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In addition to the fine suggestions other folks have offered:
-Go to the American Marketing Association website at http://www.marketingpower.com/ for specific issues and other resources.
Then for grins, check out the American Advertising Federation at http://www.aaf.org, and the Public Relations Society of America at http://www.prsa.org.
-Use the Small Business Administration resources--they're excellent and free http://www.sba.gov
-For some educational and beginner resources try http://www.commerce-database.com/marketing.htm
-Check out the Free-lance Exchange for some job leads.
-Volunteer ANYWHERE, they will love whatever you can do to help. It's how I
officially got back into marketing after an 8-year hiatus.
-Learn the contact management nuances of your email program. Not as good as
real contact management software, but a good start.
Remember, it's all marketing.... Think of it not as a switch, but an
expansion of your capabilities. You must understand your product/service,
and your audience, and create material appropriate to the audience and the
media. The skill set really isn't as different, and definitely not as
offensive, as you might think.
Regards,
Connie P. Giordano
Senior Technical Writer
Advisor Technology Services
A Fidelity Investments Company
704-330-2069 (w)
704-330-2350 (f)
704-957-8450 (c)
connie -dot- giordano -at- fmr -dot- com
Who got a degree from the dark side lo these many years ago.....
-----Original Message-----
From: Lyn Worthen [mailto:Lyn -dot- Worthen -at- caselle -dot- com]
Sent: Tuesday, July 15, 2003 3:13 PM
To: TECHWR-L
Subject: Adding MarComm to your skillset
Rose -
A few ideas for "freebie" self-education in MarComm:
White papers -
Read white papers about products/industries that interest you (google a
company name/product name & white paper - you'll find loads). Then
"recreate" them. It will help you get a feeling for the form & style.
After learning the form, you could write up a white paper about the product
you've been documenting (on your own time), and offer it to the marketing
department there. It may get you another deliverable with them, and even
give another boost toward extending your contract.
Marketing Training -
If you have curriculum development/training skills, you could look at
developing training for the sales group (how to market/position the tool
when selling it, etc.).
Along similar lines, if you have any skill in developing presentations,
expand it into designing sales presentations (in PowerPoint, HTML, or the
e-learning tool of your choice). Again, this is an area where it helps to
view how other companies are presenting their information to get some ideas
for form/style. Then create your own.
Copywriting -
Pick up a magazine, or go online, and look at the ad copy for the product(s)
of your choice. Study the points that seem to make it work. Rewrite/redesign
those that don't work.
Apprenticeship -
As you start to feel comfortable with the process, hook up with a skilled
MarComm writer and offer your services at a lower rate in exchange for a
little mentoring.
I'm trying to think of a good book to recommned, but nothing is coming to
mind.
NEED TO PUBLISH FRAMEMAKER CONTENT ONLINE? "Mustang" is a NEW single
sourcing tool for FrameMaker that lets you easily publish your content
online. No macro language required! http://www.ehelp.com/techwr-l3
Mercer University's online MS Program in Technical Communication Management:
Preparing leaders of tomorrow's technical communication organizations today.
See www.mercer.edu/mstco or write George Hayhoe at hayhoe_g -at- mercer -dot- edu -dot-
---
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