I’m often asked, especially by people who are hiring a copywriter for the first time, about how the process works and what I’ll need from them.
I’m always thrilled to hear these questions! They demonstrate that the client will be genuinely engaged in the job!
What do you need from me?
The answer to this question is a full copy brief. I’m not talking about a rambling 20-minute chat (although those are useful too) or a few rushed sentences. No, I’m talking about a full creative briefing that communicates everything the copywriter needs to know about your business and, more importantly, your customers.
If you’re not familiar with the concept, think of it as the wordy equivalent of taking a photo to the hairdresser!
Many clients assume that very experienced copywriters produce an entire website’s worth of content from virtually no information! While that does happen, it could and should be a far more involved, considered and collaborative process. Adding a briefing stage gives vital source information. The copywriter can analyse the information and ask additional questions. They can also detect the subtleties of why this business is different from its competitors and determine how the personalities behind the business contribute to its success (or otherwise). A brief brings some element of science to the creative process.
There’s an art to the briefing. I used to work in advertising agencies and know that many jobs lived and died based on the briefing quality that the account handlers gave to the creative teams. Or, to put it more bluntly, ‘rubbish in, rubbish out’.
Job briefing – an investment in your business
A good brief takes time to put together, but is worth it. It can be repurposed for other projects and help you communicate your business through other channels. Most importantly, a good brief will get you better content and probably a better ‘project experience’.
A good brief can:
- Lead to better content. Cues that engage browsers will be picked up, and your brand personality will come across as more potent and clear.
- Focus your attention on your business and your customers (asking questions you maybe hadn’t thought of before).
- Shorten the job, which is better for your project planning and budget, as many copywriters charge by time.
Questions that’ll make you think about your customers
Producing written briefs forces the client to think about their business and their customer. I often hear from my clients that, as well as educating me about their business, the briefing process has asked them some pretty searching questions of themselves!
It’s great to flush out the jargon. It also gives insight into the business’s emotion and the journey you hope to take your customers on.
So, how do you get it right?
How to brief a copywriter:
Tell your business story:
Why, when and how the business was formed. Where you operate and how. [Apart from telling the copywriter about your business, it’ll also need minimal input to develop this information into your ‘about’ page].
What your business offers:
Summarise your product – what you sell, what it does, how it works. What problems does it solve, and why should anyone choose it? [make this section full of keywords and key phrases and turn your features into benefits, e.g. our product is waterproof (feature), which means that it won’t get damaged in the rain (benefit)].
What’s the project? What will success look like to you?
What do you want to achieve and why? New customers and visitors to your website, shares of content, evidence of enhanced brand awareness, downloads of value-added material, engagement in Live Chat, press mentions?
Define your target audience:
Every business has at least one customer who ticks all the right boxes. You want more like them, so start by describing that person and then move on to the next type, and so on for all the product groups you offer. Be descriptive, make assumptions about their lifestyle, job, where they may live, what hobbies they have, and what their problems are.
What visual, verbal or written tone do you want to put across?
How the piece looks, sounds and represents your business is a critical part of your overall branding. A website landing page for a time-limited or fun offer will need a different tone of voice than your corporate annual report. Still, it should have sufficient cues and familiar references to show that it’s the same company.
How much, and by when?
Specify the budget and the timescale. Agree on realistic expectations for the delivery and cost of producing the copy, working in the time needed for approvals and any amendments. The copywriter’s fee is not purely based on the writing. It may need to allow for research, interviews, and sample pieces, as well as edits and alterations. Get everything agreed in advance, and preferably in writing.
Provide samples:
Hand over as much source material as you can – existing brochures, adverts, letters, links to websites (including your competitors). Examples of branding or wording that you particularly like or don’t like all give vital clues about what you’re aiming for.
Your job brief will help you find the right person to hire
If you can prepare this information before you start talking to the talent, you’ll quickly learn who ‘gets it’, and you can work with, and vice versa.
Your appointed copywriter will love you for it. They’ll use the time (that you’re paying for) to produce work that ‘nails the brief’, not waste time (that you’re paying for) fishing around with ‘ideas’ to determine what it is you need just in time for your budget to run out.
Nail that brief!
If you’re hiring a copywriter because you can’t or haven’t the time to write the content yourself, it pays to get the best job done possible. Like everything else, it starts with the right preparation.
Whatsit Doodah Writing makes the process as painless as possible with a pre-prepared briefing questionnaire for you to fill in (it’s clearly written for briefing a copywriter but can easily be adapted for use with any creative service).
For a free copy, email jo@whatsitdoodah.co.uk or use the contact form.
