Keeping up with content demands is an issue all my clients face and no one more than Finastra, a global provider of financial services software. It needs a constant stream of white papers, market commentaries, brochures, software insights and software briefing documents for its global customer base.
Keeping up with content demands is an issue all my clients face and no one more than Finastra, a global provider of financial services software. It needs a constant stream of white papers, market commentaries, brochures, software insights and software briefing documents for its global customer base.
The demand for marketing collateral within Finastra is vast. While the subject matter experts within the company are exceptional, they discovered they have a limited ability to translate that expertise into engaging and compelling content.
That’s where an external copywriter (i.e. me) comes in, by working closely with the Finastra marketing managers, product managers, technical teams and section heads to create customer-focused content.
How the process works
To illustrate the copywriting process, this case study is based on the production of a Finastra software-briefing document.
The first stage of the collaboration is a comprehensive brief from the marketing manager. This outlines the product, its features and benefits, the audience being targeted, and how it fits within the Finastra product range.
After absorbing this information, a conference call is arranged with the marketing manager, product manager and technical team so that I can ask questions to gain a deeper understanding and also discuss the layout and required outcome.
At this point, we also discuss the tone of voice that will be used. Although the audience Finastra is addressing is well versed in the intricacies of financial software, my recommendation is to adopt a conversational, straightforward tone.
Far from ”dumbing down” the subject matter, this approach allows the reader to absorb the information rapidly. After all, they are likely to be busy with a hundred and one other things to be thinking about, so the information is presented simply and clearly will help them understand the proposition quickly.
Enhancing the offering
With all this information to hand, my next step is to do additional research into the specific area of the financial services sector the product is aimed at to glean further information to enhance the copy to make it more relevant to the intended audience.
Once I have gathered all the information I need, I create the first draft in line with the document template provided by Finastra.
This is then sent to the marketing manager for feedback.
Once the document is returned to me, I make any necessary amendments and create the second draft as required.
The finished content is then placed within the document template along with graphics and images by the Finastra team and published.
“Sally is an accomplished copywriter who has helped me with several projects. Efficient and friendly, she has worked with me on several projects. She understands what is required, and she delivers a beautiful copy that always matches all of our requirements. It’s a real pleasure working with Sally, and I am always looking forward to new projects with her.” – Arno Castanet, Senior Global Marketing Manager, Finastra
Are you looking for a professional copywriter to help you keep up with your content needs? Call Sally Ormond on +44(0)1449 779605 for an informal chat.