Why hire a professional writer?
Yes, I've heard it all before—all the arguments against hiring a professional writer. Here are the top three, along with alternate viewpoints to consider.
“I can just get our [insert some other job title] to do it.”
Many of my previous jobs happened after this very scenario. The company asked some other employee to do the documentation, the documentation failed to meet the needs of the customer, and I was hired to fix the problem. Good documentation isn't just about putting a few words on a page. A professional writer understands how to tailor the writing to meet the reader's needs. Professionals also have a number of tools in their toolbelt to write, publish, and curate an experience that will meet the goals of both your readers and your company.
“I need to focus only on the product and what will sell the product.”
Companies often think that marketing collateral is all they need to sell something, without considering that product content is a part of that equation. Quality documentation bridges the gap between the product and the customer to ensure that the customer has a successful experience. Documentation can help reduce the friction of onboarding new customers, reduce the number of calls to your customer service team, increase the "stickiness" of your product, and increase overall customer satisfaction. Documentation should be considered an essential part of the product that you're selling.
This argument goes hand-in-hand with the second one. Documentation, information, content—no matter what you call it, you can't afford not to have it professionally done because it's integral to your success. Still not convinced? Check out the following excerpts:
“It’s not in the budget.”
When it comes to making purchasing decisions, "The only thing that drives purchase is quality information presented in an accessible way." You only have one chance to demonstrate that your product documentation supports your customer's needs. What does your content say about your company?
"The ready availability of quality information through digital channels has made it far easier for buyers to gather information independently, meaning sellers have less access and fewer opportunities to influence customer decisions." Your product documentation may be your first point-of-contact with a potential customer. Thorough, organized, well-written, and well-presented documentation can make or break a sales opportunity.
Global circumstances have pushed teams to digital mediums now more than ever. "B2B organizations have pivoted to virtual engagement and digital content strategies to connect with buyers, prospects and customers." It's more crucial than ever to make sure your content is digitally accessible, optimized for different digital mediums, and easily navigable.
Source: 2021 Content Preferences Survey