Something I learned when searching the web for copywriting articles: the vast majority of articles out there are directed to B2C direct mail copywriting. Here's a quick sampling: "10 Eyepopping Ad Copy Secrets!" "3 Steps to Better Sales Copywriting!" and my personal favorite, "How to Get Your Prospects to Do Exactly What You Want by Tormenting their Brains." O.K.....
Don't get me wrong, B2B copywriting has ads and sales copywriting too, and it's all supposed to end ultimately in a sale. But B2B marketing collateral copywriting takes a different road towards the sale. That road is information. Real information, useful information. And a terrific way to draw reader attention and trust to you and your company.
White paper: How to apply the vendor's technology to the reader's problems, and why that will make a positive difference to them. Benefit to you: Viral marketing, long shelf life in many cases.
Bylined article: Inform the reader about a technology in a vendor-neutral atmosphere. Benefit to you: Legitimizes your technology and builds your reputation among highly targeted segments.
Case study: Influence by presenting your technology in practical settings. Benefit to you: Proves that you know what you're doing in real-life implementations, builds reader confidence, terrific sales tool.
Technology marketers need all three types because they influence in different ways.
