5 Questions To Ask A Copywriter
When a potential client gets in touch with me, I have a number of questions for them. What kind of copy do they need? Have they done any messaging work before? Are they working with a graphic designer, photographer, tech troubleshooter, or SEO expert? Who are they trying to reach? And on and on. But I notice that most people don’t have many questions for me, probably because they simply don’t know what to ask. So here’s a little guidance! Here are 5 questions to ask a copywriter you might hire. (And how I answer them.)
Let’s dive in!
How would you describe the tone of your writing?
You’ve probably seen how they write—their writing is likely the reason you reached out in the first place. But if you haven’t, start with a little sleuthing.
Go to their website and pull up examples of work they’ve done for others. If you need web copy, find other websites they’ve written. Do the words on those sites resonate with you? Would a similar approach work for you? If you need them to write social media posts, check out their social platforms and posts they’ve written for other businesses or organizations (if they’re available). Do you like the way they write this content? Would their vibe fit with yours?
Once you’ve done this, ask them how they describe their work. Does their description resonate with you?
How I answer: My tone is clear and conversational. I thrive when I’m writing for nonprofit organizations, established small businesses, and focused independent entrepreneurs. I’m a squidge more formal/professional. I always strive for warmth.
Who have you worked with before?
Again, you can learn quite a bit before you reach out. Check out their website to find out who they’ve worked with. Do these businesses or organizations look similar to yours? Would you be quietly thrilled to have your logo show up next to these others on their website? Would you be an outlier in their collection of clients or would you fit right in?
Once you’ve done your homework, ask about their most successful partnerships. Which industries or types of clients are a particularly good match for them? Does their answer make you more excited to work with them, or less?
How I answer: I’ve worked with a wide range of businesses and organizations: independent makers (apothecary, jewelry), independent service providers (marketing, wellness coaching), small businesses (farms, home services, job recruiters), and nonprofits (local food and community services).
My most successful partnerships are with established entities. I partner best with folks who have been doing their work for at least five years because they’re the most clear about their messaging and the direction of their marketing.
How long will it take?
Before you start a web project or dive into monthly content creation, be sure you have a good idea about the timeline. How long will it take from day one until you have the final words in hand? Knowing how quickly they can take on and finish your project will help you coordinate with your web builder or designer and other creative professionals.
How I answer: It depends on the length of the project and on my schedule, but if I’m able to get to a three-page web project right away it takes about five weeks. The first week we negotiate the contract and have an initial phone meeting. Week two we have a messaging session. Week three I deliver the messaging report. Weeks four and five I write drafts and we edit pages. For my monthly contracts, we begin the month before the content goes live. In week one of each month we meet to talk about content. Week two I deliver drafts. Week three we edit. Week four we deliver it to the team who will get it ready for publication.
What’s your system?
Every marketing professional has a process for content creation. What is theirs? It’s important to see if they have a clear system (they should) and whether or not that system is a good fit for you or for the team that will be working with them.
Ask what platforms they use to deliver and edit drafts, how much time they allow for your part of the editing process, and how the team coordinates on meeting deadlines. If you’re looking for ongoing content, is strategy part of their package or do they just write what you ask them to? How do they keep track of ideas and help you plan content for upcoming months?
How I answer: I deliver a Messaging Report to my web clients after our initial session and use that report to generate copy for their web pages. I also schedule follow-up calls to make sure I have all the details in place for each page.
For my retainer clients, I have an initial strategy meeting in addition to the messaging session. At the strategy meeting, we brainstorm and plan topics that I gather in a Google Sheet that everyone can access. I deliver all copy in Google Docs. That’s where we do all the editing, too. I loop clients into these documents as Commenters, which means they can fully interact with the document (delete, add, insert comments, etc.) without deleting any of the original language. Once we’re done editing, I clean up the whole document and it’s theirs! If needed, we keep track of deadlines using Asana.
Once it’s done, will I own the copy? And can I change it?
Good things to know! Ask these nitty gritty questions before they deliver your finished product to you. In today’s digital world, it’s imperative that you know exactly what’s OK and what isn’t when it comes to sharing and using the work of your hired creative team.
How I answer: Yes, you own your copy once it’s delivered to you. It’s all yours! Can you change it? Well, would you change the colors on your logo, the layout of your brochure, or the placement of the social media buttons on your website without first checking in with the professionals who created them?
Sure, you can change your copy. But please don’t. Copywriters work closely with your team to get the copy just so before it goes out into the world. And by “just so” I mean that the words and phrasing are lovingly and carefully crafted to align with your messaging, resonate with your specific audience, fit the exact layout, and strike an emotional tone that’s designed to elevate your work. If you discover a minor error after your website is published, by all means get in there and fix it. But please don’t go replacing words, deleting headings, and moving paragraphs around. This will decrease the effectiveness of your copy.
And there are probably many more!
When you’re considering hiring a creative professional, get curious. Ask for references, dream up new questions, and be sure they’re the right one for you.
