If you’re writing a startup’s company history, management bios, and product marketing materials, keep them short and simple.  

Sure. 

But does that mean throwing out long biographies, white papers, case studies, and testimonials “that won’t directly contribute to a decision to click, call, or buy?”  

Yes, says Barry Zeger, President of Vertical Cloud, who writes marketing copy (and flashy banner ads) for Fortune 500 companies, but prefers the enthusiasm, chaos, and talent in startups.  (NewMedia republishes his piece, which originally appeared in InternetDay on October 29, 2001.)

Best point: Make the team sit down and hash out their brand, arguing through their mission, before you write a word. 

“Once the dust has settled, and the paramedics have stitched everybody up, the resulting insight will not only allow them to operate more strategically, it will make it easier for you to craft content that’s consistent, credible—and that everyone can agree on.”  

Personally, we like overloading a site with info, but Zeger’s on target when he emphasizes that you must corral the whole team, and force them to “justify their existence.”