I’m working on some copy for the new Basecamp 3 marketing site, and I figured I’d share some work in progress here. This needs editing, and it should probably be half as long, but I wanted to share it in its current state. I’ve always enjoyed seeing work in progress, so here’s some of mine:
Why Basecamp? That’s a fantastic question! In fact, it’s the question, in’t it? We’ve got some great answers for you.
1. Basecamp understands what you’re up against
You’re in charge. You’re running something. It’s on you to get it done. You have to pull people together to make it happen. That’s a huge responsibility, and you can use a hand making it all happen. You need to communicate, you need to stay organized, you need to make sense of feedback, you need to share work, you need to set deadlines, and you need everyone to deliver.
And on top of all that, you have to manage people and personalities and different work styles and preferences. People are often the hardest part! Talk about pressure! We get you, and we’ve got your back.
The reason we built Basecamp was because we had the exact same requirements you do. We worked for clients (and bosses and stakeholders and organizations…). They demanded the best from us, and we were paid to deliver for them. Before Basecamp we dropped balls, stuff slipped through the cracks, deadlines were missed, and communication was scattered in too many places. This is why we built Basecamp – we had to calm the chaos. We had to get organized. We had to stay on top of things. We had to reduce the anxiety. We had to get our shit together.
So we made the tool we always wanted. We’ve honed it and – with the help of hundreds of thousands of bits of feedback from customers along the way – shaped it and perfected it over a decade. Today’s version of Basecamp is the best we’ve ever made. If you’re nodding your head at anything written above, then we think you’ll absolutely love Basecamp.
2. Basecamp bundles everything you need together in one place
Any work you’re doing with any group of people requires a few things… You need a place to outline and divvy up the work that needs to be done. You need a place to discuss the work – sometimes quickly (chat), sometimes more carefully (topic-based, organized message threads). You need a place to keep decisions and feedback on the record so it’s official and visible to everyone you’re working with. You need a place to lay out key dates and deadlines. And you need a place to organize key assets, files, and documents so everyone knows where everything is and nothing gets lost.
Basecamp is not one of those things, it’s all of those things presented in the most straightforward way you’ve ever seen. When you use Basecamp you don’t have to use a handful of separate tools, all offered by different companies at different prices with different interfaces and apps and all that complexity. Basecamp is a one-stop-shop. Stop juggling tools and switching back and forth – start using Basecamp instead. We promise you won’t look back.
3. Basecamp gets used because it’s straightforward
Maybe you’ve tried a similar product before. Maybe you’ve tried a dozen. You’re probably here because those other ones weren’t working and you’re still struggling. That usually means that you had a hard time getting other people on board to use the tool you chose. Too complicated, too difficult, too fancy, too much or not enough.
It doesn’t matter what a product says it does – if no one uses it then it doesn’t do anything. Basecamp gets used. Over and over. By hundreds of thousands of teams across the world. And if you ask our customers – any one of them – you’ll likely hear the same thing: “Basecamp is easy! It just works!” And at the end of the day, that’s what wins. And that’s why we’re here, celebrating our 17th year in business in 2016.
4. Basecamp works with people’s patterns, not against them.
We’re thrilled that Basecamp has been adopted in all sorts of places that software is usually rejected. A key reason: Basecamp doesn’t demand adoption from anyone. It doesn’t require people to change their patterns or methods. You can go all-in with Basecamp – logging in, using the mobile apps, etc – while other people you’re working with can just reply to emails that Basecamp sends out. Anyone, no matter where they land on the spectrum of “I love using new tools” or “I don’t want to be bothered by something new” can get a ton of value out of Basecamp.
And what’s great is that you, the person who’s deciding to check out Basecamp, can introduce a product that works with people, not against people. After trying to implement other things that didn’t work, you’ll finally be the hero when people learn they don’t have to “adopt more software” – they can just respond to anything you send them via email and Basecamp will take care of the rest.
5. Basecamp leads to organization which leads to progress
You can make a mess when you work alone because you know your own messes. But the moment you pull multiple people together to work on something, you need to get organized. Shared spaces and common places require extra attention to organizational detail. When we all have different ways of working, knowing where everything is, who’s responsible for what, and when things are due is essential. It’s got to be organized and it’s got to be clear to everyone. Luckily there’s Basecamp.
Basecamp is organized by default. You can’t make a mess. Everything is tidy from the start, and stays tidy as you go. Discussions are organized into topic-based threads so you can always find them later. To-dos and tasks are neatly organized in lists that make sense. Docs and files live in folders that make sense to you. Everything that’s dated – no matter what it is – flows into the Schedule. When you use Basecamp everyone knows what they need to know, everyone knows where everything is, and nothing slips through the cracks.
6. Basecamp is flexible because every person and every project is different
People and projects move at different speeds. Sometimes quick back-and-forth informal chats are perfect. Other times you want to slow down, dig in, make a case, and present yourself more formally. Some people prefer email-style communication, others prefer more texting-style communication. Trying to force everyone to communicate the same way is like trying to fit everyone into the same size shoe. It’s not a good fit.
From group chat to instant messaging to traditional discussion threads, Basecamp lets everyone involved communicate any way they’d like.
7. Basecamp makes the past, present, and future of your work clear
Any chunk of work – a long project, a quick riff, a team huddling up about some ideas – has a past, present, and future. Basecamp lays these out clear for you to see. Knowing where you’ve been, knowing why you’re headed in a given direction, and seeing clearly what’s ahead is such an important part of delivering something great.
The past… With Basecamp you can keep chats, discussions, feedback, and decisions on the record. Basecamp automatically documents the who the who, the why, and the what around anything that’s discussed. This way you can always go back in time, revisit a decision, point it out to everyone who’s curious about how it was made, and remember the details you need to move forward.
The present… With Basecamp you can discuss things quickly, assign work instantly, set or adjust deadlines, keep things rolling, pass documents and files back and forth, track progress, and stay organized as you go. The present – the work that’s happening every day – is automatically documented, organized, and tidied up so you don’t leave a mess behind you as you move forward.
The future… Basecamp helps you lay out the future, know what’s left to do, see what remains, and plot the course to get it all done on time. If something’s falling behind, there’s a report for that. If you need to see what’s on someone’s plate, there’s a report for that. If you want to know if you’re adding more work than you’re completing, there’s a report for that. Getting from now to done is clearer when you use Basecamp.
How’s it read so far?
Brandon Donnelly
on 08 Oct 15I’d like to start by saying this is just an opinion, and I will not argue right or wrong here, only what I like personally.
While I agree with what is stated in the copy, and don’t know exactly how this will be presented (possibly on 1 page, or possibly broken up into sections on a page, or in a click through multiple page fashion) I feel that it’s too long for my liking. Also, I’m one for more of the quickly sell me that it’s magical, then prove it.
Example of the first section edited more to my liking which is less wordy, followed with a link to a video showing the magic.
1. Basecamp understands what you’re up against You’re in charge. Whatever you’re running, it’s on you to get it done. Pulling people together, communications, organization, making sense of feedback, sharing work, ensuring deadlines, and above all else delivering excellence. Talk about pressure! We get you, and we’ve got your back. The reason we built Basecamp was because we had the exact same PROBLEMS you do. We worked for clients (and bosses and stakeholders and organizations…). They demanded the best, and we were paid to deliver. Before Basecamp, stuff slipped through the cracks, deadlines were missed, and communication was scattered. We had to get our shit together! To calm the chaos, get organized, and reduce the anxiety, we made exactly what we needed and called it Basecamp. We’ve honed it and – with the help of hundreds of thousands pieces of feedback from customers – shaped it and perfected it over a decade. Today’s version of Basecamp is the best we’ve ever made. If you’re nodding your head so far, then we think you’ll absolutely love Basecamp.
Want to see the magic we’re talking about? Click here to see our video.
Above is what I would rather read. Now after editing it, I also think I would like it better if it was written from Jason in the first person. Instead of “we”, it should be “I.” I know that there are many people that make Basecamp, and that you probably don’t want to diminish your Employees roles, but it’s harder to connect with a group of people. Sometimes a person just “gets me.” Rarely, does a company or organization. So when you are talking about having someone’s back, a personal “I” is better in my opinion.
If each section was a little shorter in writing with a link to a video showing the magic being described in that section, I think it would be great in my eyes.
Rob Gowty
on 08 Oct 15The thing that stands out most for me is the amount of attention you have given to “those who refuse”. This is important because they are the hardest ones to bring on board, not the fans. They are the ones that can easily undermine the improvements that new processes can bring.
”...you probably don’t want to diminish your Employees roles” I wouldn’t want to, either.
Jason Fried
on 08 Oct 15Brandon – this is a secondary, deep-dive page on the site. It’s not the magic quick pitch. That’s handled elsewhere. This is for those want to go do deeper, those motivated to really learn more, etc.
Ted Pearlman
on 08 Oct 15The only word in the piece that doesn’t seem to fit your much-appreciated, jargon-free, plainly-conversational style: stakeholders.
George
on 09 Oct 15Way too wordy, dude. Just get to the point… I’ve got work to do.
You are trying to make it sound all sophisticated and fancy. The whole thing feels as if a college boy is trying to impress a girl or something. Bleh.Harsh? Probably. Just being honest for your sake. Not even a nice try in my opinion, because I expected something far better than this from Basecamp even for their first draft.
Patrick Foley
on 09 Oct 15I would lead with words that are about the customer, not about basecamp. Show me first that you know what I care about, and then … Ta da! Basecamp!
Mark Stanley
on 09 Oct 15There are some things that grate on my English ear, but firstly THANKS for sharing this – it is reassuring to know that everyone’s early efforts are a bit dodgy in parts! Here’s some thoughts for the edit:
Please don’t tell me my job is a “huge responsibility” or “talk about pressure” – I wear these things quietly and get on with the work.
The thing I love(d) about Basecamp is that it is NOT the star of the show, it sits quietly in the background, just working, just doing the stuff I and my teams need it for. It is just about everything we need and nothing more.
My fear after reading this is that new Basecamp is going to waddle in and demand attention rather than keeping out of the way and being awesome. I would like to be assured that you are keeping my very functional needs at heart and not trying to impress me with glitter and bangs.
Michael
on 09 Oct 15I like the content-first approach but I think visual context really matters here! As a long block of text, this is too heavy. But I know this is actually going to be broken up with illustrations and maybe the sections will have a table of contents at the top or even be broken into their own sub-pages. So, it’s hard to say how effective it really would be for me. As a 37s customer, I think the most effective page was the old Highrise one that took you through a bunch of features coupled with a screenshot. Just the screenshots would’ve been confusing, but just the text would have left me a bit skeptical. So I guess I’d hope to see glimpses of actual functionality coupled with the ‘why’ here.
I also see a lot of places where I prefer dropping or simplifying a word or phrase, but that’s something you’re good at, so I’ll leave them as an exercise for the writer. :)
Devan
on 10 Oct 15Whilst 95% of the words on there look like boilerplate sales text on every Saas app out there – the ONE line that leapt out and grabbed me completely was You can’t make a mess! (and not just because it was in bold). That is the one key thing that I struggle with. All the other stuff about ‘making it easier…’, ‘be more productive…’, ‘seamlessly integrate…’, ‘keep control of…’ etc. etc. is all fairly subjective and can be hard to prove in all cases.
But as someone who has witnessed and/or been involved in projects that have gone from neat and organised to utter chaos despite peoples best intentions, the prospect of having things ‘auto organised’ and (to a certain extent), self maintaining, is something that excites me.
Perhaps use that concept as a central theme?
David O.
on 10 Oct 15Bullets point 2-7 the copy & headlines are for the most part, stellar. Like Mark, I’m a bit put off by the first bullet point. In my case, it’s the “Basecamp understands what you’re up against” That’s just too broad of a statement for me & maybe others. My first impression is: oh really? you don’t know what I’m building so you don’t really know what I’m up against. But of course the immediate copy does a good job of generalizing all the logistical things every team has to accomplish, so even though you’re right it still feels wrong.
Otir
on 15 Oct 15I love it that you are sharing your work in progress. This, for me, is the best learning tool of all.
I like it that it shows that good copy starts with being too wordy, or too this or that.
I like it that it is a big chunk of too many words, because the final copy will probably speak to another side of me, the one that is going to become enthusiastic about it, while this copy speaks to the side of me that loves Basecamp already but would like it so much to be allowed to understand exactly what makes it so appealing and useful to me.
This copy shows that to get to the point, there are many iterations, many long walks and back and forth too. That it is taking effort and work, not an easy fix and a magical bullet.
Thank you for sharing. I loved it.
This discussion is closed.