Strategic Writing for Product Success
Jack Appleman, APR, Successful Business Writing
Originally presented: July 10, 2025
Watch time: 60 minutes
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Clear, persuasive writing is essential for product success, yet even the most innovative ideas often fail to gain traction when buried in complicated, unfocused language. Product professionals regularly struggle to communicate complex concepts to diverse stakeholders—each with different priorities and varying levels of technical understanding. In this interactive session, Jack Appleman, author of 10 Steps to Successful Business Writing (2nd edition), will demonstrate practical techniques to transform product-related communications into clear, compelling messages that drive action. Participants will learn how to cut through complexity with bottom-line openings, craft persuasive messages focused on stakeholder benefits, and use strategic storytelling to bring product concepts to life. Through real-world examples and interactive exercises, attendees will discover how small changes in their writing approach can significantly improve stakeholder engagement and support throughout the product lifecycle.
Learning Objectives:
- Master the bottom-line writing technique: Learn to lead with the most important information to immediately engage busy stakeholders.
Simplify complex product concepts: Apply practical strategies to translate technical features into clear, accessible language without losing essential meaning.
Craft persuasive WIIFM messages: Create stakeholder-centered communications that highlight "What's in it for me?" to generate buy-in for product initiatives.
Transform product features into user stories: Use strategic storytelling to illustrate how your product solves user problems and delivers tangible benefits.
About Jack Appleman
Jack Appleman, APR, President, Successful Business Writing
Jack E. Appleman, prominent business writing coach and author of 10 Steps to Successful Business Writing—2nd edition (2018, ATD Press), is driven by the belief that working professionals can dramatically improve their writing by following straightforward techniques. His workshops, webinars and one-on-one coaching for product specialists and other professionals at companies such as Amazon, Bayer and Wells Fargo have helped thousands of individuals achieve better outcomes from their writing. As president of Successful Business Writing, Jack brings more than 25 years' experience as a corporate trainer, professor and communication professional. He has been a frequent speaker and has published many articles on the importance of good writing, including a column in PR Daily, Use AI to Draft--And Your Instincts to Edit. In 2014, Jack received the Charles T. Morgan Award from the Northern New Jersey chapter of the Association for Talent Development for lifetime excellence in learning and performance. A professor for 20 years, Jack teaches Business Communications at New York University. He received his accreditation in public relations from the Public Relations Society of America. Jack earned his B.A. in Communication from Ohio State University and his M.S. in Journalism from Ohio University. He is a doctoral candidate at the State University of New York at Albany, exploring the link between employee-manager communication and workplace engagement in pursuit of his Ph.D. in Organizational Communication.