Having worked as a technical writer in a corporate environment, I was often surprised how often good technical writing is dismissed as an extra. Even more, corporations almost invariably overlook the contribution a technical writer can make even from the earliest stages of product development.
It didnt used to be an issue. In the days when […]
Written on November 28th, 2007
Read more articles on Become a writer.
Having worked as a technical writer in a corporate environment, I was often surprised how often good technical writing is dismissed as an extra. Even more, corporations almost invariably overlook the contribution a technical writer can make even from the earliest stages of product development.
It didnt used to be an issue. In the days when all user guides and help guides were print editions, a technical writer could wait patiently until a concept was firmly developed and then begin the writing process once alpha phase testing began. Now, help systems are often integrated into product software, with the end result that often programmers design software and then a technical writer tries to work in a help system around whats been done. Or worse, the programmer ends up writing the help files.
In either case, the help system is usually reactive and not very well integrated. By letting the technical writer become part of the design team, a more streamlined help system can be developed. The technical writer can provide insight into when a help system should offer advice and when it should remain quietly in the background. Ideally, with a technical writer working on the development team, the entire product design becomes more user-friendly. This is especially true of software programs. What would once be buried in the help index becomes fully integrated into the software presentation (with the option for advanced users to turn off any extra information they might not need), making the product much easier to use.
To help a technical writer bring further value to the company, it is also useful to provide her with periodic customer service and customer support reports. By helping the technical writer to see what problems reoccur among customers, both the user documentation and the product design can be refined.
Making good use of a technical writer is an intelligent thing for businesses to do. Once a product is purchased, the technical writer becomes the company spokesman. To the customer, the quality of the user guide speaks to how much the company values his patronagehow much investment were they willing to put in to make his new product easy to use, saving him time and frustration. Good user documentation can turn a one-time buyer into a repeat customer.
Because of this, companies should consider what they can do to make their user documentation as good as they can get it. Instead of viewing technical writing as a single step along the production line, companies could profit from viewing the technical writer as an invaluable player from a products inception to its release.
USING AND WRITING PRESS RELEASES IN YOUR INTERNET MARKETING STRATEGYCraig Lock
We hope that the following article may be informative and helpful to your e-zine readers, or on your web site. You have permission to publish this article (formatted to 60 characters, approx) electronically or in print. If my article helps others “out there” in any way, then I’m happy.
“We share what we know, so that others may grow”.
USING AND WRITING PRESS RELEASES IN YOUR INTERNET MARKETING STRATEGY
by Craig Lock
“We share what we know, so that others may grow.”
Thought I’d share a bit about using press releases as an internet marketing tool, based on our recent experiences.
We at Eagle Productions (NZ) have done quite a bit of research on press release services recently and we use them here frequently to “spread the word” about our various sites and activities from here in far-off New Zealand to our biggest market (by far), Americans. From this we find doing press releases to be quite effective.
While it’s hard to quantify the precise results of press releases, one thing just seems to lead to another (and usually leads to valuable “contacts and exposure” - “exciting, naughty and nice!”)…and I do find submitting them to be a most effective form of advertising in the “on and off-line world”. Together with submitting my articles to announcement lists, like Article Announce, Free Content, Article Publish and “wild” Bill Montgomery’s MakingProfit.com, of course!
That is our MAIN internet marketing strategy.
A quick word of advice in writing press releases… It is vital that the press release about your business is newsworthy and try to capture attention with a good “catchy” headline. Make it “spicy and add ‘zing’ (like KFC - free advertising) to make it sizzle!”
Also you can send your news release by “snail mail”, or by e-mail. I do all my submissions to these services via e-mail.
Recently we’ve had a number of releases about our activities here on the other side of the world published by PR Web, which is a free service (”cheapskate” - not them… but me!)…and traffic to our sites mentioned has increased substantially already. Their web address is: http://www.prweb.com.
PR Web recommend adding a link back to them to add credibility to your web site - good idea, I think!
Incidentally, we have a press releases up there at: http://www.prweb.com/releases/?0000028831 in case you want to have a look at the format)
The Comitatus Group also offer a FREE press release service. Their web address is:
http://www.comitatusgroup.com/pr/pr_save.asp
Solonews is alse free: http://www.solonews.com/index.shtml
Other Press Release services we’ve used are: Emailwire.com: http://www.emailwire.com/. They are mainlyfor corporate businesses, but check them out. Also Xpress, who distribute news releases by e-mail. (Their address is news@xpresspress.com). We have a press releases up there at: http://www.emailwire.com/cgi-bin/news/db.cgi?db=ads&uid=default&ID=1956&view_records=1
in case you want to have a look)) You can also use eNewsRelease.com and
http://www.globalprmedia.com
We have no connection with these news distribution services, but have found them all to be effective in increasing “hits” after a news release.
Use press releases to get the word out about your web site, product or service. They DO WORK in bringing traffic, the first step to ONLINE SALES.
Lastly, I don’t think you need to be a writer to write good press releases. (In fact, it may work against us, as we do tend to “waffle on” a bit and sometimes I don’t write in sufficient “business-speak”.) My advice is just write in your own “natural” style - the one in which you feel MOST COMFORTABLE… as I’ve tried to do in this article. Keep your press release short - simple! Make sure your format is OK, so that your press release looks good. (Layout is not one of my strong points, so more care required there, please, Craig!)
Finally, don’t take life too seriously and have FUN writing your press releases.
Hope this may help you readers “out there” in cyberspace, as we at Eagle Productions and our associates learn something new about on-line and off-line promotion each day.
“Success is a PROCESS of sharing (knowledge, insights, wisdom and experiences) with others and not simply a matter of arriving at a destination.”
Take pleasure in the journey.
Craig Lock
Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
About the author:
Craig Lock has been successfully marketing products online for the past five years. Craig is a writer, who believes in sharing information, as well as encouraging and helping others to find their talents and gifts, to strive for and accomplish their dreams in life - whatever they may be.
Creative Writing Course http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/creative.html
Craig’s various books are available at: http://www.nzenterprise.com/writer/books.html and http://www.novelty-gift.com/ebooks.html
* Hard copies, CD’s and e-books: Fiction and non-fiction, novels travel, humour, inspiration, self help and money books
All proceeds go to needy and underprivileged children - MINE!
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“If you have knowledge, let others light their candle at it” - Margaret Fuller
Written on November 28th, 2007
Read more articles on Become a writer.