WriteSpark Tech Marcom Insights

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 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 content marketing managers who oversee the 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.

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.

You can also help SMEs by sharing the tips in this guide: The SME's Guide to Working with Writers

 

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

When the Draft has "Problems"

Perhaps the most exasperating feedback you can get from a subject 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's easy to identify how the draft can be revised to reflect the new information.

Caution: Some technical experts use drafts of 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: Ask the person's manager or a company executive to move the project back to your control.

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

Sometimes it's not the subject expert, it's 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 authority as the content marketing expert 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?

 

 

When You Can't Find a Writer Who Knows Your Technology

You've searched on LinkedIn and Google.

You've called every trade magazine reporter you've ever met to see if they accept freelance gigs.

You've asked every colleague, ad agency person, friend, relative, neighbor, and dog you know.

And still you haven't been able to find a freelance copywriter who has that magic combination of good writing skills and strong knowledge of your technology.

Yet you know that your sales materials need the polish and clarity brought by a professional writer. What can you do?

You'll likely need to consider working with a technical copywriter who has good skills and relevant experience, but who will need training in your particular subject matter.

Of course, when you search for the profile keyword "technical copywriter" on LinkedIn, the result is a long list of potential candidates. Here's how to winnow that list to the writers who may be a good match.

1. Look for the writer's experience with other clients in your industry or, if helpful, in your customers' industry. The more deep and gnarly your technology, the more you want a writer who has some idea what you're talking about.
2. Check whether the writer indicates experience in writing for technical decision makers (sometimes listed as TDMs) in business-to-business sales. These marketing environments involve the most complex and difficult content, so this is a writer who likely won't be overwhelmed by taking on a big, new writing challenge.
3. Does the writer list his or her areas of technical knowledge or hold any certifications? Do those subjects have a level of difficulty comparable to that of yours?

When you have found a promising freelancer, start with an easy project that will help both of you determine whether the match is truly right. Editing and polishing a draft written by one of your technical experts is a good start, because the writer can learn while working.

But also be ready to pay for some amount of the writer's time for guided learning about your technology. Sending links to relevant websites, providing your own published materials, and holding training calls where the writer can hear explanations and ask questions about key concepts are all helpful activities.

Very soon, you'll see this investment pay off in a writer who develops better drafts and needs less time for basic information on interview calls. And when you have reached that point, plan on assigning new projects regularly so the writer's knowledge stays fresh and you benefit from quality, targeted, insightful marketing content.

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

Four Tips to Guarantee Freelancer Websites Deliver Great Results (Guest Post)

A note from Janice:

I know that not every technology company has the budget to hire a freelance technical copywriter with my depth of subject knowledge, writing skill, and marketing savvy. For these companies, the freelance marketplace sites can be a good way to find writers for less-demanding content projects. But using these sites can be overwhelming and nonproductive if not approached carefully.

In this helpful guest post, marcom manager Christine Farrier offers practical advice on finding the right freelance writer on the marketplace sites. Her tips also apply to finding writers through a LinkedIn or Google search. 

Four Tips to Guarantee Freelancer Websites Deliver Great Results
By Christine Farrier 

The current stable of freelancing and crowdsourcing sites offer a compelling solution for the staff-poor and most likely budget-poor marketing leaders who are increasingly called on to do more with less, while still attempting to uphold their personal and corporate standards of professionalism and effectiveness. The challenge is to make certain that the job or projects you identify as suitable for virtual outsourcing won’t bounce back to your mile-long checklist as an item you end up doing yourself. That would sort of defeat the point.

In the beginning, there was the creative brief . . .

Just as in the offline world, preparation is key. Taking the necessary time to organize your thoughts and to clearly identify the outcome that you want to achieve will save you hours of frustration—hours that could be better spent on those tasks that truly make the best use of your time and talents. One of my first posts on a freelancing site yielded so many proposals that I yanked the listing in a panic, realizing that I would never be able to weed through the hundreds of vendor responses in the one hour that I had optimistically allotted to the task.

A few posts later, both the websites and I had become a lot smarter. All the established sites (e.g., Elance) now require much more complete project descriptions to make the selection process more efficient for everyone involved. [Editor's note: an experienced, independent freelancer will also ask for complete project information before giving you a cost estimate for accepting the project.] And while the design marketplace 99designs is the only site that actually calls their task description a creative brief, in preparing your project requirements, this is the perfect approach to take. Be ultraclear. Be superspecific. Be ridiculously concise. Pretend you are talking to your 17-year-old nephew, because for coding or SEO jobs, you very well might be.

Key Elements

1. Who are you? This is not the time to cut and paste your three-page mission statement, value proposition, brand DNA, or Big Hairy Audacious Goals. Think more along the lines of your firm’s elevator pitch or press release boilerplate. If you are masking your company’s identity (no sense in alerting the competition that you lack in-house AdWords expertise), you might mention that you are a company “similar to” the biggest player in your space. The 600-pound gorillas are likely to be more easily recognized to a wider audience of freelancers and provide the appropriate context, tone, and connotation for your project.

2. Who are you looking for? Aim high—it can’t hurt, and it will certainly help. If your ideal provider is a Hedge Fund SME (subject matter expert) and Chicago Manual of Style-freak who dabbles in social media, works in your time zone, and can turn around edits within two hours of receiving your draft comments, say so. Someone (or a team) in Istanbul, Rio de Janiero, or Brooklyn has the skills that you require at the ready.

3. What EXACTLY do you need done? If you don’t know the answer to this question, you aren’t ready to outsource, and you especially aren’t ready to crowdsource. Work through breakfast, lunch, and dinner (again), and do it yourself. You might get a headache, but you will save yourself a migraine. Imagine every question that a clamoring throng of freelancers might ask and answer it in advance.

For example, do you need a thought leadership piece, a case study, or an advertorial? How many words does it need to be? Is it a part of a larger campaign? What goals do you hope the piece will achieve? Where will the document be published? Your website, a trade pub? Who is the target audience? Are complementary components required like a client email announcing the availability of the material or a concurrent social media push? Do you have a sample of something similar that you love? Something you hate? How long will you use it for? How long have projects like this taken in the past? What’s the normal review process? You get the idea. I have found that the clearer your job description, the higher the quality of the response you will receive and typically an end product that is achieved faster and closer (or even better) to what you originally had in mind.

4. Use a trap door to help with vetting. The best freelancers are conscientious and pay attention to the details. It is what truly separates them from the crowd. Plant a booby trap in your task description that will help you quickly identify providers who have actually read the brief that you have put valuable time and effort into versus the trigger fingers who apply for every job that appears in their highlighted category. Mention that you can only consider freelancers who provide a link to their latest project or send you a private message with a knock-knock joke. Not only will this help you select resources that are going to give you exactly what you need, but you also might actually smile during the process.

About the Author: Christine Farrier is a Marketing Communications Manager at a financial services firm that specializes in cloud-based risk and portfolio management solutions for the alternative investment industry. She can be reached though her LinkedIn profile.

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.

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.

 

White Papers: Does Your Writer Have an Eye for Detail?

An obvious typo. A usage that shows a clear misunderstanding of the word's meaning or proper use. A statement of quantitative results where the math doesn't add up. A missing or incorrect source citation.

These errors seem small on their own, but when they appear multiple times within your materials, they diminish your credibility in a reader's mind. Worse yet, even a simple spelling error can result in a large loss of online sales.

Given that a white paper is usually a showcase marketing piece for your product and company, you have every right to expect that the writer has done the detail work to create a quality draft. But what are the details the writer (and you, when reviewing) should be looking for? Adapt the following list for your projects:

• All words are spelled and punctuated correctly and are used in a form that is correct for the context. Look out especially for homonyms that have different meanings (e.g., their, there, they're). Common words also may have specific meanings when used in technology marketing (see one frequent mistake in this post about the word premises).

• Source citations are complete and appropriate and all Web links lead to the correct page.

• Statistics and other quantitative information are presented correctly and in a way that fairly represents the meaning conveyed in the source. Relationships and dependencies in the data are presented clearly and in a way that allows the reader to verify calculations if appropriate.

• Product names are stated correctly, especially if a particular form is needed for trademark protection. The relevant trademark symbols are noted with the first appearance of a trademarked name or phrase in the document.

• The text complies with all other standards specified in your corporate style guide or writing guidelines. (A good resource for creating these guidelines is the Yahoo Style Guide.)

• Diagrams and infographics contain the correct text labels and captions.

• Product specifications have been checked against a datasheet or other authoritative document.

Whew! This list can seem like a lot of nit-picky busywork, but it's not. A professional writer will understand that checking for these details can avoid the negative impression left by a sloppy white paper-- and perhaps the bigger problem of a legal issue or lost sale.

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?

Get More Value from Your Content

"Whew, I'm glad that content project is finally done!"

Now, how do you get the most value from all the time, money, and effort you've invested in it?

Check the good ideas for promoting content on pages 40 & 41 in "The B2B Content Marketing Workbook" from Velocity Partners, a UK marketing agency. You'll need to register to download this PDF, but the information is worth it.

Then, how do you keep all of these content promotion ideas from becoming another burden on your to-do list? By planning for them as you begin the project, and including the repurposing tasks in the writer's assignment.

When you want to create, say, a series of blog posts from a white paper, a writer can watch for suitable information during the interviewing and writing stages. Writing the posts then becomes a relatively small amount of work, because the writer has gathered the input and knows which text in the white paper to adapt.

Compare this ease and speed to what you would need to do if you simply started with the white paper text and tried to write the posts yourself.

For your next content project, consider how you can expand a freelance writer's assignment a little -- and get a lot more value in return.

 

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?

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. 

The Value of LTRs with Freelance Copywriters

One thing that makes me the most proud about my business as a freelance technology writer is the long-term relationships or LTRs I have developed with many clients.

Month after month, year after year, they come back to me with new assignments. And over time, they have come to trust me with the most highly visible and sensitive marketing communications.

I’m certainly grateful for this trust and these long-time client connections. And I believe that similar LTRs with freelance writers can bring many benefits to you:

• Knowledge of your corporate vocabulary and writing style means no dissonance among your marketing materials.
• Insights into your company’s culture helps the writer work appropriately and effectively with your subject experts and customers.
• Ideas from the writer’s broad experience can improve your sales materials and marketing messages.
• An understanding of your preferences simplifies work tools and processes, frequency of contact, how to handle issues that come up in the project, etc.

Once you have found the right freelance writer, here are some of the ways you can cultivate a sustained relationship.

• Consider your favorite writer not only for new projects, but also recurring projects such as case studies, blog posts, and email newsletters that always seem to be “lost in the shuffle” of more immediate tasks and deadlines.
• Develop the writer’s subject focus—such as technologies, issues, audiences—and leverage that focus over multiple projects.
• Give the writer new types of projects as a way to maximize your investment. For example, a technical copywriter who has not previously written a video script, but who knows your products and company, may be a better choice than an experienced but generalist scriptwriter who lacks the technology knowledge.

And perhaps the greatest benefits of a LTR: Cost-effective projects, faster schedules, and easier reviews as the writer needs to spend less time in developing your content and can apply knowledge across multiple documents and media.

Like any relationship, working with a freelance copywriter takes time, open communication, and a receptiveness to new ideas. But the reward of this effort will be great marcom and PR materials and a productive, reliable copywriter you can work with on many projects, for many years to come.

What do you think makes for a successful long-term relationship between a freelance writer and a client?

How a Freelance Copywriter Can Help You Manage Marketing Projects

“When is the submission deadline for that new web content?”

“Did the team leader send back comments on the new draft?”

“Did I remember to send the final text to the designer for layout?”

As a marketing communications manager, you know that sales collateral projects involve dozens of details, multiple players, and often rapidly changing information and deadlines.

It’s part of your job to keep on top of everything, but have you ever called in reinforcements? Probably not.

After all, won’t tasks be forgotten, wires crossed, deadlines slip if you’re not managing every project detail? Maybe not.

An experienced freelance writer can likely help you with certain project management tasks, making the work simpler for you and others involved in the project.

Consider how you can use your writers to lighten more of your load:

• Following up with reviewers who haven’t yet provided comments on drafts
• Coordinating with graphic designers on document layouts and changes
• Publishing project schedules and updating project tracking systems

How else have you used writers and other freelancers to help with managing your marketing and PR projects?

Insist on the Right Copywriter

If your primary source of outside help for marketing communications and public relations projects is a marketing or advertising agency, you have probably worked with whichever copywriter the agency assigns to your account.

But is that writer really the best choice for your projects?

You may be better served by bringing in your own freelance writer to work with the agency, especially for certain situations and projects.

The project needs a writer with specialized subject knowledge or writing skills. Don't automatically accept the agency's assurances of "Oh, we can handle that." Ask for samples and interview the staff writer the agency wants to assign to the project.

You prefer to work with a writer who has more experience and business savvy than the junior-level staffers that often receive all writing assignments at some agencies.

The agency's writer and account manager is one and the same. This combination may work if it is a small agency and you are assigning only a few, small, easily managed projects. But in a large agency that is handling many complex projects for your company, combining these roles simply will not produce the best work.

Enabling a Constructive Relationship Between Freelance Writers and Agencies

Because I am a freelance copywriter, it may seem that I don't like agencies and am trying to elbow them out of the way. Not at all.

I have worked happily in a cooperative relationship with agencies because we kept our joint focus on meeting the client's needs.

But some agencies may be reluctant to work with your preferred freelancer, so set the groundwork that will make everyone's working relationships easier. Then respect the boundaries of the relationship and the agency's authority in working with the writer, especially if the agency is managing the writer's contract.

It is your prerogative as the client to insist that the agency work with the best writer for your project, whether that writer is already on the agency's staff or freelancers list, or an independent freelance writer of your own choosing. And by encouraging positive communications and collaboration, you can help this relationship be successful for everyone. 

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

Why the Best Writer is a Busy Writer

You have a project that is due next week and you need a writer who can start work on it immediately.

You search for a freelance writer, but so many are busy.

You finally assign the project to the first writer who says “yes” to the schedule, cross your fingers and hope that person will produce acceptable work.

In the meantime, you forget about those other writers who declined the project because they’re too busy.

Perhaps you get lucky and find a good writer to add to your freelancer list. But don’t miss the chance to add the busy writers to your list as well. It’s easy to recognize that a busy writer is likely a good writer, one you’ll want to contact for future projects.

This is particularly true when you need a writer who has specialized knowledge or skills. For example, many freelancers promote themselves as technical copywriters, but not all of them will have knowledge of your specific technology. And a writer who can produce a strong technical white paper may not have the creative flair to craft edgy advertising copy.

Keeping a contact list of different freelance writers for different project types is a success secret for any marketing communications or PR manager.   

PS: Don’t hesitate to contact any freelance copywriter about a short-deadline project. Even the writers who always seem to be fully booked sometimes have sudden openings in their schedule and may be able to accept your project without the usual lead time.

Top 10 Ways To Be a Good SME

As a technical copywriter, I greatly enjoy working with engineers and other subject-matter experts (SMEs). 

But as an SME, there are several things you can do to make everyone's job easier and create a more collaborative and productive relationship with a writer.

Here are my top ten ways to be a good SME: 

1. Respect the fact that you know the product, the writer knows good writing.
2. Don't use the writing process as a political tactic or as a substitute for the thinking and discussion that needs to happen offline for the document's topic, or worse, the product itself.
3. Resolve your own disagreements about comments made by others; don't make the writer be the referee.
4. Remember, if a product feature is in writing, you have to deliver it. Don't let a brochure or data sheet become a statement about anything other than what a customer can buy today. 
5. Understand the type and scope of the document project; watch for the temptation to create a "kitchen sink" document that presents everything you know about the topic.
6. Learn the differences between features and benefits.* A feature's mere presence in the product does not make it a benefit.
7. Be specific in your comments. If the text isn't clear, indicate what is confusing about it or what it should present.
8. Understand that marketing isn't really "fluff;" copywriters are indeed trying to give customers clear and useful information. 
9. If you are providing a first draft, don't struggle with it. It's more useful for the writer to get complete and accurate input, then rewrite it into a polished document. 
10. The writer has to comply with corporate publication rules and style.  You may not like those rules, but your material probably isn't "special" enough to go against them.

What qualities, skills, actions, etc. do you find helpful for the working relationship between SMEs and writers?

*Not sure about the difference? Check my book, Copywriting That Sells High Tech, which also presents a wealth of useful techniques, tips, and ideas to help with writing your own materials.   

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.

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?

Do You Need a Freelancer or an Agency?

Technology companies typically maintain relationships with one or more advertising, marketing, and public relations agencies for services related to sales promotion, including copywriting.

But some marcom projects don’t need the full agency treatment, with the associated higher costs, longer development and review times, and involvement of extra people.

Instead, these sales collateral and other marketing materials can be developed faster, and with less effort and cost on your part, by using freelance writers and designers.

How can you determine whether a project needs an agency or a freelancer? The questions below can help your decision-making.

Does the project involved a single document, a set of sales materials, or a full-blown marketing campaign? A freelance technical copywriter can easily handle a single document or a set of related materials, working with your company’s templates and style standards.

However, a marketing campaign is best handled by an agency that can bring together all of the right resources for the many and complex projects involved.

Even in this case, you may also choose to use a freelance copy writer to handle certain projects within the campaign, such as a technical white paper.

Does the project involve highly technical subject matter? Even high-tech agencies may not have the specific technology knowledge that is required for a writer to fully understand and communicate your product messages.

A technical copywriter offers the technology experience and insight that make it easier to get relevant input from your subject experts, then convey that information effectively and appropriately to your customers.

Are your agency and internal staff simply overloaded? Bringing in a freelance technical writer, even for short periods of time, is an easy and economical way to handle marketing and PR projects that would otherwise languish.

Also look at ongoing projects such as blog posts, customer ezines, case study programs, and sales material updates. Many of these routine projects could be outsourced to a freelancer for both writing and project management services, allowing you to work on more strategic marketing projects.

Are you dissatisfied with the work quality of your agency’s writers? Writing tasks may be assigned to junior agency staffers who may not have a high level of experience and writing skills that will make a brochure, white paper, or article an engaging and high-impact read.

Many freelance writers offer the advantages of long experience in a variety of marketing projects and challenges, as well as the diverse styles that meet the needs of each target audience and message.

Lower costs. Time savings. On-target, high-impact materials. These are just some of the advantages of considering a freelance technical copywriter for your marketing communications and public relations projects.

How do you choose which projects go to an agency or to freelancers?

New Year, New Projects, New Writer?

You may be coming back to work after the holiday break with new funds in your budget and a long list of new marcom projects to complete.

Is it time to expand your list of project resources with new freelance writers?

You may already have a good working relationship with one or more freelancers...great!  But as the pace of marketing activity picks up throughout 2010, you may need additional freelance copywriters for when:

• Your current writers are too busy
• A new product launch means you need several writers working in parallel
• A project needs a copywriter with highly technical knowledge
  
• You want fresh ideas or a new approach for your materials
  

How do you find the best freelance copywriter for your projects? Read the helpful advice in these articles: 

• Finding, choosing, and working with a technical copywriter
• How to find a good freelance writer on LinkedIn

     

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.

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.

Welcome!

Welcome to the WriteSpark blog ... a focused source of ideas and insights for marketing communications managers, PR specialists, and other professionals who face the complex and daily challenges of promoting and selling technology products and services.

Be sure to add this blog to your RSS reader or subscribe to the blog feed using the tools on the right. You’ll receive relevant, no-hype, useful information to help with your work and to share with your colleagues.

Best wishes for your success,

Janice King
Technical Copywriter and Author
Copywriting That Sells High Tech

Welcome to the WriteSpark blog ... a focused source of ideas and insights for marketing communications managers, PR specialists, and other professionals who face the complex and daily challenges of promoting and selling technology products and services.

Be sure to add this blog to your RSS reader or subscribe to the blog feed using the tools on the right. You’ll receive relevant, no-hype, useful information to help with your work and to share with your colleagues.

Best wishes for your success,

Janice King
Technical Copywriter and Author
Copywriting That Sells High Tech