Today's businesses are undergoing their most significant changes in a century. Digital technology has matured and expanded to such a degree that it now forms the foundation of successful futures for companies—popularly referred to as digital transformation.
Yet a simple phrase belies a complex and often maddening transition. Digitising a company is about more than buying the right software or computers. The shift includes people, skills, culture, infrastructure, and business processes; if it's got a role in a company, digital impacts it.
Success in the technology channel—the companies and people who offer different technology products and services—hinges on delivering parts of that transformation. This covers software and hardware, business consulting, training, and numerous specialised areas. It requires talking to diverse audiences, from techies and engineers to procurement and governance teams, and the all-important C-Suite. The better channel companies can spread their message and engage with different audiences, the more successful those digital transformation outcomes are.
Every writer who creates copy for the technology channel carries part of that responsibility. They must cross the divide between a channel company and its audience. They might target a very technical audience, yet as often translate technology concepts to business audiences. Sometimes their copy helps decision-makers sell their ideas, suggest best practices, or demonstrate success stories.
Good technology channel writing is not just about products and services. It's also about tackling the challenges of digital transformation, sharing ideas, and explaining the philosophy and culture behind a digital world.
What is the technology channel?
As with all good writing, you have to understand your audience. The technology channel represents companies that supply technology-related products and services to end customers. For this piece, we'll limit the focus to companies that provide business solutions instead of consumer products.
We can define the following channel groups (hold onto your hat, there are quite a few):
Some channel companies, such as OEMs and vendors, tend to stay in their lane. Others, especially SIs and resellers, can offer more than one type of service. For example, it's not unusual for an SI to offer managed services, or a distributor also to be a CSP.
Writing for the technology channel
Channel writing can be very broad or specific. A piece of content can articulate a series of challenges, or hone in on a specific issue business customers might experience. Content can promote and market products, focus on advisory (thought leadership), offer experience, support sales and customer support teams, or mix it up. The nature of a piece matters: a thought leader column is ideal to try and land coverage in a national newspaper, while a case study is perfect for handouts during meetings with a lead.
It's important to understand what outcome the content will meet, selecting content formats that work for the audience you’re targeting and the medium through which they’re accessing it.
These could include:
Look at what the technology client does (or wants to promote), who they want to reach, and what problems concern the audience.
Examples of technology channel writing
Let's conclude by looking at how you would implement these principles, using the example of a CRM provider. CRM systems keep customers' information, making it easier for sales and marketing teams to support current customers, and find new business. The CRM channel client wants to find new leads, using your copy to get the word out.
First, who is the audience? The CRM product is cloud-based and appeals to companies that want to replace their current CRM systems. This creates the narrative: replace your CRM with a new cloud alternative. But why should they replace their CRM? The selling points can include that it's cheaper and faster, and they only pay for what they use. Such a CRM will also help their people work faster and smarter with better results. Even if you aren't writing about what the channel company offers, it's worth studying that information to help establish context.
Next, who is the audience? The CRM company wants to reach business decision-makers and the product's users. In this case, let's say the decision-makers are finance (who pays for the software), IT (who runs and manages the software), and the users are sales and marketing.
We have what we need to decide on style and format. A writing project can vary depending on the number of content pieces—let's say we want to create one piece for each of the four groups, and develop a suite of sales, marketing and PR content that would reach each audience through a variety of media:
In each case, we look for the value that the audience wants—what is their problem, and how will this product solve that problem? Finance wants to save money and boost productivity. IT wants good software that doesn't create extra work, or headaches. Sales and marketing want those features that help them work faster and smarter.
Get into the headspace of who you're targeting. Know what the technology provider does, whom they target, and to which problems that audience needs answers. Then decide on the appropriate styles and formats. Align these elements, and you are on your way to writing effective and compelling copy for the technology channel.
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