5 Times When You Should Hire a Technical Writer

Are you thinking about hiring a technical writer? No matter what industry you’re in, there are a number of instances where this type of writer can come in handy. Here are five times when you should hire a technical writer.

1. Hiring a Technical Writing Firm for Press Release

One instance where you might consider hiring a technical writing firm is when you need a press release written. Although your first thought might be to hire a PR firm, you might want to think again. There are some technical writers who base their entire careers on press releases.

If you have a company or brand that needs to deliver complex information, you’ll want someone who can accurately break down the news in a way that’s easy for the Average Joe to understand. For example, if you’re the CEO of a pharmaceutical company that’s about to introduce a new medication, you’ll want to hire a technical writer to write this news piece.

2. You Need a User Manual Written

Do you need a user manual written for a product? Whether your company is in automotive, electronics, beauty or healthcare, your best bet is to hire a technical writer.

It’s important for these technical manuals to be user-friendly. A technical writer can break down the information in a way that even amateurs can understand. They will provide troubleshooting guides to help the user know what to do when they encounter some of the most common problems that may arise.

With some products, the writer will work with product designers or engineers to ensure nothing gets missed and that the information is 100 percent factual.

In addition to providing information on how the consumer should use the product, technical writers will also provide information on any warnings, cautions or hazards the user should anticipate when using the product. They will also provide information on the product’s warranty.

3. Someone to Write Technical Product Descriptions and FAQs Section

Whether your company is selling a new computer, car model or medical equipment, you’re going to need a product description. There’s no one better to describe the details of your product than a technical writer. They can share the product’s features and specs in a way that’s easy to understand, as well as write a high-quality Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) section.

4. Annual Report Preparation

As you probably already know, a company’s annual reports are so important to stakeholders. These reports do a yearly recap of the company’s performance and provide other important financial information. Additionally, annual reports also provide insight to the company’s new products and developments.

Technical writers present this information in the report as concisely and clearly as possible. They may meet with product developers or engineers if the information is very technical and outside of the average adult’s understanding.

5. Your Company Needs Standard Operating Procedures (SOP)

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) is a document that includes information on how a business should be run. It includes everything from the hiring process and training procedures to determining vacation time and sick time to processing payroll.

When written correctly, SOPs help ensure that the company’s processes run as smoothly and efficiently as possible. They can help reduce costs and save time. They’re extremely important — which makes it important for them to be easily understood, despite how technical they may be. This is where a technical writer comes in.

Technical writers essentially study a company in order to compile this type of report. They will generally work with managers, supervisors or other higher-ups to ensure that all of the company’s policies are accurately conveyed.

These are just five times when you should hire a technical writer. No matter what industry you work in, you will likely find that one of these professionals may be of assistance at some point.