Marketing Communication and Technical Communication:
Not So Strange Bedfellows

by Thea Teich

 

 

 

What is the difference between marketing communication and technical communication? What are the purposes of each, and how different are those purposes? What results do you look for to evaluate the effectiveness of marketing communication? Of technical communication? Is one more "creative" than the other?

In various guises over the years, I’ve handled marketing communications for technical products, services, and subjects as part of whatever income-generating position I’ve held. I’ve learned it really doesn’t matter what marketing communication materials we’re talking about. Everything from brochures to direct mail to e-commerce Websites can and should be approached the same way:

  1. Initially, forget the "what"—what you’re going to produce. (The end product, the tactic, is relatively unimportant.)

  2. Get your boss to forget the end product, too. (That’s harder.)

  3. Focus on the who, how, when, and why, which will lead you to the "what."

Who is your audience?

Defining the audience is even more important for marketing communication purposes than for technical communication because the overall purpose of marketing communication is to sell something. What you’re selling is not important, except as it relates to whomever you’re selling it to. It could be the latest and greatest computer, a high tech injection-molding machine, or a set of roller blades…. Whatever the products, services, or issues, you are trying to get someone to do something: buy a product, engage a service, vote in a certain way. The actual result does not matter; the fact that there is a result and how often that result occurs are the criteria measuring success or failure for marketing communication efforts.

This is one of the basic differences between marketing communication and technical communication. Marketing communication’s purpose is to sell something; technical communication is to help customers use what they’ve already bought. Good technical communication may be a major factor in getting customers to buy in the future, but that’s not technical communication’s primary objective.

What are your objectives?

Once you’ve defined the audience(s), determine the marketing communication message. While the essence of the message is consistent across all audiences, how and when to convey it, through which media, and with what emphases, can and probably does vary. The message must separate your product, service, or issue from those of your competitors. Why should potential customers do what you want them to do, and not what your competitor says? Why is your product better than the alternatives?

It’s better because you analyzed your audience(s); and you’ve determined that your product, service, or message can solve their problems, take away their pains, make their lives easier, save them time, make the mundane exciting, or in some way fulfill their needs.

If you cannot make the subject of your marketing communication effort stand out from your competitor’s, if your product, service, or issue does not offer customers benefits they have not received before, then your company, client, or colleagues may need to re-examine their objectives. "Me, too" is certainly a common objective, but I hope no employee’s salary raise is wholly dependent upon a "me, too" product’s performance in the marketplace.

Then what is the tactic?

You now know

  • Your product, service, or issue has benefits to consumers they’ve not experienced before.

  • The various audiences who may be intrigued by whatever you’re selling.

  • How and when to couch your messages so that they appeal to the audiences’ "pain points."

Therefore, you are ready to choose your tactic–"how" you will reach your audiences with your targeted message. By now, the tactic is usually apparent, determined by the audience and the message. "We need a brochure," has transformed into "This audience can be reached best by _______."

***

Both technical communication and marketing communication can be equally creative. The operative word is "can." But we’ll leave that for another article.

Thea is STC Region 4 Director-Sponsor.