We are often asked what’s the difference between promotional writing and technical writing and how does a company know which type of writing is best for them. In this article, we’ll explain the differences.
Promotional writing:
Promotional writing is writing to sell products and services. It creates awareness about a product, arouses curiosity in the customer and draws their interest in the product. It focuses on the plus points of the product and ignores the minus points. It is usually written in a simple and easy-to-understand language consisting mostly of laymen’s terms so that the target customer can easily understand the message that the writer is trying to convey, which is basically, “Buy this product; it has these benefits for you.”
Examples of promotional writing include ads, brochures, a prospectus, direct mail, website content, newsletters, press releases, manuals and catalogs.
Promotional writing usually introduces a product, describes its benefits and ends with a call to action. It usually consists of not more than a page or two of text accompanied by relevant photos and pictures. Brevity is the essence of promotional writing since customers usually do not bother to read long articles.
With promotional writing, it is vital to see things from the customers’ point of view, be sensitive to issues like race and sex, convey a message in easy-to-understand words and phrases without using jargons.
Technical writing:
Technical writing is writing that gives relevant, useful and accurate information about a product. Usually, it is not intended for customers, but for individuals who may be involved in the operation, repair and maintenance of the product. It is extensively used in a variety of technical and occupational fields, such engineering, architecture, aeronautics, robotics, consumer electronics, biotechnology, computer hardware and software, finance and project management.
Examples of technical writing include contracts, customer service scripts, design documents, how-to instructions, knowledge-based articles, online help, policy documents, project documents, project proposals, process flows, product catalogs, requirement specifications, training course materials, user manuals and FAQs.
Only a very small portion of technical writing is meant for the general consumer. Most of it is written for internal use of organizations or for partner/client organizations to explain things like product designs and procedures, implementation processes and policies.
Paying attention to detail is key when it comes to promotional writing. It’s also important to quickly grasp the idea behind products and services, and write in a structured language.
What type of writing do you use most often?