, so you need to make sure the key messages and content on each page will catch the reader's attention.

Add interactivity. Within the e-book, embed or link to multimedia content such as a customer testimonial video, webinar recording, or an interactive product demo. These elements will encourage the reader to explore more of your information, and to look through the entire e-book for other opportunities to interact.

Create a "real" book. Consider using a print-on-demand service to offer a bound, printed book as an option for site visitors to request or for use as a leave-behind piece on sales calls. Of course, this choice should be in addition to allowing the customer to print the e-book as a PDF file downloaded from your site.

What types of content, information design, or copywriting techniques have you used in e-books?

 

Is Your Topic Worthy of a White Paper?

Because white papers have such high levels of proven marketing value, it's tempting to consider every potential topic about a product to be worthy of a white paper. But of course, not every topic is suitable...or even best presented in a white paper format.

How do you choose which topics should be covered in a technical white paper? The following criteria can help you decide; consider a white paper for a topic that:

• Explains the design, implementation, or application concepts built into the product or technology.

• Discusses market or industry factors that impact a customer's need for the product.

• Presents in-depth analysis of factors for the business decision, such as how to calculate the potential ROI and payback period for a typical implementation, or how to evaluate qualitative value points.

• Recommends evaluation factors for a technical decision-maker. For example, a common white paper topic for many technical products is a discussion of the product architecture. This topic is of keen interest to technical decision makers, who want to know how the product works and how it will integrate within their technical environments before they will seriously consider it as a candidate for purchase.

For topics that don't meet these criteria, other types of marketing materials may be a good choice:

• An article on the company website or submitted to online or print publications that covers the relevant technology, industry, or customer base.

• A technical note or application note is an especially good choice for topics that would be of interest only to very specific groups of customers. The 1-2 page typical length for a note can present individual topics when the amount of information or discussion isn't enough to fill a typical 6-8 page white paper.

• A blog post for even shorter topics. 

A good white paper writer can help you choose which document type is best for a topic and can identify effective ways to present the topic in your other content marketing efforts.

How do you decide which topics are worth the expense and effort of a white paper?

What's Wrong with Saying You're the Best?

You know you've got a good product, one that is much better than the offerings of your competitors.

You know that your company has hired very skilled and knowledgeable employees who will do their best to support your customers and make your product fulfill their needs.

You know that your product and company is truly the best choice for customers ... so why can't you say so in your sales materials?

If your marketing content goes through a legal review before it's published, you have probably learned that lawyers really don't like two types of words:

• Superlatives: Adjectives like "best," "leading," and "unrivaled" can cause problems because they may be in breach of advertising laws about creating a false impression in the mind of a potential buyer. In addition, new actions by competitors could quickly invalidate these claims.

• Absolutes: Words and phrases such as "only," "always," "in any situation" are problems because they create an implied warranty that likely can't be fulfilled by the product or company.

Have you noticed that the largest technology companies rarely (if ever) use superlatives and absolutes in their marketing language? They understand the potential legal ramifications and as a result, have established writing rules about acceptable words and phrases.

But if you can't use superlatives and absolutes, how will you stand out from the competition and attract the interest of prospects? It can be done, but it means being careful about the copywriting in your promotional content.

The following tips and techniques can help your copywriters develop marketing copy that captures a prospect's attention and may help you avoid potential legal concerns:

• Use strong adjectives, but not superlatives. Look at the book Words That Sell to find many compelling (and more believable) alternatives to "best."

• Substitute terms such as "many" and "most" for "every "and "all." Look for words that will convey a sense of broad coverage or applicability, without using a word that conveys a sense of "complete."

• Avoid "ensure" and "assure" because these words convey an absolute meaning. A slight adjustment in wording -- "help to ensure" -- conveys the strength of your product capability or commitment, without creating an implied warranty that your company won't be able to meet.

You might also want to read the in-depth discussion of legal issues that affect copywriting presented in my book, Copywriting That Sells High-Tech.

Are your sales materials subject to other legal concerns or restrictions?

 

 

 

The Value of Qualitative Results in a Case Study

There are times when you have what seems to be an ideal case study: a happy, willing, and talkative customer; a prestigious company name; a story for an application or industry that you want to target.

All is well until you get into the interview and discover one significant shortcoming: The customer hasn't measured quantitative results, isn't willing to disclose them, or the results are weak.

What to do? Instead of turning down a willing customer, you can focus the case study on qualitative results and value. Indeed, you may find that a qualitative success story may be a more interesting read and prompt more interesting dialogue between your sales reps and prospects than a case study that focuses more on the numbers.

For example, the case study can show your understanding of special implementation, management, and support factors that are specific to that type of customer or industry. If you tell the story well, prospects will recognize the implications for their own circumstances.

A good case study writer will know how to elicit both quantitative results and interesting, qualitative value points from the customer during the interview. Then, a good writer will apply both storytelling skill and knowledge of which information and messages will resonate with your prospects to create a case study that delivers value for your product sales activity.

How do you handle case studies that present only (or mostly) qualitative results?

How a Freelance Writer Can Help Solve Marcom Project Issues

As a marketing communications manager, you probably spend much of your workday trying to resolve common issues that arise in your projects such as:

• Endless debates over the project plan or document outline.
• Project delays or dissatisfaction with the drafts that have been developed so far.
• A review process that only seems to sidetrack the project instead of moving it forward.
• Text that seems stale and ineffective for reaching your target audiences.

Have you considered how a freelance writer can help resolve some of these issues? For example, the writer can:

• Bring a fresh set of eyes and insights from working with other companies to project plans and outlines.

• Help with certain project activities, such as following up with slow reviewers or those who have made conflicting or confusing commentson the draft.

• Identify when a project is not ready for a writer, which saves both your budget and everyone's frustration.

• Get away from corporate and internal verbiage to help you create messages that will be understandable and appealing to your customers.

Of course, some issues involve confidential or politically sensitive discussions that shouldn't be conducted by an outsider. But by looking for ways to leverage a freelance copywriter's perspective and experience, you may find your marcom project issues easier to resolve.

How has a writer or other external creative resource helped you in managing project issues?

Good Writers: You Can Never Know Too Many

You may be perfectly happy with your current in-house and freelance resources for writing. If so, great!

But not all writers can write everything well, in spite of their optimistic willingness to try. And it's always good to know another copy writer is available, just for those times when:

• Your current writers are too busy
• A new product launch needs several writers working in parallel
• A project needs a copywriter with highly technical knowledge
• You need a writer with experience in certain project types, vertical industries, or writing styles
• You want fresh ideas or a new approach for your materials

How can you find those writers? And how can you easily keep a writers list so you can quickly find contact information when you need it?

For ideas on finding and evaluating potential writers, follow the tips in these articles:

• How to Find a Technical Copywriter

• How to Find a Good Freelance Writer on LinkedIn

LinkedIn is also a good tool for maintaining your resource lists of freelance writers and other creative professionals such as graphic designers and web developers. Just follow these steps:

• If the copywriter you have in mind isn't already part of your LinkedIn network, send an invitation to connect.

• On your connections list, use the tags function to classify your contacts into a writers list.

• When you need to find a resource, just click on the appropriate tag in the box to the left of the connection list display.

• The person's contact information is usually displayed as part of the mini profile in this view, or click on the name to look at the complete profile.

Almost every week I receive an e-mail or call from a prospective client who is desperately trying to find a good writer for their sales materials or web site. You can avoid this last-minute scramble by building your resource list now.

Do you use other techniques or resources for finding freelance writing and creative professionals?

What To Do With a "Not Quite Ready" Technology Case Study

One of your company's sales reps e-mails you in breathless excitement: "We just signed a contract with XYZ company and they are willing to say great things about us. Can we get the writer to do a case study?"

Of course, it's not everyday that a customer actually volunteers to give a positive testimonial about your product or company.

Yet this situation presents a dilemma: you know a technical case study now won't be as strong as it will be in a few months, after the technology solution has been fully implemented.

Or maybe the product implementation has just been completed, but the customer hasn't yet seen specific, measurable results.

In either case, you don't want to risk losing the customer's willingness to participate by postponing the case study for too long.

So how do you proceed in a way that handles customer's interest gracefully and gives you useful promotional content?

Consider these ideas for developing and using a technical case study that's not quite ready to be told:

• Ask for a testimonial statement, not a full case study. A few sentences or 1-2 paragraphs may be enough to convey the customer's satisfaction for now. But be sure to reach agreement with the customer about working on a full case study in the future, when the outcome of the complete implementation and results achieved are known.

• Write a "deployment-in-progress" case study that describes the implementation and results to date, as well as expected benefits and planned next steps.
  

• Write a press release to announce the new customer and include the customer's testimonial statement.

• Write a technical application note based on the customer's planned deployment.  

Of course, other promotional avenues may be appropriate, depending on the customer and the marketing opportunity. An experienced case study writer can help you make the best use of whatever customer story is ready to tell, now or later.

Have you encountered this situation? How did you handle it?

 

 

Your SMEs are tasked with more writing, but should they actually do it?

Whether they like it or not, whether they feel capable or not, many technical subject matter experts (SMEs) are now expected to be a white paper writer, a web content writer, and a blog post writer.

However, in most cases, these writing assignments aren't getting done--which is frustrating to both the SMEs and the marcom managers who oversee these projects.

The question becomes: Should SMEs write technical sales materials? Use the criteria below to guide the decision within your marketing environment.

Time and workload demands. The expectation that your SMEs should become prolific writers is added to their already full task list for their real jobs of managing product development, supporting customers, or designing new technologies.

So, it's no surprise that, in spite of an SME's interest or good intentions, a new writing assignment quickly falls to the bottom of the priority list. Besides, it's important to ask, is writing a blog post or white paper draft really the best use of time for a highly-paid technical employee?

Lack of writing skill and training. Most SMEs didn't expect to become marketing writers in their professional careers. They may lack the knowledge and skill necessary to be confident, efficient, and effective when writing marketing content.

Second-language writers and readers. Language factors are a concern given that much marketing content for technology products is written in English, but many readers have a different native language. Indeed, your subject experts may speak English as a second language themselves. Or, they may not understand how to write for readers who have a limited understanding of English, which means their content may cause reader confusion or image problems for your company.

Writing for search engines. SMEs probably don’t know how to write for search engine optimization (SEO), using the right keywords in appropriate ways to get good search rankings and attract more prospects to your content.

Limited understanding of restrictions and requirements for promotional text. Your SMEs may not know about the problems that can be created by certain language and claims in their content. Additionally, a SME may not know about marketing language requirements that help your company protect its brand.

Copywriting Help for SMEs

A cost-effective solution to these challenges is using an experienced technical copywriter to help your SMEs develop their blog posts, white papers, technical articles, and Web content.

The writer frees a significant amount of time and brain space for the SME, who only needs to provide useful, clear input and later, clear comments when reviewing the writer's draft.

Does your company expect SMEs to do sales writing? If so, how do you work with them to develop good content?

 

Of particular concern, there is the danger that someone may include problematic language and claims in their content. This is text that wouldn’t pass legal review and would automatically  be excluded by a marketing writer, but may not be obvious to someone who doesn’t know about legal and liability constraints on marketing language

Content Marketing Insights for Technology Companies

A study conducted by the Content Marketing Institute about content marketing efforts in the computing and software industry presents interesting data on how technology marketers use different promotional techniques and their perceptions of the effectiveness for each.

Yet the report shows that marketers give middling ratings for the effectiveness of much of this content. As a possible reason for this rating, the report concludes that the content produced by tech companies is not matched to the different information needs of buyers at different stages of their decision cycle.

That's a good point, however, the report doesn't offer any ideas or resources for how to make that match. For those ideas, look to the following surveys of buyers for a broad range of IT products:

• Eccolo Media 2010 B2B Technology Collateral Survey Report: Includes clear and helpful data on the use of different types of print and multimedia collateral during the buying process.

• Tech Target Global IT Buyer Media Consumption Report: Focuses on the differences in information access and preferences in different parts of of the world; valuable insights for reaching prospects in key technology markets outside of North America.

Additionally, my book Copywriting That Sells High-Tech describes a typical buying cycle for technology products and suggests materials for each stage.

Has your company made this analysis? If so, how has it influenced your decisions about which types of marketing content you produce, and how you promote and distribute it?

Justifying the Cost of a Professional Copy Writer

A new year typically means a long list of new marketing communications and public relations projects.

You know you'll need the services of a professional copywriter for some of these projects, yet how can you justify the expense?

The answer can often be found in a combination of project, time, and revenue factors.

Project Factors

A professional freelance writer can be a cost-effective resource for project and workload challenges such as:

• Writing powerful content for high-value documents e.g., a technology white paper that is intended to generate leads and advance the sales cycle.
• A project that started as a simple idea ("let's post a Web page about this topic"), but turns out to not to be as small and easy as it seems.
• A long list of materials to prepare, such as for product launch, user conference, or promotional campaign.
• A draft may have been written for a document, but you feel it could benefit from the fresh, objective perspective of an outside writer.

Schedule Factors

Time is often overlooked as a cost factor for marcom projects. Consider the cost savings that can be realized by engaging a freelance writer in these scenarios:

• The project has a short deadlines. Bringing in a freelance writer who can focus on just this project may make more sense than trying to adjust the workload of an in-house writer.
• In-house and agency writers are already fully booked on other, equally important projects.
• The project keeps getting postponed because you don't have time to manage it. Especially if you have developed a good working relationship with a copywriter over multiple projects, consider asking him or her to take on appropriate project management tasks.
• Availability and costs of other employees (e.g., subject matter experts) who might be tapped to work on this project. Most likely, writing a document isn't the highest value use of their time.

Revenue Factors

Perhaps the easiest justification for engaging an external copywriter is to view the expense as an appropriate investment for generating revenue. Examples of these factors include:

• The project is directly tied to revenue generation, e.g., an email campaign designed to attract prospects or a Web page for making a direct product sale.
• Documents that serve a multi-stage sales cycle, e.g., a product selection guide. Especially for technology products, a skilled technical copywriter can help you create the best content for addressing both business and technology buyers throughout their complex purchasing decisions.
• High-visibility projects that position your company, such as case studies that showcase your success to prospects and support loyalty from current customers.

Do you use other factors when justifying a budget allocation for outside copywriting services?

Learn More

For information that may support your arguments for hiring a freelance copywriter, see the articles under the heading How to Find A ... listed in the righthand column of this blog. 

Is It "Use It or Lose It" Time For Your Marketing Budget?

The end of a calendar year is often the time to review marketing budgets. And for many marcom managers, it may be time to use any remaining funds so they aren't taking away during the next budgeting cycle.

Whenever you have "use it or lose it" funds to commit, here are a few ideas for spending them effectively:

• Invest in marketing documents with long-term value, such as an e-book, product selection guide, or product architecture white paper.
• Identify small, quick-return marcom projects, for example, a series of blog posts or Web articles with the bylines of your company's topic experts. 
• Refresh existing documents. Brochures, white papers, and case studies can often be updated more quickly and economically than producing a new document to address the same marketing need. 
• Look at the projects in your marketing communications plan that haven't yet been started. Could one or two of them turn your unused budget funds into a value-producing investment?

Don't let short-notice, small, or refresh projects give you any concern about finding freelance copywriters or agencies who will accept that work. Most will be happy to help, and will give the document the same level of care and creativity as higher-profile material. 

What Does the Content Tell You?

Many marketing communications departments have a list of standard documents and other content they produce for a new product launch, new version release, and other common marketing activities.

These standards are useful for ensuring that essential product information is always created, in a consistent and familiar form.

But such a list can mean you overlook opportunities for creating other powerful forms of content. These content opportunities are easy to discover, if you simply ask the right questions and go looking for them.

As you are reading source materials and getting input from subject experts, ask questions such as:

• In simple language, what is the product, really, and what does it actually do?
• Who will really care about this product and why? What difference will it make to them in their work or lives?
• What additional stories, applications, benefits, and elements of interests are in this product or the way it is sold or used?

The answers to these questions will likely spark new ideas for creating additional valuable marketing content such as application notes, blog posts, Web articles, or market-specific brochures.

Have you given your content a look with fresh eyes today?

Who Are Your Thought Leaders, Really?

Standard corporate line: "We are the thought leaders in (fill in topic/technology/industry)."

Reader reaction: "Oh yeah? Who is doing the thinking and what makes them so smart?"

You can create more credibility for thought leader positioning by showcasing the people behind your content and messages. 

A few techniques:

• Give a byline for key content to your technical experts, even if they receive writing help from a copywriter.
• Include an author's profile, with information about the person's job role, industry experience, education, awards, and other credentials.
• Link to blog posts and social media accounts to allow readers to easily see each expert's other discussion and insights.

Do you use other techniques for showcasing the people behind your thought leadership content? 

Are you still selling after the customer has been sold?

I was in a committee meeting where a consultant came to help our group with a strategic planning exercise. Of the 90 minutes allocated to this activity, the consultant used the first 30 minutes to talk about all the great work she had done for other clients, the next 30 to show her expertise by expounding upon general trends in our market, and the final 30 minutes leading the group in the actual exercise ... the work she had already been hired to do.

Consider another scenario. You order a product and when the package arrives, you eagerly open the box, looking for the instruction sheet or manual so you can begin assembly or use. But this valuable information is buried under flyers, a cover letter, another copy of the product brochure, perhaps even sales materials for other products or companies. If it's a software product, starting the installation procedure may display even more lists of features and benefits, testimonials from happy users, and other promotional text. 

"Enough already," you grumble. "Just let me get on with it!"   

As these examples show, there is a time for selling and a time for delivering and supporting.  And the same flow from selling to delivering should be represented in your marketing materials.

Yes, it is fine to use part of a white paper to showcase the expertise of your company or the credentials of the paper's author. It's fine for a letter or screen display to present a thank you message and to reinforce the customer's purchase decision. It's also fine to promote service programs, user communities, accessory products, and other resources for customer support and loyalty.

But once a customer has purchased your technology product or technical service, they no longer need to be sold. You just need to get out of their way and let them discover the positive experience you have promised.

Is Your Marketing Project Ready for a Writer?

Looking at your marketing plan, you see a project coming up that you'll want to outsource to a freelance copywriter.

But is that project really ready?

You will save project time and writing costs by checking these factors before you engage a writer to begin work:

• Does it still makes sense to produce this project? The marketing plan was likely developed months ago and the current product status, market conditions, and promotional opportunities may have changed since then.

• How much background and source material exists and will it be up-to-date and useful for the writer? The truism "the better the input, the better the output" applies here. But good source material will also save you money because the writer will need less time for research and interviewing tasks.

• Are the marketing messages clearly defined and agreed upon by all the key players? Using multiple drafts of a brochure or white paper isn't the most constructive or cost-effective way for a product team to hash out the product's vision, target markets, and positioning. (Sound familiar?)

• Have you identified the right subject matter experts and secured their agreement for interviews by the writer?

Sometimes all it takes is a few days and a few calls or emails to make the project truly writer-ready. But that small effort will yield a high payback in terms of a faster project schedule, good drafts, and reduced costs.

How to Tell When You Have a Good Freelance Copywriter

Given the ever-changing economy, outsourcing of marketing functions, and personal desires for a flexible lifestyle, more people are promoting themselves as freelance copywriters.

With so many freelancers to consider, how can you tell when you have found a good one, especially a freelance technical copywriter? Consider the factors below.

Quality of the work. Of course, the first factor is whether the writer is delivering the quality of writing skill and messaging needed for each project. Here's an easy way to evaluate: how much rewriting of the writer's work is necessary, especially after the second draft?

The "gets it" factor. Most experienced copywriters with basic skills can produce a document that is adequate for its purpose and audience. However, that document will be more effective if the writer truly understands your subject matter, your market, your audiences, and your communications challenges. This factor is especially important for tech marketing, where a technical copywriter can elicit better input from subject experts, then present complex information and concepts with greater clarity and impact.

Service professionalism. The quality of the writer's interactions with you and others is just as important as the quality of the writer's text. Consider these service factors:

• Timeliness of response to your phone calls and emails.
• Positive, sensitive, and professional interactions with you, your colleagues and customers.
• The writer always meets deadlines. If the due date is in danger, the writer gives you a warning as soon as possible, explains why, and offers options for proceeding.
• The writer understands, respects, and maintains the boundaries between being a "part of the team" and being an outside service provider. The writer doesn't become engaged in office politics and does not try to solve issues or negotiate changes that instead should be referred to you for resolution.

These questions can help you gauge service professionalism: Do you feel like you need to participate in all phone calls and be copied on all emails between the freelance writer and your colleagues and customers because you fear embarrassment to you or your company? Or, do you feel comfortable in turning the writer loose on a project to make contacts as needed and just give you updates?

Adaptability. A good writer will respond calmly and constructively to projects with start-and-stop activity, changing project directions, or drafts that come back with extensive comments and new input. (Of course, you should be prepared to receive a higher estimate on the project fee to account for the additional time necessary to accommodate these changes.)

Independence. The writer can work independently, but knows when to ask for your help in gathering information, contacting input providers, or refereeing comments and input from document reviewers.

Offers new ideas as appropriate. One benefit of working with freelance copywriters is the fresh perspective and broad experience they can bring to your projects. But a good copywriter won't be a "show-off" with these ideas -- instead offering suggestions only when they can advance your project.

Finally, perhaps the factor that is most telling about whether you have found a good freelance copywriter is this: Are you willing to recommend him or her to someone else?

Which qualities do you look for in a freelance writer?

Learn More

• How to Find a Technical Copywriter

Is It a Case Study or Just a Testimonial?

You're excited to have a well-known customer who is happy with your product and ready to talk for case study.

Yet after the interview, that excitement fizzles because the story seems less substantive and interesting than what you expected.

Several factors can contribute to this scenario:

A reluctant customer. Although the interview may have been agreed upon weeks ago, when it actually happens the customer may prove reluctant to talk. Typical reasons include changes in the customer's situation or satisfaction with your product, concern about disclosing too much information, or poor preparation of the customer before the interview. Or, the customer may simply be someone who is not a real talker and will give only basic answers to your questions.

An overly optimistic view of the story's potential. This factor can arise from your salesperson's enthusiasm for promoting the account, a desire to get the customer name, to get that particular type of story, or indeed any story at all.

The story may not be ready to tell. The interview may be premature, especially if the product implementation isn't yet finished or hasn't had enough time to produce useful results. In this case, complete as much of the interview as you can, especially for gaining testimonial statements that may be usable before the full case study can be produced. But also get the customer's agreement for a more in-depth interview when the story is indeed ready to tell.

Skill of the interviewer. Check your question list and the way those questions are asked. Are they open-ended questions that encourage storytelling? Do you probe for details when the customer gives a short or basic answer?

A good story is there…if you know how to find it

How can you salvage a weak story? Here are some options to consider:

• Write a shorter case study. If your standard is two pages, accept one page.
• Use the brief story as the sidebar for a brochure or white paper, or as an element in an email campaign or Web content.
• Pull-out whatever customer quotes you can, even if only one or two, and use these quotes as testimonial statements in a variety of content and social media forms.

A talented copywriter can help you find good, usable, and relevant content from any interview. The writer also can keep you from wasting budget on stories that aren't yet ready for prime time, where there simply isn't enough substance to make it a story worth telling.

It can be disappointing to find a weak story where you were hoping for a strong case study. But by using the interview as a source for testimonials and other small content elements, everyone's time, efforts, and hopes for promotional value won't be wasted.

Learn More About Case Study Interviews

Are you interviewing or just chatting?

Are your questions leading or asking?

Why Does Writing Take So Long?

“I will send the first draft to you next week.”

A typical commitment from a freelance writer, who will consider a week or more a reasonable amount of time to research, write, and polish the first draft of any but the simplest of sales documents.

But if you are facing a “we need it yesterday” deadline as a marketing communications manager, a writer’s schedule may seem unnecessarily leisurely. After all, you’re not looking for a literary masterpiece, just a solid and effective brochure or Web content. How much time should that really take?

You’re right, if all the conditions necessary to produce good text quickly lined up at the right time, then a draft would be fast and easy to write. But given the high-demand, over-stretched environment in most marketing departments, this alignment is often impossible.

Consider these factors:

• The initial project input is sketchy or nonexistent. Perhaps the project’s scope and messages haven’t been formulated beyond the idea “We should have a technical white paper to explain this.”
• The subject matter experts are not available or multiple input providers aren’t available at the same time, which means the writer receives delayed, fragmented, or conflicting input.
• The writer prepares an outline from your creative brief, then waits and waits for feedback. Or, the writer starts writing according to an approved outline, then is told to stop because the product or marketing directions are changing. The project may go into limbo for days, weeks, or longer.
• Background materials promised by the input providers aren’t sent or haven’t even been developed yet.

Of course, not all the reasons for writing delays come from the client side. The workflow, project management skills, and experience level of the copywriter also determines writing schedules:

• The writer’s current workload. In a typical work week, freelance copywriters juggle multiple projects from multiple clients, each in different stages of development.
• Research and development time. How much new material the writer needs to produce vs. adapting existing text is a large factor in the project schedule.
• Cycle time. Writing a document from scratch always takes more time than editing an existing draft. And many writers build-in a quality-check cycle, knowing that a fresh look at a draft on the next day always improves the material.
• Refresh time after project delays; is the writer organized enough to do this quickly?
• Project type and content. The higher the communications value or the more technical and complex the subject matter, the longer it takes to write a draft. However, a highly experienced copywriter can deliver an advantage here, by being able to learn new information rapidly and develop appropriate content based on long-cultivated sets of best writing practices.

Identifying a Reasonable Project Schedule

Understand that when a copywriter gives you a delivery date for a draft, it is truly an estimate. Although good freelancers will try to beat that date, the many project variables described here can stymie a writer’s best efforts.

By working with the writer to identify and remove project challenges as they arise and by understanding what a freelance writer must manage, you can develop project schedules that are easier to meet for everyone.

Interviews Part 2: Are your questions leading or asking?

I keep a file of interview questions for case studies that I have collected from various client projects over the years. Some question lists are short.  Others run to multiple pages, with questions covering every detail of a customer's situation or product implementation.

Of course, you want to match the number of questions to the allocated interview time. But more important is looking at the wording of those questions: Are they eliciting information or leading a response?

Here's an example of a leading question:

"Would you say you've saved at least 25% on parts inventory costs since implementing our product?"

A better way to ask that question:

"How much have you saved on parts inventory costs since implementing our product?"

Or, better still:

"What kinds of cost savings have you achieved since implementing our product?" (Then ask for the specific numbers or percentages for each type of savings.)

The Limitations of Leading Questions

Asking a question that invokes a specific response, even if that response is favorable, can create these issues for your project: 

• The customer may forget to mention or diminish information about benefits, applications, etc. that would be a higher priority in their mind and have greater value to your story if they instead came out as the first things on the prospect's mind when responding to an open question.
• May skew the story inappropriately, with a trickle-down effect on reported results, benefits, and the customer quotes you select for publication.
• May make the customer uncomfortable with the interview and reluctant to follow through with the case study review and approval process.
• May cause the customer to withhold negative feedback or issues that would be important information for your sales, support, and product development teams.

How to Ask Open-Ended Questions

An open-ended question invites your customer to give a full answer, such as in these examples:

"How did you prepare for the migration?"

"What types of feedback have you received?"

"Why did you choose this vendor?"

"What were the lessons learned from this project? "  

In general, a question that starts with What, Why, or How will elicit a descriptive response from your interview subject. You can always probe for more details in follow-up questions during or after the interview. 

Let the Customer Tell You

When working on a success story, testimonial, or other customer reference project, it is natural to want the most positive information to emerge an interview. However, by creating an opening for whatever the customer tells you, you will likely gain information that has the greatest value to your company and project. 

Learn More:

• All posts about case studies
• How to find a case study writer

Interviews Part 1: Are you interviewing or just chatting?

When you are interviewing a customer, are you really getting the information you need or are you just shooting the breeze?

Of course you want to establish rapport with customers during an interview for a case study or other marketing project. And you want customers to feel comfortable in sharing their feedback or information for publication.

But sometimes small talk and an informal conversational style can take the interview off-track, where you are just chatting, not getting the most useful answers to your questions. You also risk running out of time, meaning some questions may not be asked at all.  

If you have a engaged a writer for the project (especially an external freelance writer), consider letting that writer lead the interview. You will likely find the interview is more effective. Why? Because the writer will be very focused on asking all of the questions and getting the best and most complete information possible in the time allowed.   

As a marcom manager, product manager, or other subject expert, you can help the writer during the interview by addressing any customer concerns, asking appropriate follow-on questions, and opening and closing the conversation. I certainly welcome the participation of someone from the client side when I am interviewing their customers, and your freelance writers should too.

Just remember that your role in an interview will be more helpful if you are an active listener and you let the writer--and especially the customer--be the active talkers.

Next post:  Interviews Part 2: Are your questions asking or leading? 

10 Signals That Your Project Needs a Professional Copywriter

In an ideal world, you would use a professional writer for every marketing or public relations document produced by your company. But limited budgets likely mean you can assign only the most high-value projects to a freelance copywriter.

How can you justify the expense of a professional writer for other projects? These 10 signals can help build your case for budget approval: 

1. The project is important for generating sales, attracting publicity, educating analysts and investors, or producing other results for your company.
2. The document is targeted to prospects, customers, resellers, or another external audience.
3. You have a lot of information and aren’t sure how to organize and present it for greatest impact.
4. Reviewers are making copy edits or rewriting text instead of simply correcting facts or commenting on the document’s clarity and completeness.
5. The current draft was written by a subject-matter expert or executive who is not a strong writer.
6. The subject matter needs a copywriter with in-depth technical knowledge. 
7. You notice typos, grammar errors, and other writing problems in earlier materials produced by the company.
8. You have a tight deadline.
9. The in-house draft just isn’t “right.”
10. The project simply isn’t getting done.

Certainly not the least of your considerations is the time you spend trying to solve these issues yourself. By turning over the project to a freelance writer, you’ll gain value far beyond what appears as an expense item in your budget. 

Which factors do you use when choosing a project to assign to a professional copywriter?

Tell Your Own Stories

Does your company produce a product that it uses internally? If so, have you written your own case study?

Some of the largest technology companies are certainly users of their own products. And many have produced case studies, white papers, and other resources about the implementations, the value gained, and the lessons learned.

The idea behind this content: Sharing realistic experience and advice that can be beneficial to customers.

Here are some sites to explore if internal stories would be suitable for promoting your company's products and services:

Cisco Systems: Cisco IT at Work (Disclosure: Cisco is a client and I have written a substantial amount of content for this subsite.)

Intel: IT@Intel

Microsoft: Microsoft IT Showcase

What materials and techniques have you used to share your company's product experience with customers and prospects?  

E-books: More Than a New Marcom Fashion

Like women's fashion, some marketing documents are trendy for awhile, then considered unhip...only to emerge again a few years later in a new form.

So it is with e-books, the latest incarnation of short-book projects such as technology primers and guides that I wrote for clients in the 1990s.  

Yet an e-book isn't just a new facade that simply presents a book's worth of text in a format suitable for online reading. Nor are they, as some marcom gurus proclaim, just a white paper dropped into a landscape, slide-type layout and called a book.

Instead, e-books are truly a new document type for marketing communications, one that deserves the same careful planning, effective design, and quality copywriting as any other sales material.

E-book Advantages

An e-book can be a substantial and expensive marcom project, so it's important to understand how it compares to a closely related document type, the white paper.  

• E-books are perceived positively by prospects as easier to read, with more visuals and multimedia elements that help a reader's understanding of the content. 

• A "book" implies a longer document than a white paper, so you can include more information or go into greater depth on a technical topic.    

• E-books are mostly read online, allowing you to enhance the text with embedded video and audio clips, Flash-animated demos or diagrams, screen shots, and links to related content.

• The call to action can provide a link for immediately taking the next step. You can also embed links to forward the e-book through social bookmarking sites (e.g., Deli.cio.us) and microblogging sites (e.g., Facebook, Twitter).

• You can showcase your company's technical experts by naming them as authors of the e-book or featuring them in audio or video clips. Or, share customer stories and anecdotes in the same ways.

• E-books are appealing content for document sharing sites such as Slideshare.net. 

E-Book Drawbacks

It is also important to consider the drawbacks of an e-book compared to white papers or other sales documents. 

• The slide-like appearance, shorter text, and greater use of visuals and multimedia can make e-books seem like "fluff," especially for technical audiences.

• The writing style and format of e-books may not be adequate to convey the depth and complexity of some technical topics. Consider a long-form white paper or report instead.

• As a highly visible marketing piece, an e-book may draw more review scrutiny compared with other marcom documents, which may slow its development.

• It can be difficult to hold the reader's attention for a long document when it is read online, making it important to use a clear structure, content signposts, and navigation tools.

• An e-book isn't a "publish it once, then forget it" project. You must consider maintenance and refresh cycles, especially to verify links and the continued relevance of each content element. 

 Consider producing an e-book for a complex product or technology. With careful planning, writing, and design it is a form of collateral that, unlike some fashions, will hold its appeal for the long run.  

Learn More:

• Why Technology Marcom Needs a Technical Copywriter
• What Technical Writers Know That Copywriters Don't 

Why NOT to Publish an Audio or Video Transcript

This may be marketing heresy today, but I much prefer to read an online article or transcript than to watch a video or listen to a podcast. In part it is because as a writer, I certainly have a bias for the written word.

But the primary reason I like text: It allows me to save time by skimming the content for information of interest. Contrast this with waiting for a media file to download, the player to open, then having to view or listen to all or most of the file before I can determine if it contains anything relevant.

Although it is easy and inexpensive to create an audio transcript, that may not be your best choice for a written document to accompany the media file. Remember that a verbatim transcript will include every stumble, hesitation, and run-on by the speaker; all the informal language, jargon, and side remarks. When heard, these items are easy to ignore, but when read, they don't always reflect well on the presenter or your company.

With just a little extra effort, you can create a more effective document to offer as a companion to media files for site visitors who prefer reading. A Web article, short white paper, a blog post, or a slide deck can present the same information as the media file, often in a more succinct and polished form.

And by giving your visitors content choices, you will likely find that both text and audio/video forms are well received.

Which documents have you found effective for promoting with online videos, podcasts, Webinars, and similar multimedia files? 

Decision Makers Like Details

I recently participated in a group to evaluate the effectiveness of sales materials produced by an insurance company.

The group included people of diverse professions, ages, and life experience. Yet it was interesting to see how quickly they reached consensus on one factor: which document had the most appeal, especially for motivating a purchase decision.

The group's choice? The document with the greatest amount of product details, even though it was in a very text-heavy, table layout with a small font and footnotes.

Contrary to what some conventional marketing wisdom might indicate, the simpler piece was rated as much less effective and credible by the group because of the complexity of factors that must be considered when buying insurance.

The lesson for technology marketers from this group is that for technical products, like insurance, the "devil is truly in the details."  Especially when buyers are comparing products on their short list, the sometimes maligned "feeds and speeds" data and other specifications can be critical input for a purchase decision.   

A lot of discussion on marketing communication, lead generation, and content marketing sites is focused on the more glamorous documents such as white papers, case studies, web articles, and blog posts. 

Yet the 2009 Media Consumption Benchmark Report from the media/research firm TechTarget found that these media are ranked lower by IT buyers. Indeed, the study found that 82% of IT buyers use product literature in the consideration and decision stages of the buying process, ahead of all other print and electronic marcom.

So, as a group of ordinary consumers can tell you, don't forget the usefulness of data sheets and technical product brochures for your sales collateral set.     

Understanding the Concerns of Technology Buyers

In her blog post "Why can't selling be more like buying?" marketing consultant Ardath Albee provides a good list of the concerns that buyers have in mind when considering a purchase.

All of these concerns can be addressed through placement of appropriate information and discussion in online content as well as marketing documents such as white papers, case studies and success stories, and application guides.

To Albee's list, I would add the following buying concerns that are of specific interest to technology marketers:

• A broad view of potential solutions that includes nontechnical ways of obtaining the desired results.
• Company reputation; buyers want the assurance of a solid vendor when making a commitment to any technology.
• Support, maintenance, and upgrade factors that can influence the implementation efforts and overall cost of a technical product.
• Return on investment and other quantitative evaluation factors. (I am intrigued by a forthcoming book on this topic: The IT Value Network.)

You can find more discussion of these buying factors and others in my book Copywriting That Sells High Tech. 

Do you consider specific buying factors when developing your sales and promotional materials? 

    

Why Technology Marcom Needs a Technical Copywriter

A debate has been going around in writing circles about whether it is better for freelance copywriters to pursue a generalist path (any project, any industry) or a specialist path (selected projects and industries).

But for marcom managers, the question remains: "What kind of copywriter is right for my projects?"

For technology marketing, there's no doubt you will be best served by someone who truly qualifies as a technical copywriter, offering specific types of knowledge, skills, and experience. Among the reasons: The complexity of technical subject matter, the ever-evolving vocabulary, and the ability to avoid wasting the very expensive time of technical experts on educating generalist writers and revising their incomplete, off-base drafts.

So which factors distinguish a good technical copywriter? And what differences can they make for your sales materials?  

• Understands technical marketing. Selling a technology product or service is decidedly different than other B2B or B2C marketing. For example, a technical copywriter will know the sales process, decision factors, and concerns of the many buyers--both technical and business focused--who are involved in a technology purchase. You will notice the difference in promotional text that is more specific and authoritative, rather than simply filled the with the latest trendy buzzwords.

• Gains respect from subject-matter experts (SMEs). A technical copywriter can work effectively with engineers and other SMEs to get the right input for a document, without wasting their time on very basic explanations or inappropriate tangents.

• Knows your target audiences. By focusing on technology markets, a technical copywriter can bring insights about your prospects and competitive situation that improve the focus and impact of your white papers, case studies, product brochures, and other sales materials. 

• Identifies the best ways to present technical content. Product architectures, potential applications, return on investment (ROI) analyses, and selection guides are among the content types that are often better presented as structured text or visuals instead of in essay-style narrative. Most generalist copy writers have not been trained in the techniques of structured content, infographics, and multimedia. In contrast, a technical copywriter reflexively evaluates and chooses among these techniques to make the clearest, most engaging presentation of complex technical topics.

Looking beyond these factors, you may want to find a writer who has experience in your particular technology or knowledge of certain customer industries. With search engines and community sites such as LinkedIn, it's now easier to find freelance and employee writers who can bring this specific value immediately to your projects. There is no need anymore to settle for "I hope they'll be good enough" candidates.

Helping Your Customers Market to Their Customers

Have you considered that helping your customers market the value of your products to their customers might be way to increase your company's sales? 

This strategy goes beyond creating materials for dealers, resellers, and system integrators that may also be appropriate to your product.

Instead, the idea is to present key information and messages to consumers or business customers who are beneficiaries -- but not necessarily users -- of your technology.

As a white paper writer, I have worked with clients to produce short books about new technology trends that bring significant changes to their customer's operations. In one example, I created a clear, non-technical guide to networking technology for teachers and administrators in local schools that were being connected to district-wide networks.

Whether as a printed book or online content available for download, these materials can be particularly valuable for customers with small communications and PR staffs. Ready-to-publish information also help these customers communicate accurately about very technical products.

Customers and their audiences aren't the only ones who benefit from this form of content marketing. For the manufacturer, providing educational resources for all of the stakeholders in a customer's sphere can be a valuable asset in selling very complex and costly technical systems.

Article: Producing High-Value Customer Success Stories

Customer success stories or case studies are powerful promotional tools for a high-tech product or service. Yet, as a long-time success story writer, I know that convincing customers to participate in a case study can be a long and frustrating effort. It can be equally difficult to motivate a customer to review and approve the story once it is written.

You can reduce this effort and produce higher value success stories (and their longer cousins, case studies) by following essential strategies for recruiting candidates and handling the approval process.
 

Recruiting Good Candidates

It is always tempting to say "yes" to any success story candidate proposed by a sales rep or product manager. But your marketing and publicity efforts will be better served if you qualify the candidate before committing to writing about them.

The following questions will help you to identify the best the candidates and your case study writer to obtain a good story.

Story appeal. Does the customer have a story you actually want to tell? For example, does the story offer the potential to discuss an interesting problem, solution, or application? Is the company in a particular industry, country, or market you want to target?

Timing. Is the story ready to tell? Is the product implementation complete and does the customer have interesting results to report?

Participation agreement. Have any agreements been made with the customer for telling the story? Sometimes technology companies request that customers agree to a testimonial, success story, or case study as a condition of receiving a beta version or early shipment of a product.

Customer preparation. Has the customer been briefed about the writing and review process? A standard letter or information sheet can be emailed to the customer to simplify this task.

Contacts. Are you talking to the right person within the customer organization? You may need to talk with multiple people in order to get a full perspective and someone with the right authority to speak for the organization.

PR involvement. Do you need to involve or get approval from the customer's public relations person before starting the interviews or publishing the story? Do you need to arrange access to employees and facilities for photography or filming?

Handling Reviews and Approvals

Certainly, an accurate and well-written document is essential for gaining the customer's approval. But your follow-through during the review process will determine whether, and how quickly, the customer will approve the success story or case study.

These guidelines will help you develop a good follow-through process.

Internal reviews first. Always complete any internal reviews before sending the first draft to the customer. Customers should never be asked to go through the approval process more than once because of late comments or follow-up questions from your internal reviewers.

Fast turnaround for the draft. Deliver the first draft soon after the customer has given an interview. Delays on your side can send the message that the case study isn't urgent, which can lead the customer to give the review a low priority.

Send a complete package. Along with the draft text, send any photos, video clips, diagrams, or other illustrations that will accompany the story.

Use an approval form. The approval form should allow the customer to check the specific approved uses for their information; grant releases for all photography, video, and other multimedia elements; and specify any other conditions. Don't publish any customer information gathered in this process until you have received the signed approval form.

Follow-up for approval. If your customer contact is slow about responding with comments or approval, be polite but persistent in your follow-up messages.

Send a thank-you. Send the final text, thank-you notes, and perhaps a nominal gift such as a company T-shirt to everyone involved. Include the URL for a Web version or printed copies of the published testimonial or story.

Celebrate! Promote the project internally. Giving salespeople a useful story will encourage them to help you with future customer stories.

About the Author

Janice King is an award-winning, freelance success story writer and case study writer who helps global technology companies produce clear, compelling sales and PR materials. Learn more about Janice's technical 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.

Article: Choosing the Right Sales Materials for the Challenge

When they consider sales materials, most people think only of a brochure. In my experience as a technology writer, I have confirmed that many distinct materials can help with a variety of marketing situations. The guidelines presented here will help you choose the right materials for typical technology sales and marketing challenges.

Launching a New Product

The launch of a new product typically requires numerous types of print and online content, everything from a multi-page glossy brochure to a three-inch Web banner ad. A brochure or data sheet is almost mandatory to introduce the product. Prospective customers, sales people, and dealers all expect a document that presents the essential information about the product's features and benefits, specifications, system requirements, and potential uses.

A press release to alert journalists and analysts is another document commonly created for every new product. The release may be packaged into a print or electronic press kit that contains other relevant materials for the product launch, such as a technical backgrounder, company fact sheet, and a sheet of endorsement quotes from analysts or early customers.

Depending on the nature of the product and the launch, other materials may be useful for attracting market interest:

• A white paper to explain an underlying technology or describe the product in the context of a customer's environment.
• Application notes to describe how the product operates for various uses or purposes.
• A selection guide to give insights for choosing among product options or models based on sizes, features, or other characteristics.

Many high-tech companies create a special area of their Web sites for each new product, making it easy for visitors to quickly find all related information.

Promoting a New Version

Marketing a new version or upgrade of an existing product can involve many of the same activities and materials as the launch of an entirely new product. For example, a new version typically requires updating a brochure or data sheet, issuing a press release, creating new application notes, and revising a selection guide.

An upgrade guide may also be required; it is a unique document targeted to current users, helping them decide whether to purchase the new version.

Addressing New Markets

After experiencing success in one market, a technology company may decide to promote the product in new markets. These markets may be defined by industry, operating system, consumer versus business, or other dimension.

Addressing a new market usually means adapting current materials, tailoring them to the concerns and messages important to those new prospects. In some markets, these differences are substantial enough to require a completely new set of materials--especially brochures, white papers, and customer success stories.

Marketing materials also may be localized in multiple languages in order to reach a new geographic or cultural market. Localized materials must appropriately reflect differences in business practices, technology base, communication style, legal requirements, and product availability in each market.

Setting a Purchase Agenda

Complex technology products typically involve a lengthy sales cycle and a purchase decision made by a committee instead of an individual. In these situations, the committee may evaluate two or more products against a stated set of criteria, which may be somewhat biased toward one product vendor.

Influencing a purchaser's evaluation criteria in advance of the product comparison activity is known as "setting the agenda." Marketers use materials such as white papers, articles contributed to industry magazines or technical journals, and product comparison worksheets to help shape the purchaser's criteria and decision.

Counteracting the Competition

Publicly at least, most tech companies simply ignore competitors, instead marketing their own products as if they are the only choice a prospect would ever consider. Yet some product categories are so highly competitive that a company must directly address the promotional claims and activities of competitors.

Materials that are useful for counteracting the competition include reprints of product reviews and test results, user case studies, and comments from industry analysts that directly endorse the product's strengths and advantages.

Also useful may be charts or reports that present a feature-by-feature comparison of a product and its competitors. However, direct product comparisons must be done carefully. A comparison based on inaccurate information can backfire and perhaps create legal problems for the company.

Encouraging Customer Loyalty

Although most marketing communication efforts are directed toward attracting new customers, high-tech companies recognize that retaining current customers is vital to market success. Materials to encourage customer loyalty include regular newsletters, new product notices, and user communications. These materials can be distributed as print documents, email messages, or posts on a company blog.

The Right Material for the Challenge

The complexity of most technical products presents numerous challenges for sales and marketing. By thinking beyond the brochure, you can choose the right mix of sales materials to address any of these challenges.

About the Author

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

Set the Purchasing Agenda with White Papers

Many companies use white papers at the beginning of the sales cycle to attract prospects.

But white papers can also be useful in a later stage of a sales cycle, when an individual customer or a buying committee is identifying the final purchase criteria and narrowing the list of products and vendors that will receive further consideration.

A white paper can set the agenda for a purchase decision by convincing the reader that the areas where your product is better than its competition are the most important to consider.

For example, a statement of direction white paper communicates the importance of future product directions as a purchasing factor.

A white paper that presents a product selection guide also can set the purchasing agenda in a prospect's mind.

Decision tools such as selection trees, product-comparison checklists, and payback worksheets in the white paper can help readers identify the key factors for choosing a particular product or vendor.

When customers reach the decision point, the buyers may need a comprehensive understanding of your product's underlying technologies, distinct applications, and implementation or migration strategies -- all are ideal topics for white papers.

A white paper also can be an advocacy piece that presents your company's viewpoint on industry standards and trends as a subtle way of diminishing a competitor's offerings or messages.

When written to help customers make a valid purchase decision (even if they don't choose your product or service in the end), a white paper can build the prospect's confidence and trust in your company.

For your next white paper project, consider these questions: 

• What information and resources must the white paper present in order to advance the sales process?

• Do we need to produce multiple versions of the white paper for different buyers or purchase factors?

• Does our white paper writer have the content strategy and copywriting skills necessary to develop effective elements such as decision tools?

Add a comment to this post with your recommendations on using white papers to support the purchasing process for technology products and services. 

Note: An abbreviated version of this post originally appeared in the Writing White Papers blog.

How Marketers Can Help Salespeople Succeed with Large Companies

Many technology products are sold to large companies or organizations, yet marketers are often insulated from the day-to-day 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.

When the Draft has "Problems"

Perhaps the most exasperating feedback you can get from a subject-matter expert who reviews the draft of a technical marketing document? "It has problems, let’s talk."

Your stomach sinks as you imagine having to listen to a complete destruction of text into which you (or your technology writer) put so much time, effort, and creative thought.

But knowing several strategies for handling feedback can make this situation both positive and constructive for moving the project forward.

Strategy #1. What is the problem, really?

Go ahead and have that conversation with the subject expert to identify what is really "wrong" with the document. Perhaps it truly is a large problem -- a wrong focus, inaccurate interpretation of input, or a change of direction that requires a rewrite. Or perhaps the reviewer has just minor comments, but feels more comfortable explaining them in a conversation instead of marking the text. You won't know how big the "problem" is until you ask.

Then you can apply the next strategies.

Strategy #2. Is it a matter of taste?

As the author H.G. Wells dryly noted, "No passion in the world is equal to the passion to alter someone else's draft." Especially if the comments are vague and directed more to the text's presentation than content, ask the reviewer, "Is this actually an error or your preference?"

Strategy #3: Has something changed?

Maybe the only problem with the draft is that it just doesn't reflect the latest product information or changes in marketing strategy. In this case, it is easy to identify how the draft can be revised to reflect the new information.

Caution: Some subject-matter experts use drafts of technical white papers or press releases as the way to work through their fuzzy thinking about messages, target marketing, competitive positioning, or other factors. This behavior becomes evident when the reviewer insists on completing the revisions directly, then misses deadlines because the new draft "isn't quite ready yet." Or, the reviewer burns through the writer's time as if it was an endless resource, producing multiple new drafts that never seem to get closer to approvable text.

Actions you can take in this case:

• Put the project on hold until the reviewer can provide clear, firm input.

• Realize that the subject expert really wants to be the writer and accept whatever he or she produces, making only minor copy changes if needed.
• Appeal to a higher power: The person's manager or a company executive.

Strategy #4: Is the right writer assigned to the project?

Sometimes it's not the subject expert, it is the writer. Even when the writer is you (sorry about that) it is important to recognize that a given writer may not always be the best match for every project. Lack of technical knowledge about the subject matter, a writing style that doesn't fit the message, or just a personality mismatch between the copywriter and the subject expert may indicate it's best to assign the project to someone else.

Strategy #5: Do you need to take a stand or be a referee?

Especially when a draft goes through multiple rounds of review, with the comments getting more confusing and frustrating, it may be time to stop trying to make everyone happy. Instead, assert your expertise as the marcom specialist and make the changes that you think best for the document. Or, if multiple reviewers are providing conflicting comments, decide whose comments to accept or ask them to reach agreement and provide a single, clear set of changes.

Which strategies have you used to handle problem drafts and cranky reviewers? Share your insights by commenting on this post.  

Technical Writer or Technical Copywriter? What's the Difference?

“Technical writer" is an easy-to-remember term that many people apply to anyone who writes about technology topics.

Among writers however, "technical writer" has a specific definition, with experience and skills that typically aren't suited to sales materials, PR projects, and other marketing communications.

Instead, you may need a "technical copywriter" -- someone who blends technical knowledge and marketing savvy.

These factors will help you determine whether your projects need a true technical writer or, more likely, a technical copy writer. (Note: Technical copywriters may use different labels, such as technology writer, white paper writer, technical articles writer, case study writer, success story writer, content writer, or technical marketing writer.)

	Technical Copywriter	Technical Writer
Project Types	Brochures, Web content, press releases, white papers, customer success stories, blog posts, and other sales material	User manuals, online help files, release notes; sometimes very technical articles and white papers
Organizational Fit	Marketing, sales, or public relations groups	Documentation or product development groups
Knowledge of Technical Topics	Maintains a high-level, marketing knowledge  of technologies and products, focusing in-depth as needed	Maintains an in-depth product knowledge with a highly technical focus
Marketing Knowledge	Maintains up-to-date information about market needs, competitiveness, and marketing techniques	Marketing knowledge may be very limited because work is focused on post-sale communications
Writing Skills	Highly polished and creative skills expected for a variety of styles, audiences, and projects	Writing styles are standardized and allow little opportunity for variety or creative messaging
Communications Experience	Projects cover the spectrum of customer communication, from attracting interest to motivating a purchase to sustaining loyalty	Most projects are focused on post-sale user training and support
Education	May have a degree in advertising, marketing, public relations, or business	May have a degree in English, technical communications, or a technical subject

Your company likely uses both technical writers and technical copy writers, whether as employees, as agency writers, or as freelancers. The easy way to remember the difference: 

• If you are writing a document intended to sell a product to a customer, you need a technical copywriter.

• If you are writing a document to help a customer use your product, you need a technical writer.   

How to find the right technical writer or technical copywriter

When searching for a freelance writer on the Web, use the "technical writer" and "technical copywriter" terms as appropriate for your project. By using the factors above to review the person's project experience and skills list, you can easily verify whether that candidate is the best match to your needs.

About the Author

Janice King is an award-winning technical copywriter who helps large, global technology companies produce clear, compelling sales and PR materials. Learn more about Janice's technical copywriting services at www.writespark.com.

You'll also want to explore Janice's groundbreaking book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech.