To be taken seriously, writers must present themself as authorities on topics they may have known nothing about only a week earlier. How can you tell if they have pulled this off?
I don’t consider myself to be an authority on anything other than marketing and its adjacencies.
I have worked in b2b tech for 25 years and am generally considered to be knowledgeable about the industry – and I’d certainly like to think that I have retained at least some of the information I’ve written about over that time. However, it is the agency writer’s lot to know a little bit about a great deal – and, having worked with hundreds of Subject Matter Experts over the years, I have far too much respect for their depth of knowledge to ever claim that title for myself. (I can console myself with the fact that few SMEs are great writers and that I do therefore bring something to the table!)
Yet I am asked to produce content for senior B2B audiences that are under enormous time pressure and are being bombarded by invitations to consume materials from dozens of different vendors. So, I need to make my material stand out by presenting myself as an authority on a topic I may have known nothing about only a week earlier. How can this sleight of hand be performed?
What does ‘writing with authority’ actually mean?
I was a history major which, contrary to popular belief, isn’t about trotting out historical details, but about marshalling those details to support a particular viewpoint. (Although I didn’t appreciate it at the time, it is excellent training ground for a B2B copywriter!) So, I was thrilled to find this advice given by the University of Cambridge to its history students.
“Writing with authority is about acquiring the ability to carry the reader with you as you present your argument and make them willing to accept what you say. However, it is important to note that ‘authority’ is not synonymous with ‘dogmatism’. You are not bashing the reader into submission (which is counterproductive) but persuading them that in this matter your views can be trusted.”
Amen to that.
As a writer, I need to acquire authority from others – most obviously from the Subject Matter Experts whom I have (hopefully) interviewed and whose real-world experience of delivering business outcomes to customers has an authority that cannot be denied. And research is critical: the start of my career roughly coincides with the widespread use of the web browser so I can attest to that fact that this job has got easier over time. I can borrow the authority of a Gartner, an EY or a Forbes (or even an esteemed university!) to ensure that the content is strong enough to carry the arguments I am putting forward on my client’s behalf.
Authority in writing is easier to recognise than explain, but you should examine the content created for you through that lens.
Does it articulate and address the real concerns of your audience? Are recommendations offered tentatively or asserted confidently? Are opinions provided speculatively or firmly evidenced? In a nutshell, are you reassured that the writer knows what they are talking about? After all, if your content isn’t conveyed with authority, then why would anyone take it seriously?
This is an extract from “The Write Stuff: Six things every B2B marketer should know about content creation”. This provides muggles (i.e., non-copywriters) with practical tips that will improve their understanding of what great content looks like – and uplift their ability to contribute positively to its creation.
To find out how Just Global can help you ensure that great writing is at the heart of your campaigns, get in touch at: [email protected]