One of our local employers was on the front page of the Monadnock Ledger last week regarding a $400,000 settlement with OSHA for worker safety violations. Ouch! They not only have to pay the fines, but they also must take corrective actions & improve the safety of their workplaces for all of their employees. They have agreed to get a full time safety &...
Technical Products/Services: Writing Technical Marketing Copy
Submitted by TWP on Sun 12/25/11 2:14 pm
When it's time to market your technical products and services, you need to find a writer who is equally at home with technical information and marketing collatoral. That isn't an easy combination. Many marketing writers fail to understand technical products; many technical writers balk at creating sales pitches.
Over the years I've helped many companies over the pitfalls of writing marketing copy about their technical products and services, including:
- Failure to recognize that the customer's view of the product is different from the developer's. What may excite the developer may baffle the customer; what excites the customer may make the developer sigh in frustration. But it's the customer you have to appeal to.
- Trying too hard to appear perfect. As a result, first-time customers are never forwarned about possible problems they may encounter; if you abandon your first-time customers so you look good, they'll never become second-time customers.
- Relying on the current jargon to sell your product or service. Phrases like "state of the art," "proactive" and "best in class" are meaningless in themselves and no one searches the internet for a "proactive solution." If you have to use jargon, define it: what makes you best in class?
- Overlooking the selling power of detail. You make precision instruments: how precise are they? You furnish companies "worldwide": which companies, where in the world and what did they say about you? The more details you give, the better customers understand your value--and remember you.
With more than 25 years of experience, I've written technical marketing copy for Fortune 500 technical companies as well as sole-proprietorships in the software development, manufacturing, medical device and similar industries. I have a fast learning curve for new technologies, and I've kept the ability to empathize with customers. That means my marketing copy is not only accurate, it is also focused on the issues that grab and keep your customer's attention. To see some examples, please visit my website. And contact me today to get started on your technical marketing copy.