As a technical writer, you'd think I'd be methodical about reading the manuals that come with new products I buy. I am not. I dive in and read later (usually when I'm stuck and swearing). That's my learning style. I need to touch and feel things, use my intuition, and then read later. Incidentally, it's also how I've learned to run a small business and it's how I raise my child. I rarely read how-to books.
Recently I bought a Canon Rebel XTi (digital camera). I was fairly confident with film and an old 35mm SLR camera back in the olden days (1980s). I am clueless about digital photography. Holding the camera and reading the manual simultaneously was scary to me, and mind you, I am NOT a technophobe. I write microelectronics documentation for IBM for a living!
So, I took a class last Monday night. It was great. In about 2 hours, I got more information than the manual ever could provide. I got hands-on practice. I received tactile affirmation that I was "doing it right". I got quick answers to my questions from a human being who injected his own brand of humor and humility that I could never find in a technical manual. It was empowering. It was fun.
It occurs to me that as our society becomes more technical, our technical documentation must become more human. Our copywriting must appeal to buyers' emotions and heartstrings. And last but not least, as the old fashioned greeting card, gift package, or handwritten letter delivered via snail mail become rare, I realize they are beautiful things to be cherished.
Nothing replaces human interaction.
As a writer, this gives me a lot of food for thought. How do my readers learn? What makes them want to buy? What will keep them at my web site and make them want to click the "Buy Now" button? What will keep them coming back for more? How can I make my web site and blog sing with human emotion? How can I come as close as possible to being there and actually feeding you a slice of warm, buttery shortbread, fresh from the oven, aroma wafting up and mingling with your cup of tea while I chat with you about your kids without really being there?
Maybe someday our computers will have smell-o-matic software so that you can download a sniff of our shortbread. Until then, you'll just have to take MY word for it and the the words of hundreds of happy shortbread customers.
We're not just selling a cookie. We're selling an experience. We know that words alone are not enough. We mean it when we say our shortbread is baked with love. Try some of our bite-sized chocolate drizzled shortbread hearts for Valentine's Day.
Ann, Vermont Shortbread Company
Handcrafted in Vermont with love, imagination, and tender care...and hopefully, some effective copywriting and marketing that appeals to YOUR heartstrings!
I completely agree with your comments about technical writing becoming more human. Certainly companies are finally starting to pay attention to the "customer experience" and writing this stuff in a simpler manner. I was just battling the barren, technobabble instructions on my new digital recorder. But I also think - as a communications professional - we also have to bring the human touch to everyday communications. We've lost something to email and text messaging -- become obsessed with acronyms that are meaningless without their other letters. We as humans need to get back to the simple basics of having something to say, then saying it succinctly, simply, and with passion.
Anne
Posted by: Anne Witkavitch | February 04, 2007 at 02:18 PM