Comments on: 7 Important Distinctions When Writing To Businesses http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/ Everything about writing and marketing white papers Wed, 08 Feb 2012 22:22:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2826 Michael Stelzner Fri, 05 Jan 2007 04:47:33 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2826 Dianna - Good point about case studies. However, this article still applies. See this article: <a target="_blank" href="http://www.whitepapersource.com/writing/targetreader.html" rel="nofollow">Ready, Aim, Write: The Value of Identifying Your Target Reader</a>. Mike Dianna - Good point about case studies. However, this article still applies. See this article: Ready, Aim, Write: The Value of Identifying Your Target Reader.
Mike

]]> By: steve http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2824 steve Fri, 05 Jan 2007 04:07:09 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2824 Excellent post Michael. Great food for thought. Excellent post Michael. Great food for thought.

]]> By: Tom Chandler http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2816 Tom Chandler Fri, 05 Jan 2007 02:02:28 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2816 Let me add the idea that biz buyers - especially in the enterprise-level software arena - are extremely risk averse. The stories of bazillion dollar software projects that never worked are legion. Most realize "managed a failed data warehouse installation" isn't exactly resume material. I've been involved in both sides of the software sales equation, and credibility is critical. Of course, that's good news for writers of white papers and customer success stories... 8-) Let me add the idea that biz buyers - especially in the enterprise-level software arena - are extremely risk averse.

The stories of bazillion dollar software projects that never worked are legion. Most realize “managed a failed data warehouse installation” isn’t exactly resume material.

I’ve been involved in both sides of the software sales equation, and credibility is critical.

Of course, that’s good news for writers of white papers and customer success stories… 8-)

]]> By: Dianna Huff http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2808 Dianna Huff Thu, 04 Jan 2007 21:50:13 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2808 Michael, As a white paper expert, you know that when writing white papers, you have to target the paper to your specific audience. Since B2B has a long buying cycle and many influencers, the white paper you write for the CEO isn't the white paper you write the for IT Manager. When writing B2B copy for generic collateral (say a case study) that gets read by many, it's important that the copy explains the product's benefits using language that everyone understands. Sometimes you really have to fight the "but our customers *are* technical" response. And, what you're writing is also dependent on where the prospect is in the sales cycle -- and what action you want them to take next. Here is an article I wrote about writing to multiple audiences when you're on a budget: http://www.dhcommunications.com/free/multiple_audiences.htm Michael,

As a white paper expert, you know that when writing white papers, you have to target the paper to your specific audience. Since B2B has a long buying cycle and many influencers, the white paper you write for the CEO isn’t the white paper you write the for IT Manager.

When writing B2B copy for generic collateral (say a case study) that gets read by many, it’s important that the copy explains the product’s benefits using language that everyone understands. Sometimes you really have to fight the “but our customers *are* technical” response.

And, what you’re writing is also dependent on where the prospect is in the sales cycle — and what action you want them to take next.

Here is an article I wrote about writing to multiple audiences when you’re on a budget: http://www.dhcommunications.com/free/multiple_audiences.htm

]]> By: Michael Stelzner http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2800 Michael Stelzner Thu, 04 Jan 2007 20:52:06 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2800 Thanks and sorry I got your name wrong Roberta. I know the feeling because it happens to me all the time. Fixed it . . . Mike Thanks and sorry I got your name wrong Roberta. I know the feeling because it happens to me all the time. Fixed it . . .

Mike

]]> By: Roberta Rosenberg http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2787 Roberta Rosenberg Thu, 04 Jan 2007 20:12:15 +0000 http://www.writingwhitepapers.com/blog/2007/01/04/7-important-distinctions-when-writing-to-businesses/#comment-2787 Terrific synopsis of the Bly/Makepeace article, Mike. I'm going to pass it along to a client. (BTW, that's RosenBERG, like the ice-berg :=) Terrific synopsis of the Bly/Makepeace article, Mike. I’m going to pass it along to a client. (BTW, that’s RosenBERG, like the ice-berg :=)

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