Engineers as Credible Marketers

by Richard Burnham

When considering a purchase, what do prospects find to be a more reliable source of information — a website packed with self-promotion or a published trade publication article that a technical expert wrote? Hands down, an article based on an expert’s work and published in a national trade publication provides a credible message that’s difficult to doubt.

According to a study by Siegel & Gale, trade articles enjoy the highest of credibility rankings. In fact, articles written by technical experts top the list over all other information sources, including staff-written stories in the Wall Street Journal, Business Week and Newsweek. Articles penned by engineers describing how they solved a customer’s problem generate trustworthiness. And because readership in a single trade publication ranges from 50,000 to half a million, the potential to favorably sway thought is enormous. Experts’ articles are powerful endorsements that can generate significant business.

Engineer Jennifer Borkovich said an article published about her work at Coding Products recently secured several new contracts. “Another company had end-users completely locked up,” she said. “Before the story ran, those users didn’t know we even existed. We gained 10 new clients, a very significant number in this small market.”

How Articles Benefit Engineers

For engineers, the payback for publishing a case study article can be significant, and it can come in the form of job security, recognition, promotion and even pay raises. Pat Whitcomb and Mark Anderson of Stat-Ease, Inc., an experiments software design and training firm, have enjoyed such payback. “Years ago we wrote up ideas on process monitoring and control. Those ideas developed into an article that Chemical Engineering Progress published. [The article] got picked up by Henkel's  home office in Düsseldorf and reprinted with other articles published by Henkel scientists worldwide. That gave us valuable visibility within this multinational corporation, which led to promotions and higher salaries.”

“I Have No Time to Write Articles!”

Usually, technical experts focus so heavily on pursuing solutions that they have neither time nor the desire to write for publication. Sometimes they’re just not adept writers. An alternative? Use specialty writers, who have experience interviewing technical experts and then weaving complex concepts into informative, interesting articles that yield authority.

Specialty writers often ghostwrite articles that carry engineers’ names and company affiliations. This approach is especially useful because the writers can present the information comfortably and specifically using the first person, while the experts get the recognition. For example, instead of an engineer writing, “The formulation was optimized through the utilization of a statistical software product;” ghostwriters might write, “We optimized the brake-lining formulation using XYZ software,” presenting the problem and solution clearly in upbeat sentences and enhancing readability.

Ghostwriters help engineers communicate their work, usually with no more than a 30-minute phone call and a few follow-up e-mails. Then, the technical experts are free to focus on doing what they do best — solving problems. And ultimately, ghostwriter-engineer collaboration generates business. “We get more calls from potential clients reading articles about us than we do from paid ads,” says Don Muehlbaurer, president of Techworks, LLC, in Milwaukee. “The articles definitely generate sales.”

Specialty writers forge arrangements and build relationships with trade publications, solidifying the process of getting articles in print. This task shouldn't be taken lightly — it takes persistent and frequent writer-to-editor communications to attract editors, appeal to them to run a story, respond to their requests, and coordinate timely story appearances.

The Value of Reprints

In addition to the personal benefits to the engineer and the new business that comes when an article hits the stands, other advantages play out after articles are published. For example, Stat-Ease maintains a ‘library’ of company-related articles. When prospects inquire whether Stat-Ease can solve their problem, the company sends reprints of articles describing solutions to similar problems. With more than 60 articles published about Stat-Ease over the years, these reprints have become highly effective marketing tools for the company.

Article reprints are also effective in a number of other ways:

• Trade Shows — Reprints inspire trust and validity when handed out in person.
• Direct Mail — Send reprints to prospects for impact.
• Requests for Proposals — Furnish reprints (and their inherent trustworthiness) with your proposals.
• Point of Purchase — A reprint in a kiosk or display has the power to sell by itself.
• Investor Relations — Reprints are captivating and influential inserts in annual reports and other financial offerings.

Give Readers What They Want; Get Results

Trade publication readers’ interest can be stated in two words: practical information. Everyone enjoys reading stories from experts. Readers want concise, factual information that will help them solve real problems or overcome challenges. Magazines welcome and publish these articles if they tell an interesting, useful story in a way that attracts and keeps readers' attention or prompts response. In fact, everyone benefits: engineers, companies, prospects, editors and salespeople.

Richard Burnham has written, co-authored and ghostwritten more than 285 trade-publication articles for companies and individuals. He may be reached at RABURNHAM@PublicationCoordination.com.