Technical Marketing Communication

Emil B. Towner, Heidi L. Everett

• Publisher: Business Expert Press
• Year: 2016
• ISBN:
  9781631572678
• Topic: Negocios y empresa
• Subtopic: Comunicación empresarial

Toothpaste... disposable razors... security systems... farm equipment. Those products have one thing in comÂmon. Their marketing messages emphasize technical features to drive sales. This book not only explains how technical product marketing is unique, but also how to write and design promotional materials using: The Òbenefit of the benefitÓ to tell a marketing story; 3 ÒAsÓ every headline must achieve; 5 call-to-action options; Focal and emotional integration; Grids to design effective layouts; Icons, indexes, and symbols for images; And much more! After reading this book, you'll be prepared for every asÂpect of technical marketing-whether you want to oversee marketing creatives or earn extra money as a freelancer.

PART I

Merging Technology and Marketing

CHAPTER 1

Technology and Communication

Before discussing the best practices of writing, designing, and delivering technical marketing, it is important to understand the:

• Role of technology in society

• Difference between technical communication and business or professional communication

• Overlap between technical communication and marketing

• Ethical perspectives relevant to technical marketing

Technology’s Role in Society

Technology is all around us. But what does it really have to do with society? What role does it play? Although many people do not explore this question, they have strong opinions about it somewhere in their subconscious. Typically, those opinions can be summed up in two opposing perspectives: one that argues technology shapes society and the other that believes society shapes technology. Those perspectives are important because they influence how individuals feel about technology, even before they hear about a new technical product or service.

The idea that society shapes technology is known as the social construction theory of technology. Essentially, this theory argues that technology does not determine how humans act, but instead humans determine how technology is developed and used in different societies. An important aspect of this theory is how different social groups use the same technology for different purposes. For example, the open-source blog site WordPress was initially launched as a blogging platform; however, users discovered over time that it had broader application and benefit as a platform for website and e-magazine development. Cell phones have also undergone similar transformation and now serve as much more than a device on which to make phone calls. Cell phones now function as cameras, Global Positioning System (GPS) guides, hand-held gaming systems, libraries, flashlights, and more—depending on the social group and purpose.

The opposing perspective—known as technological determinism—argues that technology is not controlled by humans. Instead, this theory views technology as a force that changes the way people think and interact with each other. In other words, technology permeates society and dictates human behavior. Any change in technology is viewed as a predetermined logical advancement, rather than a change in how humans view and use technology. Although technological determinism has been discounted by some, the idea that technology controls human actions is argued or implied in many articles, news stories, and social media posts about technology.

The bottom line is that some people view technology as positive and freeing, while others view it as negative and controlling. As philosopher Emmanuel Mesthene argued, “Technology has two faces: one that is full of promise, and one that can discourage and defeat us.”¹ These two faces lurk beneath the surface of any discussions of technology; they influence how people think about the technology around them, frame technological changes, and read and respond to technical communication about the products and services marketed to them.

Key Concepts

Social construction: Humans shape technology and its uses.

Technological determinism: Technology dictates human behavior and interaction.

Defining Technical Communication

The term technical communication is not uncommon, but it is unclear. Some people simply equate the term with technical writing or product instructions, while other people are hard pressed to provide any definition of the term. So before exploring the role of technical marketing, it is important to understand the broader topic of technical communication.

Most definitions of technical communication come down to two aspects: writing that communicates work or is associated with the workplace and writing that focuses on technology or a technical subject matter. In terms of the first aspect—writing for or in the workplace—the term workplace is often narrowly defined to emphasize organizational communication. A number of technical communication scholars, however, have argued for a broader view of the workplace. Miami University professor Katherine Durack stated that technical communication extends beyond the confines of government and corporate workplaces. In so doing, she argued that the concept of workplaces should include private settings such as household kitchens, where technical information about food preparation is utilized daily, even though the work is performed without compensation.² In other words, work does not just mean work performed for pay or work performed for industry.

The second aspect of technical communication is described as writing that relates to technology or a technical subject matter. Like the first aspect, this second part of the definition is often overly narrowed. For example, Durack explained how scholars and practitioners of technical communication often “conflate the term [technology] with computer technology.” Instead, Durack argued, the term technology should include knowledge, actions, and tools—such as “the knowledge of when and how to irrigate fields, and the entire set of human actions that comprise this method of farming.” That argument is similar to technical communication consultant and professor David Dobrin’s discussion of the term technology:

“Technology” is more than an array of tools and procedures. It extends to the way human beings deploy themselves in the use and production of material goods and services. One may speak profitably of an economic strategy or an administrative formation as technology. The idea that by technology we mean a way that people, machines, concepts, and relationships are organized is crucial to the definition.³

Based on such definitions, this book claims that technical communication can be defined broadly as the communication of knowledge or actions related to tools, systems, and procedures. This definition can function like a checklist. When you come across a piece of communication, ask:

• Does it communicate knowledge or actions?

• Does it relate to tools, systems, or procedures?

These questions help us not only identify technical communication but also differentiate it from business or professional communication. For example, a letter of resignation would be considered a form of business or professional communication because it relates to the workplace; however, it would not be considered technical communication because it does not communicate knowledge or actions related to tools, systems, or procedures.

Differentiating Technical Marketing Communication

Now that technical communication has been distinguished from business or professional communication, two inevitable questions remain: Should marketing really be thought of as technical communication? Or is marketing just a form of business or professional communication?

Many technical communicators draw a distinction between marketing and technical communication. For example, Thea Teich, former president of Society for Technical Communication, distinguishes between the two by stating that the goal of marketing is to “sell something,” while the goal of technical communications is to inform or “help customers use what they’ve already bought.”⁴

In some cases, however, marketing materials attempt to move technology to potential users (or consumers) by informing them of new technological tools, attributes, and processes. Those situations should not be defined by the intent of the communication (such as, sell vs. inform), but instead should be considered both marketing and technical communication—also known as technical marketing communication. Technical communication professor Sandra Harner and marketing director Tom Zimmerman define this hybrid form of communication as “[t]echnology-oriented communication created and coordinated in a strategic fashion to accomplish an overall marketing goal.”⁵ This definition echoes technical communication scholar Carl Rohne’s statement that “technical marketing communicators should be writers who are sensitive to the nuances of language…and who can sort a complex technical idea into marketable segments.”⁶ Taking the definition a step further, Harner and Zimmerman argue that one of the major roles of technical marketing communicators is to “create demand” for technology products and services by promoting features and benefits, price and value, and availability.

Key Concepts

Technical communication: Communicating knowledge or actions related to tools, systems, and procedures.

Technical marketing communication: Creating demand for technology products and services by promoting features and benefits that require the communication of knowledge or actions.

The definition of technical communication provided above can also help identify marketing material that should be classified as technical marketing communication. For example, when reflecting on a marketing campaign or promotion, ask the following questions:

• Does it communicate knowledge or actions?

• Does it relate to tools, systems, or procedures?

If the answer to both of those questions is yes, the promotional material would be considered technical marketing communication and, therefore, would require a combination of marketing and technical communication best practices.

Ethical Communication

Best practices related to marketing and technical communication are covered in detail throughout this book. One aspect that deserves mentioning upfront, however, is the concept of ethical communication in technical marketing. Technical marketing communicators can apply many of the same ethical principles that guide other professions. Those principles include:

• Rights—Concern for basic rights and welfare of others is at the forefront of ethical decisions.

• Justice—The costs and benefits of an action or policy are distributed among a group.

• Utilitarianism—The positive and negative impacts are considered to determine if the benefits outweigh the detriments. The ideal ethical action would provide the biggest benefit for the most people.

• Care—Caring for others is a prominent aspect of an ethical decision. This aspect considers the degrees of dependence and interdependence in relationships, the vulnerability of individuals and groups in relationship to another’s choices, and the contextual details of situations in order to safeguard and promote the interests of all involved.

• Universalization—At the heart of this perspective is the belief that acts are universally right or wrong. To determine the ethics of an action, ask what would happen if it were repeated universally. If a detriment applies in all situations, the act would not be ethical in any situation.

• Common practice—This principle considers behavior to be ethical if it is commonly used in similar situations. Essentially, this principle assumes that common actions are expected by all parties and, therefore, would be appropriate. One word of caution here, though; this principle does not apply in all situations. As University of Minnesota communication professor Arthur Walzer states, taking existing practice as a standard risks leaving the impression that whatever is done and generally accepted is rhetorically effective and right.⁷

Notable Quote

“Real ethical dilemmas are complex and usually quite difficult to judge. Do not expect easy answers; in fact, be wary of them.”⁸

—Paul Dombrowski,
Technical Communication Scholar

Although these principles are...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle Page
• Title Page
• Copyright
• Abstract
• Contents
• Preface
• Part I: Merging Technology and Marketing
• Part II: Writing and Designing Technical Marketing Communication
• Part III: Delivering Technical Marketing Communication
• Bibliography
• Index