Copywriting Guidelines

We’re in the business of keeping Colorado employers and their employees safe and healthy — and helping to get them back there if they get hurt. A key part of our work involves communicating in writing. At every turn, we’re asked to give information, coordinate an injured worker’s care, offer counsel, provide critical details and much more. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you write an email, letter or document.

VOICE AND TONE

  • Review Pinnacol's tone and voice guidelines.
  • Tone says a lot. Your tone conveys just as much as the content. Be friendly and conversational, engaging and straightforward. Invite people to take part in the conversation.
  • Good writing comes from a place of conversation. Don’t complicate the process by trying to sound like someone you’re not. Be yourself.
  • If you're writing about people, try to include quotes from those people when possible/appropriate.
  • We’re bigger than you think. We’re not a national company. But we need to act like one. Keep things conversational, but also make them professional.
  • Make it personal. You’re not working with companies, you’re relating with people. Be approachable and warm. And remember, our policyholders’ needs always come first.

JARGON

Keep it short and simple. Avoid jargon and insider terminology. And keep it as brief as possible. We love us, but our audience isn’t always as excited about what we have to say as we are.

RELEVANCE

Understand your audience, what they want to know and how they want to know it. Talk with them, not at them. Help them care about what you’re saying by making it relevant to them and what they do. And never engage in any chest beating or competitor bashing. Our business is about nurturing relationships, plain and simple.

MISSION, VISION AND VALUES

Be sure. If you’re in doubt about whether you’re on track, review Pinnacol’s mission, vision and strategy, along with our value statements.

BRAND EQUITY

In the end, it’s about building brand equity. Every word, every visual should do double duty — both fulfilling the goal of each task or project, and communicating the brand promise. So if it isn’t helping to build the brand, have fun being creative and think about how to change it so it will.