If you haven’t worked with a copywriter before, you may have some questions including what will the experience be like? That’s why in this post I’m diving into my process and some common client questions. So you will have a better understanding of what to expect and can decide if we may be a good fit to work together.
The 5-Step Process
While each project is different and will be tailored to your specific needs and goals, I have developed a tried and tested process to ensure things run smoothly and you get the best results.
Step 1: Consultation Call
Before I start any project we get on a free consult call to help determine that we’re a good fit to work together.
Before the call, I’ll send you a pre-call questionnaire. This will cover things like
- Target audience and ideal clients
- Marketing focus
- Current or prior marketing tactics
- Short-term and long-term business goals
- Budget and timeline
I do this so I can put together recommendations tailored to you and we can make the most out of your call. My contact form also covers these questions so if you already filled that out, then you won’t receive the questionnaire.
You may already know what package or services you’re interested in or you may not. Either way, we talk about your unique goals and you’ll get to ask me any questions. We’ll review my initial recommendations for your business and by the end of the call if it sounds like we’re a good fit, we’ll have a game plan to move forward.
Step 2: Proposal and Terms
Based on our consultation I’ll send you a proposal outlining my services and our work together. There are typically two types of projects — one-time projects and ongoing monthly projects. The project type will determine how we get started.
One-Time Projects
One-time projects, as the name suggests are a one-time service. One example is my Website Overhaul package which includes a Website Consultation, Brand Voice Guide, and Website Copy.
You can either agree to one of my existing packages or I’ll put together a custom proposal for your specific needs. The proposal will outline the services, cost, and timeline of the project. Once the proposal is agreed upon you’ll receive an invoice for a 50% deposit to reserve your spot on my calendar and get started.
Monthly Work
Unlike a one-time project, monthly work are services that I provide to you on a monthly basis – like regular blog posts, emails, and social media captions.
If you’re interested in monthly work together instead of a one-off project I start with a test project, like a single blog post. This is to ensure that we’re both on the same page and happy working together before we commit to regular work together.
If all goes well with the test project and we’re ready to move forward with monthly work, you’ll receive a contract outlining terms to sign.
Step 3: Follow-up Questionnaire
Once the deposit is paid I’ll send you a follow-up questionnaire with all the information I need from you to get started. This will include anything not covered in the pre-call questionnaire and our initial consult. This questionnaire will be specific to your project but usually includes things like
- Your brand voice and personality
- Your mission statement
- What sets you apart from competitors
- More detail about your target audience
- Examples of other brands and copy you like
- More detail about your business, products, and services
This may sound like a lot but it’s vital information for me to have. The more information you give me upfront the better I can write copy that’s authentic to your brand while speaking directly to your audience.
Step 4: Write, write, write
Once I have all the info about your business that I need, I will get to work and start writing. I’ll confirm a timeline for when you can expect to receive your first draft and will have it ready for you by that date.
Of course, there’s a lot more to it than writing. All my copy includes:
- Professional Research - Including competitor research, subject research, customer research, and keyword research, so you know you’re in good hands
- Effective Search Engine Optimization (SEO) to increase your visibility in Google so more of your ideal clients can find you among the competition
- Strong Calls To Action (CTA) so you get more leads ready to book your services
- Expert formatting to keep readers engaged and interested in your content
- Professional editing so that copy is polished, professional, and free from typos
Step 5: Review and Revisions
When your copy is ready I’ll send you the first draft to review, along with your invoice. You can leave feedback and let me know your thoughts. It’s important to me that you love every word so you can share anything from general notes about the tone and feel to specific comments about word choice, sentence structure, and formatting.
Once you’ve shared your thoughts, I’ll work on any necessary edits. Again I’ll let you know when you can expect to have the revised draft ready. This will vary based on the scope of the project and the number of revisions and can be anywhere from a couple of days to a week or two.
I’ll let you know once your revisions are ready and you can share any final edits or feedback to ensure you’re completely happy with the final result.
Once your final draft is ready you’ll be able to implement the copy to your channels whether that means uploading it to your blog, website, email, or social platforms.
Common Client Questions
Now that you have a better idea of what it’s like working with me, here are some client questions I get a lot.
What is a Copywriter?
If you’re still wondering what a copywriter is and why you might need one check out my blog post on the subject for all the details!
Will you upload your copy on my website?
No. All my work is submitted to you via Google Docs and your team is responsible for uploading it to the backend of your website.
I do this because all web platforms are different and I’m not able to learn the ins and outs of each of my client's web platforms. My expertise is marketing and writing so I focus on what I do best!
Will you join our internal communication channels?
Unfortunately, I’m not able to join your Slack channel or other types of internal messaging programs. I work with a number of different clients at a time and if I were to join each of their respective platforms that would be too many for me to juggle.
To ensure my communication with you is as efficient as possible, I stick with email (and Zoom calls if included for your project) to ensure I can get back to you promptly within 1 business day.
What If I’m interested in both monthly work and a one-time service?
Yes, you can book monthly and one-time services at the same time. During your consultation, we discuss the services you can most benefit from. The order and timeline of those services will be clearly outlined in your proposal before we get started, so there are no surprises.
How do I leave feedback for copy edits and revisions?
The most effective way to leave feedback about your copy is directly on the Google Doc. You can do this as “comments,” feedback and notes about copy, or “suggestions,” proposed changes to the copy. Google Docs also has a voice notes feature if it’s easier for you to share your feedback verbally. Otherwise, you can share your thoughts via email too.
What is the average timeline for a copy project?
This will depend on the type of project. The timeline is discussed and agreed upon if not during our consultation, then in your proposal. Typically for a single blog post, my turnaround time is 1 week for the first draft. For a larger project like my Website Overhaul Package, the full timeline can be 4-8 weeks.
Your response time affects the overall project timeline so the sooner I receive your feedback the faster I can implement edits and changes to your copy. I request that you get back to me within one week of receiving the first draft of copy so we can keep your project rolling.
Let’s Get Started
If you want to revamp your brand messaging or take your marketing to the next level so you can target more of your ideal clients then I can help! To learn how your creative business can benefit from a copywriter, contact me to get started.