So Youve Decided to Hire a Freelance Copywriter - A Guide to the Collaboration Process

Whether you're an executive or a small business owner, chances are you will have to hire a writer somewhere along the line to create your marketing material. Here is some insight into the process, what is expected of you, and how to get the most out of your investment.

But before we start?

All your written background material please! Rather than set up a meeting, the most efficient way to get started is to send all previously written material to your writer. This includes brochures, business plans, press releases, articles, reports and whatever else you can find. The writer will then spend a few days to a week, depending on the assignment, taking a crash course on your business. Much like cramming for finals. Then?

Let the questions begin! (and there will be lots!)

You are the expert, so it's your job to fill in the blanks that the material doesn't cover. Some questions may seem redundant to you. But remember, in order to create strong selling copy, the writer must write with authority about your product or service. And specifics are where it's at.

Here are a few standard questions:

1. Who is your target audience? (age, income, gender)

2. What are the characteristics of your audience?

3. What is the tone of the piece? (friendly, formal, excited)

4. What are the features and benefits of your product or service?

5. Who is your competition?

Collaboration

The more open and communicative you are during the process, the better your copy will be. Hopefully your writer will have nailed down exactly what you envisioned on the first draft. But we're not mind readers! Business writing is still an art form and your writer's interpretation won't always be right on the mark (although hopefully close to it if they have any talent or listening skills). This is where revisions start. When going over the first draft together, it's best to be specific about what areas you need altered. An example of constructive feedback would be "I like this paragraph, but let's emphasize this benefit more". Or, "I want to change the tone of this section". By the second or third revision it should be 100%.

Trust your copywriter!

You may look at your copy and decide you could have written it yourself. Or you may want to take over half way through the process. After all, anyone can write - right? This is a common misconception. You are probably a fabulous salesperson out there with the customers. But the actual writing part is a different discipline. If you start playing around with a section here and a section there, you risk sabotaging the flow and structure your copywriter has toiled over to entice the reader into taking the desired action. Your writer will know which key words sell, how to write attention grabbing headlines and basically the difference between copy that sells and copy that sounds clever but is really just a load of hot air. And how will they have created such irresistibly, compelling copy? By lots of?

Brainstorming

Aah, that mysterious word that conjures up so many visions. Mostly, visions of your writer doing a whole lot of nothing. Except maybe, daydreaming. Yes, sitting around looking at pictures, reading, staring off into space, doodling on notepads, and making countless cups of coffee are part of brainstorming. But realize we're not just idly wasting time. There is a method to our madness. The actual writing is the last step of the process. First, we need time to digest all that new information we've just crammed into our heads. Then comes the concepting, sketching and arranging until finally it all gets typed into the computer and becomes the masterpiece that is your hard hitting, engaging sales copy.

Return on Investment

After the first project, your writer will have a pretty sound knowledge of your business. As you continue working together, they will become expert. The benefits of sticking with the same writer are obvious. Because they have invested the research time on the first project, you can simply call them up, explain the job and rely on them to create copy that clearly speaks with the 'voice' of your company. Not only that, but they will know how to present your features and benefits in the most appealing way to your audience. And most importantly, they will free up your time so you can get back to doing what you do best. The end result? More money for everyone. Happiness. And peace of mind.

Jenny Brown is a Vancouver based freelance copywriter. She helps large and small companies increase sales and look good by writing brochures, web content, sales letters, direct mail packages, ghost articles and more. Visit http://www.jennybrown.ca

---

Copywriter Rates, Getting The Facts Beforehand

Have you ever had the experience of hiring a freelance... Read More

Increase Freelance Sales With an Online Resume!

Freelancing is a competitive business, especially in today's fast-paced, e-focused... Read More

How to Hold Peoples Interest throughout those Long Copy Sales Letters

People tend to read your ads and sales letters in... Read More

Dont Be Satisfied With Your First Draft

Sometimes it's a struggle to figure out what's the best... Read More

A Quick Free n Easy Content Writing Course

I do not pretend that a one-stop shop solution to... Read More

Step One for Copywriters: Understand WHAT to Say

Find a passage of poorly written copy, and chances are... Read More

Writing Effective Sales Copy

Whether you run a home-based business or Microsoft, one thing... Read More

Copywriting and Your Five Senses

In its most basic form, copywriting is, among other things,... Read More

Working With a Freelance Editor

If you are interested in creating information products, you will... Read More

Traffics Nice... But Whos Driving?

In the competitive marketplace of the new millennium, the demand... Read More

Can 97% of Netpreneurs be Wrong?

Why Some People's Ads Almost Always Make MoneyDiscover the Master... Read More

The Lead: Sinking The Hook Into Your Prospect

You only have an instant to capture your prospect's attention.... Read More

Online Promotion Beats Traditional Ten-One

While traditional marketing can work for the book author or... Read More

The Secret to Drilling Down Deep in Your Target Market

Here's another drill ripped out of the Field Guide for... Read More

Some Important Tips On Proposals And Price

Here's a critically important copywriting technique I use when writing... Read More

Promote Your Business and Get Paid for Doing It!

How can you gain credibility and exposure for you and... Read More

7 Steps You MUST Take Before Writing a Word of Copy!

Copywriting ChecklistOkay, you know you have your product (or service)... Read More

The Biggest Mistake Copywriters Make

Most of the sales pieces people ask me to rewrite... Read More

How to Write a Sizzling Sales Letter, Part 1

When you sit down to write a sales letter to... Read More

Headline Writing Can Lead To Fortunes: Here Are The Basics Of Writing Headlines

Headlines attract attention. Headlines generate interest. The time spent writing... Read More

Copywriting Makeover: Making An Emotional Connection - Part 2 of 2

In part one of this article series we began looking... Read More

Getting Paid for Your Articles

If you've been writing web articles to help promote your... Read More

Progressive Headlines Guide Customers To Buy

Headlines are, without a doubt, one of the most important... Read More

Why You Should Write To Inform And Not To Sell

Advertising is key! Unfortunately most people waste their money on... Read More

How You Can Proofread Your Own Work

Putting out a high quality product is a given these... Read More

3 Tips For Writing Content That Will Make You Sales

Content is king. Without content your website is an empty... Read More

10 Tips for Tech-Writers

Tech-writing is a tricky business. It's not a very high... Read More

How To Write Headlines That Grab Your Prospects Attention

It doesn't matter if you're writing an article, a newspaper... Read More

Yale University Researchers Reveal The 12 Most Powerful Words In The Human Language...

In this article, I am going to reveal a dozen... Read More

7 Easy Tips on How to Improve Your Sales Letter Instantly

Would you like to get more sales from your online... Read More

Custom Writing Services: Market Overview

Market identification Custom writing services market is a sector of... Read More

Writing Online In Two Syllables or Less

About once a month I fly off somewhere to give... Read More

How To Be Creative

Network marketing is an art as much as it is... Read More