The internet is awash with content that takes up a lot of space but says not much of anything. At Taylfin, we take a targeted approach to generating content, understanding what readers actually need and writing to answer that need. We specialise in producing technical documentation that supports the tasks users carry out and clear, concise technical copy that respects the reader’s technical expertise.

So maybe at this point you’re thinking…

Do we even need professional writers?

Anyone can write, right? Yes, that’s true. Most people, given enough time and information, can put together something readable. But in the business world, when writing is distributed to customers, potential customers and other people you’d like to think nice things about you and your product, the information you distribute about your products impacts directly on how people perceive your business, and, ultimately, whether or not your business succeeds. “Readable” isn’t good enough. To make your customers truly happy, you have to give them the information they need in a form they can use.

Of all the things that need to be done to get a new product out the door, the words that describe that product are often at the bottom of the list of priorities. This is especially the case when you don’t have writers on staff and members of the development and marketing teams produce content in their spare time.

If you and your staff hate writing, it’s kind of a no-brainer: get someone else to do it for you. But even if someone on your team likes to write, they probably don’t have the time. A professional writer has the skills to get to the heart of the matter quickly, pick the best format and then get it written quickly.

What do you mean by technical copy?

Technical copywriting is about the words that market your product when your audience is technically sophisticated. This is the case for many high-tech companies, and copy written by skilled but non-technically-inclined writers often misses the mark in reaching the target audience. A technical copywriter understands both the product and the audience and figures out the best way to write about the product without talking down to potential customers. At Taylfin, we work hard to communicate your product’s capabilities to potential customers in an intelligent, direct way that respects their level of technical expertise.

It will take you a while to get up to speed with our technology

Professional writers who work in the technology sector are interested in technology and have strategies for getting up to speed quickly. We don’t need to know everything you know about your technology, but we do need to know what your users do with your technology.

What this often means is that we need to know some basics and an awful lot about:

• the product’s user interface, which is, after all, the bit of the product that’s communicating with users
• how the product fits into the user’s world
• how the product is sold into the user’s world
• how the purchased product gets into the user’s world.

User stories are becoming more widely used as companies adopt agile development practices. These user stories are invaluable as a starting point for a technical writer or technical copywriter in determining how to target their material.

Our developers write our documentation

If this works for you, then don’t change a thing! But think about this: Developers add value to your product in a manner that cannot be measured simply by what you pay them. They earn your company money with every feature they add and every bug they fix. If they’re writing your documentation, your company isn’t earning as much as it could be.

Another consideration is the focus of the person writing the documentation. A developer who writes a piece of documentation focuses on getting down everything they know about the technology: The goal is a complete piece of documentation. This is their job, being absolutely thorough and precise with regard to technical matters. A professional writer know what users don’t need to know and leaves that information out. A professional writer focuses on getting down the information the reader needs and making sure it’s in a form they can use: The goal is making your customers happy.

A professional writer also considers how the documentation will be maintained, which involves decisions about what’s left out, how much detail an introductory overview contains, how screen captures are used or whether or not it’s a good idea to spawn a new piece of documentation.

Our users don’t read the documentation

We produce content in the format that best suits your target audience. If a printed quick start guide is what’s required, then that’s what we do. If online help is what’s required, then that’s what we do. If… anyway, we think you get the point.

We want to hire you!

Excellent! But first let’s have a chat about where you’re at and what needs doing. Contact us the way that best suits you. We’ll be happy to hear from you.