RE: Sales/Marketing Driving Documentation Approach

Subject: RE: Sales/Marketing Driving Documentation Approach
From: "Grant, Christopher" <CGrant -at- glhec -dot- org>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Thu, 2 May 2002 15:02:50 -0500


Hi Karen,

> I have a feeling that what I am about to experience is not
> unique. Do any of you work in organizations where sales and marketing
needs
> drive the way in which document your products?

They do not _drive_ the way in which we do documentation, but where I work
it _is_ a contributing factor.

> viewed/managed/used in the GUI on a pc. Now, the floor
> operators usually don't have any access to a PC. They are also constantly
> moving around the warehouse, so it is unlikely that they would carry
around a
> manual with them.

But if they don't have access to a PC, how is an online help system going to
be any better than carrying around a manual? Instead of lugging a paper
manual around, they'd need to lug a whole computer around with them. Maybe
I'm misunderstanding your situation, but from your description it almost
sounds like something easily portable like a printed manual would be better?

Regardless:

> is at. However, on several occasions I've been approached by
> some of our sales reps asking for documentation they can show in meetings
with
> prospects.

Right. This is exactly the same type of request we get from our marketers.

> RF documentation. Obviously, they can't show RF help in a
> sales meeting - they probably won't even have an operating RF unit in the
> meeting.

Why _can't_ they show the RF help in a sales meeting? Do the sales reps
carry laptops? If they don't carry computer equipment of any kind I can
understand why they can't show the help. But don't let the sales reps tell
you that a printed document is the _only_ thing that can be "shown."

> And the primary purpose of showing the documentation is really to
> show off some of the system features (not to show off the documentation),
complete with
> screen shots.

And THIS is the most important piece of the puzzle. The sales reps do NOT
need a User Manual (or help system) to show off at marketing meetings, they
need a "List of Features". Totally different publications. This is
exactly the situation we have at my work, and our solution is to produce
these two different publications:

- One is the printed "List of Features" (or named otherwise), a laminated,
full-color, two-sided deal that can be physically distributed, and lists the
major features of our application complete with screenshots and the type of
information that would sell the product (i.e.... "features" :).

- The other is either a printed manual or an online help system. The
purpose of this thing is obviously to document the product, and NOT to sell
the product.

> point. But how do I convince the PHB that we should put the needs of our
current
> users over those of our sales force?

You don't. Satisfy both sides. The amount of time required to produce the
"List of Features" should be a drop in the bucket compared to the total time
to create the user manual or help system.

Hope this helps.

-Chris Grant


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Free copy of ARTS PDF Tools when you register for the PDF
Conference by April 30. Leading-Edge Practices for Enterprise
& Government, June 3-5, Bethesda,MD. www.PDFConference.com

Are you using Doc-to-Help or ForeHelp? Switch to RoboHelp for Word for $249
or to RoboHelp Office for only $499. Get the PC Magazine five-star rated
Help authoring tool for less! Go to http://www.ehelp.com/techwr

---
You are currently subscribed to techwr-l as: archive -at- raycomm -dot- com
To unsubscribe send a blank email to leave-techwr-l-obscured -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com
Send administrative questions to ejray -at- raycomm -dot- com -dot- Visit
http://www.raycomm.com/techwhirl/ for more resources and info.



Previous by Author: RE: Decompiling .chm files
Next by Author: RE: Hi
Previous by Thread: RE: Sales/Marketing Driving Documentation Approach
Next by Thread: RE: Sales/Marketing Driving Documentation Approach


What this post helpful? Share it with friends and colleagues:


Sponsored Ads