Technical Writing
For Freund Associates, “technical writing” means writing about technical products and services. The deliverables vary—from telecom case studies, to technical manuals, to annual reports, and more. What distinguishes a Freund Associate project is the personal care and attention we give to our customers. We don’t just “write it and run.” We’re there for the long haul. Our clients’ project managers come and go, but our archives keep their technical documents safe, secure, and retrievable for decades.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
Telecom Case Studies
Our client, XO Communications, is a leading nationwide provider of advanced communications services and solutions for businesses, enterprises, government, carriers and service providers. Its customers include more than half of the Fortune 500, in addition to leading cable companies, carriers, content providers and mobile network operators. Freund Associates has had the privilege of interviewing some of XO’s best customers and writing these success stories. The end-to-end process involved a telephone interview with the customer, copy writing, editing, design, and layout. The finished product was a succinct, clearly written, and co-branded “customer case study,” used as a testimonial marketing tool on XO’s website.
“I’ve had a pleasure working with Freund Associates for several years in my role as a marketing communications manager at XO Communications. They managed the entire process – from setting up phone interviews, creating case study drafts, shepherding the review and approval process and, finally, formatting the completed case studies for posting on our company’s website. Annette was always prompt, courteous and highly professional. She has the ability to establish rapport with customers easily over the phone, making for productive and informative interviews. I enjoyed working with Freund Associates, knowing I could count on our partnership to produce solid customer case studies.”
Technical Manuals
A good technical manual provides a tremendous boost to productivity. A good manual helps solve problems before they can start, saving your organization time and money. We write, edit, index, and design clear, comprehensive, user-friendly technical manuals, over a wide range of industries for satisfied clients who return to us again and again. From manufacturing to dentistry, from repair guides to parts catalogs, Freund Associates delivers.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
Installation Instructions for Lighting Systems
Lighting Services Inc. (LSI) is the leading manufacturer of track, accent, and display lighting systems. Since 1958, LSI has been dedicated to designing, engineering, and manufacturing the highest quality lighting systems. The company hired Freund Associates to design an instruction sheet for installers that could be used as the corporate template, written and designed in Microsoft Word. Not only did Freund Associates have the engineering expertise to write the technical instructions, but we also provided the photographic expertise to shoot the equipment, and the design expertise to create their custom template in MS Word.
“Freund Associates hired me to write instruction sheets for Lighting Services Inc. and an operator’s manual for Colortronix LLC. Both clients required fresh ideas for rewriting existing manuals, photographing products for illustrations, and creating original documents. While each job presented its own unique challenges, the common thread was the fluid relationship that existed between the client, the editor, and the writer. This rapport produced a clear pipeline to communicate complex product information, and it cultivated an energetic work environment that had a positive impact on the final product. It was really a pleasure to work with Freund Associates on these projects.”
Training Programs
Nimble organizations implement new processes and programs all the time. Effective training and education are the best way to make sure that these new processes are thoroughly accepted and understood. We can create customized training programs and manuals for both students and instructors, ensuring that all your educational needs are met and that your team members are kept up to date.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
An Instructor’s Guide to Maintenance Training
Bombardier Transportation needed a training program from our client, Transtechnik Corp USA, an international corporation that designs and manufactures power conversion systems for rail cars. To meet this need, Freund Associates developed a classroom-based training presentation, complete with learning objectives, detailed instructions and speaker notes, photos and line drawings, cross references to the Running Repair Manual (RRM) and Heavy Repair Manual (HRM), a student workbook, real-life scenarios, discussion questions, and even an achievement test. One of the chief reasons for the success of the course was that it simulated real conditions and potential scenarios as accurately as possible.
“I always look forward to working with Freund Associates on a project. I know that it will be an enjoyable work experience and a rich team environment, even when team members are geographically dispersed. Whether I’m creating copy for marketing brochures, developing case studies, or designing training materials, I always feel completely supported by Freund Associates.”
Marketing Collateral
Technical products and services can be a tough sell. Your marketing collateral needs to be perfectly geared to its audience, whether you’re reading out to an executive decision-maker or a technical recommender. That’s where we come in. Freund Associates can turn a dry jumble of acronyms and technical jargon into meaningful, persuasive copy that keeps your prospect interested. Moreover, we can create all the literature you could possibly need, including the brochures, white papers, direct mail letters, data sheets, product catalogs, customer testimonials, and more.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
Corporate Brochure for Law Office
Condon & Associates, Attorneys at Law, needed a corporate brochure to give to prospective clients. To produce the 4-page piece, Freund Associates partnered with Two-by-Two Design in Ramsey, NJ. While the graphic designer worked on creating a new logo and brand guidelines for the firm, the copywriter interviewed the attorneys to develop a mission statement, gather biographical information, and identify the firm’s competitive advantage. The result was a high-quality brochure that tells the firm’s story clearly and succinctly and reflects their professionalism.
“I have worked with Annette several times over the past few years. She and her team are the consummate professionals with an eye for detail. Her expertise as a writer has shined through every project. She is an absolute pleasure to work with and I am honored to know her.”
Human Resources
Employment policies, salary administration, benefit packages—these are crucial elements of any business and must be clearly understood by your employees, or else your time and productivity will be wasted answering questions. Freund Associates has a dedicated writing team and a partner network of Human Resources and legal experts. We have advanced training in business communication and specialized training in Information Mapping® for developing effective policies and procedures. Our philosophy is simple: to design and develop policies and procedures that can be easily updated and are readily accessible to your employees.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
Employee Manual
Cyngient, an entrepreneurial business that specializes in inks, coatings, and adhesives for the printing industry, needed a first-ever Employee Manual to document its hiring practices. We interviewed the executive team, developed the content outline, and wrote the entire manual within weeks. Because of our extensive experience writing HR manuals, the process was not only streamlined, but also produced a 40-page document that could be easily maintained by management and clearly understood by employees.
“I have known Annette and Freund Associates for close to 20 years. As a vendor and contractor, Freund was simply the best. Able to quickly diagnose my vague ‘job spec’ and get down to what I really needed and then to deliver on budget and before deadline. Follow up was fabulous. Interestingly over the years, I have also had the good fortune to work on a project for Freund Associates. I couldn’t have had a better manager. Annette was always attentive and precise in her instructions. Back in a client role, I’m hoping to use Freund Associates again in the near future.”
Website Copywriting
As the saying goes, “you never get a second chance to make a first impression.” So it is with websites. Online audiences have different needs and expectations—and very little patience. If your content isn’t clear, well-organized, and easy to access, then you can lose your audience in the time it takes them to click the mouse. Freund Associates has written web copy for all types of Internet buyers and for companies of all types and sizes. Outsourcing your web copywriting to us not only saves you time and money but, more importantly, helps you build relationships with those buyers in your target audience.
CLIENT EXAMPLE:
Full-Service Website Solution
Our client, VMS Consulting for the financial industry, needed a first-ever website and a full-service solution for getting if off the ground, including web architecture, content development, copywriting, and editing, as well as detailed case studies documenting the company’s key success stories. Freund Associates partnered with Lakefront Media in Ramsey, NJ to deliver a complete solution, including project manager, writers, graphic designer, web programmer, and even a web hosting company. In short, we were able to meet 100% of the client’s needs, finishing the project on time and on budget, as promised, in only three months.
“I’ve had the pleasure of working with Freund Associates for the past ten years. They were hired by my consulting firm to build a website, case studies, collateral marketing material, and branding. Dr. Annette Freund presented a three-month project plan and chaired weekly project status meetings to deliver the entire project on schedule and on budget! I found her recommendations to be valuable for our business and appreciated her guidance.
After our web site was launched, we received positive feedback from our clients and business partners. Dr. Annette Freund has a passion for her work that is contagious and surrounds herself with a high-performance team. I would strongly recommend Freund Associates; they are experts in their profession.”