If you use the Web to market yourself, you probably think in terms of marketing writing. But there are ways in which technical writing has its place within your Web presence.

Today, let’s consider the definitions of,  and differences between, marketing writing and technical writing.

Pre-Sale and Post Sale

Marketing writing helps you communicate pre-sale to potential customers, to get their business.

Technical writing helps you communicate post-sale to existing customers, to reduce training time, customer support time (and avoid lawsuits).

Of course, an existing customer—let’s say she hired you to renovate her kitchen– is also a potential customer. You’d like her to hire you to renovate her bathrooms. You can offer technical writing (how to care for those granite countertops) while also offering marketing writing (all about whirlpool tubs).

Marketing Writing Informs and Persuades

Marketing writing informs and persuades. You want the reader to agree with you. You’re trying to persuade them to buy. You might be selling an actual product or service, or you might be “selling” a behavior (stop smoking), a way of thought (be green), or a candidate to support.

Marketing writing uses opinion. They are often expressed creatively, with twists and surprises to keep the reader engaged and amused, and make the message memorable.

Marketing writing aims at our emotions. Humor is the key in innumerable marketing campaigns. Marketing messages that call upon our compassion or our patriotism are also common.  Marketing messages that imply we will gain (or, horrors, lose) sexual appeal are ubiquitous.

Technical Writing Informs and Instructs

At its most basic, technical writing gives steps in order. However, technical writing is not limited to explanation of technical products; its a technique relevant to all sorts of products, services, or actions. Recipes are great examples of technical writing—you follow the steps and you end up with a yummy dinner. If you do not follow the steps—whip up the soufflé but don’t pre-heat the oven—things turn out sadly.

Just sell a new lawnmower to a new customer? Want to help the happy pet adopters introduce Rover correctly to their cat?  Does your patient need to know how to handle the big bulky cast on his broken foot? All those situations need technical writing.

Tech writing relies on facts, not opinions. The lawnmower’s moving blades will hack off your fingers. I’m not going to write a document to persuade a new owner to leave the blades alone. I’m just going to tell him.

Technical writing is dispassionate. The reader has already purchased the product or service—or encountered the situation—so the “how to” information needn’t get all emotional about the wonderfulness of the product or their wisdom in purchasing it (or their foolishness in breaking their foot). They need information to help get the best use of the product, service, association or situation.

Next week, we’ll look further at how to use each type of writing.