Re: Guide titles

Subject: Re: Guide titles
From: "Peter Neilson" <neilson -at- windstream -dot- net>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Thu, 25 Sep 2014 09:36:26 -0400

On Thu, 25 Sep 2014 09:08:45 -0400, David Tinsley <dtinsley -at- ndigital -dot- com> wrote:

We currently use the term "XYZ User Guide" as the title for our products. We are brainstorming to see if there may be a better title that would actually make the end user read the guides.

Doubt it. Perhaps put a picture of a cute kitten on the cover (or the "documentation" spot to be clicked in the software's splash screen), with the words "XYZ User Guide: READ THE INSTRUCTIONS OR WE WILL KILL THIS KITTEN." You won't actually kill the kitten, but you'll frighten the customers. They still won't read the instructions. Next time they'll buy from the competition instead, but still won't read the instructions.

Decades ago we used to give away free copies of a pocket reference guide to anyone who would fill out the survey form in the back of the manual, but now people wear T-shirts without pockets. Maybe a free T-shirt? With a kitten on it? And the words, "I Actually Read The Instructions."

The more I think about it the more I like the T-shirt idea. Or how about a second one, "I didn't read the instructions but I got this free T-shirt anyway," printed upside down?

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References:
Guide titles: From: David Tinsley

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