Conseils de rédaction - Swisstranslate

How to successfully draft your business documents in 8 points

Our translation agency can write and translate your various documents.

It’s no longer necessary to use communication agencies to compose business communications. Swisstranslate can handle all your communication needs by writing and translating into over 100 languages.

Writing professional comms documents is subject to several rules. A memo, an assignment report and a sales proposal are not written in the same way. Addressing colleagues in a company or attracting a market requires writing skills and, therefore, a precision that is specific to each medium.

So how does Swisstranslate write your business documents?

II – The writing process

When you request our agency to draft a document, we follow a precise and methodical process to better understand your expectations, requirements and preferences. There are 8 stages to this process, which we will outline below:

1. Understand your environment and your aim

When you ask us to draft a document, we make an appointment with you in order to better understand your requirements and expectations. Writing professional documents is a serious matter that requires trust and a methodical approach on both sides.

  • During the meeting, we ask questions about :
  • The type or organisation (communications agency, technical enterprise)
  • The principal competitors
  • Differentiation between your competitors (what you admire and dislike about them)
  • The brand image you wish to present
  • Your target audience
  • The aim of the document
  • If your company is looking to respond to a customer issue
  • The anticipated customer experience on reading the document
  • The main call to action: what should your audience do after reading it?
  • Evidence and testimonials, examples of what you may have written in the past,
  • Where to find pertinent information about your organisation
  • Potential objections (which elements of your products or services might make your target audience hesitate to engage with you. For example, concerns about price, quality etc.)
  • Your new project
  • The desired length of the article
  • Points which absolutely must be included
  • Should we comply with SEO guidelines?
  • Various constraints – maximum number of characters, vocabulary to be used, length of text etc.
  • The desired language or languages
  • Additional information

Depending on the answers, the translation agency’s production department will assess the amount of time required, the technical nature of the text, your requirements, the type of writing and so on. This enables us to target your request as effectively as possible, so that we can provide you with an appropriate price and a deadline for writing.
Each project is bespoke, and therefore adapted to each request.

2. Working closely with customers to understand their needs

Once the quote has been accepted, we will select the specialist copywriter who best suits your project: a technical copywriter to write product sheets or a copywriter specialising in writing press releases will not produce the same type of content, for example. Then the writing begins, with consultation between you and our copywriter. This requires close collaboration to respect your communication style and terminology etc.

Depending on the project, a video conference may be organised for the copywriter to discus the project with you or a member of your team.
A first draft of 300 words will then be sent to you in order that you can find the style that best suits your company.
Following this draft, we can adapt our work and continue with writing the content.

3. Finding a suitable title and tag line

Methodically using all the information and requirements provided, our copywriter starts by finding a relevant, catchy title for your documents. Even if each writer has his or her own style of writing, we ensure that we conform to your document’s style brief (brochure, press article, internal communication document etc.).

4. Structuring the content using a plan

The next step is to draw up a precise writing plan, arranged in the shape of a funnel, in order to sort the information in a way that best captures the attention of the future reader.

5. Captivate the reader with the introduction

A catchy, relevant introduction will be written, making use of topical facts, figures and relevant data. With over 10 years’ experience, our copywriters don’t just use the documents you provide, they also carry out genuine research to get the best possible understanding of your requirements and produce the most attractive, professional content.

6. Start writing

Once all the preparatory stages have been completed, the writer will begin writing, respecting all the reference documents and information provided.

7. Proofreading

This strategic exercise culminates in a meticulous re-reading of the draft document, followed by a final check to ensure that the client’s expectations have been met.
The completed document is then sent to the customer within the agreed deadline.

8. Formatting

At a translation agency, the copywriting work delivered to you will include not only the body of the text, but also its formatting, which will be consistent and relevant to the type of document.
If you wish, we can also take care of formatting the InDesign document, integrating it with your website, or translating it to several languages to send in a newsletter.

Using a detailed questionnaire, precise methodology and close collaboration, Swisstranslate can draft all your documents.
From concept to copywriting, translation and layout, we guarantee you a quality service you can trust.

Our team will be delighted to answer any questions you may have about the editorial process.

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