Subject matter experts (SMEs) have the story in their heads. White papers help make that story readable, and these questions help build the paper. Continuing from the previous post on interviews and how to write them up into a white paper, here are 4 more customer interview questions for generating the information readers want to [...]
Subject matter experts (SMEs) have the story in their heads. White papers make that story readable, and customer interview questions help build the paper. “We want you to interview our SME, then write up the result into a paper we can use in our content marketing effort,” you say to the marketing communications writer. Sounds [...]
Good marketing communications writers nudge readers toward discomfort in the first sentence. It’s too important to waste on lousy copy. If you want people to read your content, you have to first open the door and shake them out of their e-torpor. Your opening sentences need to nudge them away from their sleepy existence, toward [...]
Marketing managers don’t always have the time, writing skills or resources for great content. Don’t wait for the ideal; get something decent out there. “But I’m not much of a writer,” you moan. “How am I supposed to get a content marketing campaign going without spending a jillion dollars on great content?” That’s true. Great [...]
Give your marketing communications writers feedback they can use. The more useful your input, the shorter the turnaround. And the smoother the dance. Consider the dance of the review loop. Please. For you, the marketing manager, the review loop is usually just a speed bump on the road to getting the piece published. You build [...]
Marketing managers depend on copywriters. Writer’s block is the bane of copywriters. What if marketing managers have something to do with writer’s block? I don’t like to make a lot of writer’s block, or whatever name you want to give to hitting a productivity wall. It isn’t that I don’t believe in it. It’s more [...]
Interviewing customers for case studies and success stories is the marketing writer’s stock in trade. Some ideas on getting the most out of it. The case study or customer success story is to your Website what a recommendation is to your LinkedIn profile: an excellent addition to your trophy case. But it’s a long road [...]
Can handwriting help your content marketing? What if your marketing communications pieces started out in longhand? Do you write anything in longhand anymore? Does your marketing communications writer? Could be something to it. Freelance writer Lexi Rodrigo posted a list of her favorite copywriting tools, among which are pen and paper. She writes: When you [...]
Marketing communication writers need more than features and benefits to write effectively. Ask these three questions early and often in the writing process. It takes 21 days to form a habit. Let’s hope it doesn’t take you 21 clients to remember to ask a few important questions at the beginning of each marketing communications writing [...]
“Cleaning up” copy is harder and more nebulous than it sounds. When you want your marketing communications writer to go over existing text, keep a few lessons in mind. Jean, a marketing manager for a new client, sent me a creative brief for some Web copy. As I was finishing the copy, she sent another [...]
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