Our roots are in academia, and we appreciate what it takes to carefully consider multiple options in order to get to the best results. Sure, we’re nerdy. But charmingly so.

Content considerations

Talk about the topics that keep SAS ahead of market trends — in a unique way.

Create content on trending or emerging topics that goes beyond platitudes and clichés. High-level, general, generic content doesn’t differentiate SAS in the market. Dig deeper into the topic. Find unique angles. This shows that SAS understands the variety of nuances and issues associated with the topic.

Why write about this...	When you can write about this…
“Artificial intelligence is changing the way the world works” “Will AI deliver benefits beyond the hype?” “Is AI a promise or a threat?”	“Why is interpretability critical for AI?” “13 ways to use AI in military intelligence” “The future of AI for the banking industry”

Make your content highly relevant.

Deliver content and messages specific to the topic or audience.

Show that you understand the specific needs, motivations and challenges of our target audiences. Avoid “random acts of content” that are not targeted toward specific personas or value propositions.

Caring deeply for our customers, employees, communities – and for the world at large – has always been what we’re known for, and it influences all that we do as a global company.

Content considerations

Be helpful.

Content isn’t a one-way street. As you promote SAS content via social media, pay attention to the responses, and respond with a helpful attitude.
 

Emphasize the humanitarian side of SAS and our customers.

When it’s practical, talk about the company, our customers and our philanthropic investments. Specifically, our brand stands (innovation, education, Data for Good, and diversity and inclusion) are key areas of focus for SAS, both internally and externally.

Data for Good examples tend to resonate across audiences, and especially in sales situations.
 

Empathize with the audience.

Put issues and challenges in the reader’s context, in a way that shows you understand their concerns and needs. Use words like “you” or “your” to convey empathy and a connection with the audience.
 

Tell human stories.

When appropriate, apply a storytelling approach. An article about how analytics helped surface the true breadth of the risk of concussions in athletes leads with a story about the interviewee’s love of math:

“On his first day of kindergarten in 1973, when the teacher asked Alan Schwarz what he wanted to do when he grew up, Schwarz’s answer was: ‘I want to learn square roots because I don’t know all of them yet.’”

 

As our customers’ ambitions rise, so do ours. Organizations want to do more with data and analytics; we’re the company that can help them.

Content considerations

Reframe, don’t regurgitate

Regurgitating information that readers can just as easily find elsewhere in a Google search doesn’t help establish SAS as a true expert or thought leader on a topic.

Instead, reframe the topic for our audiences with bold, unique and insightful perspectives and opinions, while staying within the guardrails of the SAS message.

If it’s appropriate for the audience and purpose of the content to discuss specific SAS products, solutions or technologies (remember the customer journey), express a confident vision of the SAS approach.
 

Express a strong point of view

Lead with an idea that presents a unique and interesting take – and stays true to the SAS message.

Why write about this...	When you can write about this…
The military presents a number of perfect opportunities for the application of artificial intelligence.	All those flashy AI algorithms being touted as perfect for federal use are not going to run on the outdated infrastructure most of the military still uses. That doesn't mean AI isn't a good fit or shouldn't be pursued. But it does mean that AI success requires a force readiness approach.

Ask provocative questions

In the text itself:

“What if we stopped arguing over which analytics software is best, and decided instead to use them all?”

“How can you make your smart factory even smarter?”

“What will it take for the public to fully trust AI?”

And of your subject matter experts and interviewees, when creating or editing their content, to get to the root cause – and often most provocative part – of an issue. Journalists call this the “so what” technique. Keep asking “so what?” until you get to the core of the content.

Be confident

Don’t be afraid to express our position of leadership in analytics, but use it judiciously or this will become a cliché of its own. Here’s a positive example: “Learn from the leader in analytics. SAS has led the data science space for decades – before the term ‘data science’ even existed.”

We are dedicated to solving our customers’ challenges and cheering for their success. When it matters most, we’re the analytics company customers rely on. 

Content considerations

Be concise and direct

When a reader sees a sentence that looks as long as a paragraph, or a paragraph that runs on forever, they’ll skip ahead or tune out. Getting to the point quickly conveys confidence and familiarity with the topic. Including content that is specific to your audience about trending or emerging topics helps establish SAS as a company that is ahead of market trends. 
 

Why say this...	When you can say this…
We can say with confidence that some portion of the imperial forces stationed in Boston may have mobilized.	The British are coming.

Avoid jargon

Jargon is unintelligible language that has lost meaning from incorrect or frequent use. If the reader isn’t sure what you’re saying, they aren’t going to trust that you know what you’re talking about.

Everyone uses a little jargon. That’s unavoidable, particularly in a corporate environment. But when it is used excessively or pretentiously, it hurts the quality of our message. Jargon can make your message sound generic, confusing, contrived and overly complicated.

The jargon rule simplified: If you wouldn’t say it in an everyday conversation with friends and family, consider replacing it with a clearer, simpler word.
 

Why say this...	When you can say this…
Ramp up the trust you have in your data by leveraging the synergies of data quality and management into your processes for a data analysis paradigm shift.	Trust your data and the decisions you make when you apply data quality and data management techniques to make your data more consistent, accurate and timely.

Make it personal

Great conversational corporate writing uses heavier doses of second person and first person, along with some instances of third person. That’s what we do when we talk, so your writing sounds more relaxed and authentic.
 

Why say this...	When you can say this…
SAS invites attendees to discover how they can find insights in big data at lightning speed. Attendees will learn how SAS users make better decisions faster. SAS representatives will show users the ins and outs of the latest, most advanced SAS software.	We invite you to discover how you can find insights in big data at lightning speed. You’ll learn how to make better decisions faster. We’ll show you the ins and outs of our latest, most advanced software.