11 Things You MUST Know Before Hiring a Copywriter!
If you're considering hiring copywriting help for your next brochure, Web site, or marketing project. Congratulations! You should get great results if you hire a pro to do it right.
Many business owners and marketing professionals have valid concerns about letting an outsider develop their content. After all - it's your business, you know it best, and your image is critical. However, you're wrapped up in your business every day. A good copywriter can see your business in a new light, draw out the key benefits of your products and services, and communicate that excitement to your clients and prospects.
Working with a writer isn't a complicated ordeal, however it will benefit you tremendously to become familiar with how the relationship typically works and ways to help the process move along smoothly. So, here are my top 11 tips on how to choose and work with a copywriter:
A crucial factor in streamlining the writing process is determining the principal points you need to communicate - *before* you bring in a writer. Who is your target audience? What is your message? What is unique about your company? In what type of tone do you want to speak to your reader? What type of response do you ideally want the reader to make? Having this information agreed upon before you get a writer involved will save you unnecessary copy revisions and keep your costs down.
Yes, you've heard this all your life, but haste makes waste. Avoid hastily hiring a copywriter and dumping a rush job on her. Not only will you not have time to thoroughly check her experience and references, but, no matter how wonderfully talented she is, her first draft will not be 'fully cooked.' Most copywriters need time to let words and ideas simmer.
Most writers will request a few weeks to develop your copy, so set a realistic schedule to give the creative process ample time. Count on going through one or two revisions as your writer refines the piece's angle and conveys the key benefits of what you're promoting.
Let's say you need someone to re-energize the copy on your Web site. A freelancer who has only written magazine articles won't likely have the skills to create content for a dynamic Web site. She's probably not proficient at breaking-up copy into easily digestible bits, integrating hyperlinks that entice your users to take action, and keeping your end-user in mind to plan a friendly, easily-navigable site. She may be able to learn how, but you'll be paying for her slow ramp-up speed. Take time instead to find the right person - it will save you many headaches down the road.
'So you've never written for a _______ company before?' I've heard many prospects say. Don't worry. A writer's ability to write well for the medium is more important than her having prior experience in your industry.
Many writers are true generalists and write just as well for an edgy new media start-up as they do for a giant hospital network. They're very proficient at diving into your business, learning it inside and out, and churning out great prose to entice your target market. Now of course, if you're producing a technically oriented business-to-business Web site or marketing piece, you may want to hire a writer with experience in both your project's medium and your industry. If you find a good one, hold on tightly. You've struck gold!
All writers can show you samples of well-written material, but how do you know if they'll work to understand your communication needs, meet deadlines, and act professionally in front of clients? Any great copywriter should have an ample list of references that she can share with you. Be sure to contact at least two of them, and ask them about the writer's weaknesses as well as her strengths.
It amazes me how businesspeople will drop thousands of dollars on Web or print design and hesitate to spend half as much on great copy. Pictures and design enhance your message, but jeez folks ...the writing IS your message!
Good copywriting does not come cheaply - you'll find writers who charge anywhere from $50 - $150 per hour and up. You'll pay more for an experienced writer, one with a particular specialty, or one who's also a proficient editor. (Many writers are also great editors, but not all writers are editors, and vice versa.)
True writing pros will give you an agreement they've drawn up for you. However, you'll occasionally find yourself having to draft an agreement for the project. This doesn't have to be complex - a simple letter that you both sign should do fine. Be sure to include the project size, number of revisions included, timetable, and agreed fee (this can be a flat fee or hourly rate).
And don't forget to ask what's *not* included. For example, many writers charge extra for in-person meetings, research time, and weekend or rush work. You should also expect to pay an upfront retainer. Most writers charge one-third to one-half of the total project fee upfront, and many won't begin your project until they have the signed agreement and check in hand. And if you have sensitive or proprietary information, don't hesitate to have your writer sign a non-disclosure agreement.
I've often heard the story of a writer being hired for a large project, and the first thing she's asked to do is come in and interview several principals of the company. After several days of interviews, the writer is then handed the company's annual report, previous brochures, and marketing plan.
If this background info had been given up front, the client could have saved hours of time and money! At the beginning of your project, pass on any and all previous brochures or sales kits, direct mail, Web site URLs, annual reports, research results, or business or marketing plans.
Appoint one person at your company as project captain. If you allow too many people in your organization to work with the writer directly, each of them will likely have a different opinion of the copy and request different edits from your writer. She may be forced to make many unnecessary revisions, adding time and cost to your project.
If you need to involve multiple reviewers in the process, have your project captain handle the internal reviews and edits and decide which ones supercede others. Then give your writer one master copy that includes all edits to be made. Also, be sure to involve your final decision maker early on, be it your CEO or board of directors. This gives your writer clear direction and avoids costly revisions down the road.
Although copywriters have egos of steel and are accustomed to criticism, make yours helpful for best results. 'This paragraph just doesn't work' isn't as effective as 'What we need to do here is stress the benefits of the non-skid surface.' Also, tell her what parts you *do* like, so she can emulate them elsewhere. And of course, everyone loves to know when they've done a good job. If you like her work, be sure to share that with her!
You need to feel comfortable with your writer in order to work effectively together. Take the time to find a great copywriter whom you truly like and develop a good working relationship together. You'll get top-quality work that will help your business thrive. And you'll have a skilled and knowledgeable copywriter on call for your next communications effort.
(c) 2000-2003 Alexandria K. Brown. All rights reserved.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alexandria K. Brown, "The E-zine Queen," is author of the award-winning manual, "Boost Business With Your Own E-zine." To learn more about her book and sign up for more FREE tips like these, visit her site at http://EzineQueenTutorial.com/
 Google News Updated : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:51:44 GMT Billionaires Back Antismoking Effort - New York Times
New York Times - Bill Gates and New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced their antismoking initiative on Wednesday in New York. By DONALD G. MCNEIL JR Bill Gates and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg announced on Wednesday that they would spend $500 million to stop ... Video: Gates, Bloomberg Pool Riches to Fight Smoking The $500 million war on smoking Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:23:48 GMT Favre's heir? With backing from mates, Rodgers waits patiently - USA Today
USA Today - By Matt Ludtke, AP By Larry Weisman, USA TODAY He no longer sounds like a retired player after seemingly passing on the opportunity to lead a talent-laden Packers squad. Video: The Rift Between Favre and the Packers Finding new home for Brett Favre won't be easy Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:06:18 GMT Rapper 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over ad - New York Daily News
New York Daily News - BY THOMAS ZAMBITO The rapper - real name Curtis Jackson - is suing the fast-food chain for using his hip-hop persona to tout its tacos. 50 Cent sues Taco Bell over ad campaign Rapper 50 Cent says Taco Bell stole his endorsement Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:15:09 GMT Christian Bale's lady sidekick: Sibi Bale - Los Angeles Times
Los Angeles Times - Like the Dark Knight/Bruce Wayne, Christian Bale is a real-life man of mystery. Averse to personal publicity, he is well-known for not wanting to discuss his private life. Christian Bale, Wife "Solid" at Knight's Spain Premiere Bale's family feud led to scuffle Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 02:10:31 GMT Zimbabwe Parties May Sign Unity Deal Soon, Business Day Reports - Bloomberg
Bloomberg - By Carli Lourens July 24 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe's ruling and opposition parties may sign a power-sharing agreement soon as they have already agreed on a wide range of issues, Business Day reported, citing people it didn't identify. Fearsome Zimbabwe militias are afraid Delayed Zimbabwe Power-Sharing Talks Seen Beginning Thursday Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:23:06 GMT Discovery may boost statin safety - BBC News
BBC News - Scientists have pinpointed a gene mutation as a major cause of a rare side effect of the cholesterol-lowering drugs statins. They hope the discovery could lead to a simple test to identify patients at increased risk of myopathy - severe muscle pain and ... Gene May Predict Cholesterol-Lowering Drug Risk, Study Says Genetic Cause of Statin-Related Muscle Pain Found Publ.Date : Wed, 23 Jul 2008 23:14:24 GMT Karadzic lived the good life with wine, song - Reuters
Reuters - By Ivana Sekularac BELGRADE (Reuters) - Radovan Karadzic lived the good life while hiding from justice for 11 years: he watched his diet, fell in love and hung out in a small bar where hardliners gathered to sing about his wartime exploits. Video: Karadzic's arrest sparks clashes - 23 Jul 08 Karadzic's secret life enthralls his fellow Serbs Publ.Date : Thu, 24 Jul 2008 04:05:33 GMT Amazon Content |
PARLOT::Ebooks, Scripts,
Websites, and more... If you write copy you need a swipe file. A... Read More It's a common approach to writing copy. You begin by... Read More Content is king. Without content your website is an empty... Read More All the world's a story. Video games have storylines; newspapers... Read More Imagine a bland, colorless existence. Where food had no taste,... Read More Writing a killer headline for your copy is simple! You... Read More Where can you find out about freelance technical writing pay?... Read More You've done it. Gotten that press release written. Now you're... Read More I went to Google and entered a couple of different... Read More Freelance writers are a strange group of people when it... Read More Writing copy has sometimes been compared to an "art." While... Read More From time to time you will be faced with an... Read More One of the biggest challenges a copywriter faces is to... Read More At times, it can be frustrating to find freelance business... Read More You've probably seen web sites with testimonials - they can... Read More Anglers in Maine catch trout using dry flies with barbless... Read More Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the... Read More Each weekday during my Red Hot Copywriting Bootcamp, attendees (or... Read More Now that your website is up and running, it's time... Read More About 50 years ago, movie serials kept theater crowds coming... Read More Thinking of hiring a staff writer? Think again. Below, I... Read More The single most important element of your website's copy is... Read More Many small businesses fail because their owners don't pay enough... Read More Here's another drill ripped out of the Field Guide for... Read More When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip off... Read More
Adsense
websites
Crank Out More Articles More Often With An Article Swipe File
Are You Asking the Right Questions in Your Copy?
3 Tips For Writing Content That Will Make You Sales
Three Steps To Pump Up The Drama In Your Copy
Copywriting: Engage Prospects By Involving Their Senses
Write Hard-Hitting Headlines With Magic Words That Sell
Freelance Technical Writers - How Much Are You Worth?
Are You Making These Press Release Mistakes?
Tomorrow?s Clichés Today
Freelance Writers: Double Your Income
Do You Make These 5 Mistakes When Writing Sales Copy?
Freelance Copywriting Advice #1: Take the Scary Jobs
Copywriting FAQs
Freelance Business Writers - How To Get The Best From Your Writer
Should You Use Testimonials When You Create A Web Site?
Hook Your Direct Mail Sales Letter Readers With Good Transition Sentences
How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting
Copywriting Goldmine: One of 20 Insider Secrets to Great Copywriting
Writing Tips for Your Website
How Cliffhanger Paragraphs Capture Readers
8 Reasons to Outsource Your Copywriting
3 Tips For Writing Better Headlines
Writing Great Website Sales Copy
The Secret to Drilling Down Deep in Your Target Market
Dissolving Buyer Scepticisim ... A Lesson In Copywriting
Affordable and Reliable Web Hosting Starting at $4.49/Month
Some Copy Tips From An Old Hand
I have been in the ad game for a long,... Read More
Four Things Every Web Site Headline Must Do
As you know, I'm constantly making the point that the... Read More
Long Copy versus Short Copy
When I show some people my advertisements, I sometimes get... Read More
How To Find Freelance Copywriting Jobs
Your goal is to land a few nice, secure freelance... Read More
8 Tips for Writing Headlines that Grab Attention (and Keep Prospects Reading!)
Effective headlines make all the difference in whether your prospect... Read More
Finding Your Clients Business Problem Leads to Better Copy
WHAT'S THEIR PROBLEM?How do you begin a dialogue with a... Read More
12 Copywriting Tips to Make Your Advertising More Profitable
Year after year people make the same mistakes in direct-response... Read More
How to Write Adverts that Forces People to Respond
Think for a moment some day and consider the kind... Read More
Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less
About once a month I fly off somewhere to give... Read More
How To Get Started With A Career In Copywriting
Careers in copywriting are booming. Could it be that the... Read More
Freelance Writers: Double Your Income
Freelance writers are a strange group of people when it... Read More
Hooks, Lines & Sinkers
Hands up if the title to this article made you... Read More
Can 97% of Netpreneurs be Wrong?
Why Some People's Ads Almost Always Make MoneyDiscover the Master... Read More
Does Your Copy Look Fake To the Search Engines?
From the early days of search engine optimization, keywords and... Read More
How to Develop a Killer News Hook
When you are going to write a press release probably... Read More
A Writers Secrets
Every person has secrets that only he or she knows,... Read More
Tomorrow?s Clichés Today
I went to Google and entered a couple of different... Read More
Freelancers Can Jump-Start Your Publicity Initiative
If you find that your progress is blocked by a... Read More
How To Become Qualified As A Proofreader
The field of proofreading is not as easy to get... Read More
Copywriter Rates, Getting The Facts Beforehand
Have you ever had the experience of hiring a freelance... Read More
Boost Your Conversion Rate In Three Steps
When I critique, edit or rewrite sales copy, I discover... Read More
Top 3 Rules for Writing Effective Copy
One thing all successful Internet marketers have in common is... Read More
Dissolving Buyer Scepticisim ... A Lesson In Copywriting
When making a purchasing decision, people have their "rip off... Read More
To Start Making Cash from Your Online Writing, You Must Draw Blood First
Writers write just like painters, paint on canvas. This is... Read More
How To Write An Effective Ad
A letter or postcard allows you to "talk" one-on-one to... Read More
Copywriting |