Why the user manual could be the ideal Inbound content

We’ve seen it a thousand times: The launch campaign is rolling out. There are ads all over the place and the brochures still spread a scent of printing ink. The photographers and creatives have really bent over backwards to create an emotional approach—you should want this new gizmo from the bottom of your heart! But there are people who don’t think with their hearts.

For the rational minded, an emotional conversation may not be the best choice for creating impact. We’re at the risk of losing their attention by what they would consider ‘overblown marketing bullsh*t’. These are people who are convinced that ads lie. 

Cut the crap!

Honestly, can you trust a fully-fledged sales brochure? No. At least not in the sense that it often entices with emotional values that should be perceived by the target. A displeased customer cannot complain about her not feeling the way she expected…

There are customers who, either by nature or in a specific situation in their customer journey, need hard facts and understanding—far more detailed than in the features bullet list in the glossy sales brochure. For them, it’s better cutting the crap.

The truth stripped bare 

The user manual, in comparison with the sales brochure, could be considered as the naked truth. There is no manufacturer in the world that would describe features and functions in a user manual that don’t exactly match the real world product. And there are surprisingly few manufacturers who make user manuals a natural part of the marketing content. Maybe they don’t realise that there is a point in telling the naked truth to some—even if there are no glossy pictures.

If you want to know how to turn your existing, boring (sorry, but that’s what you think!) manuals and technical documentation into sharable knowledge content for lead generation, just get in touch!