How to give feedback to your copywriter
Something super practical for you today!
When you invest in something, with time or money or both, you want to make sure you get the best return. So what happens when you've outsourced your copywriting to someone? You've given them a clear brief, set out your aims and objectives and furnished them with your tone of voice guidelines.
What comes next? Feedback.
Ahhh feedback. The trickiest part of any client-copywriter relationship.
What happens if there are bits you want to change? What if you'd like the tone to be friendlier, more professional, or a smidge lighter? What if something in the business has altered since the brief was given and the copy submitted?
Here's your quick-fire guide on giving feedback to your copywriter, so you achieve the best outcome as efficiently as possible.
How to give feedback to your copywriter
Read the piece
Make notes, either in the margins or on a separate document
Sit down with your copywriter on the phone, or face-to-face when COVID allows! Talk through your comments and explain what you thought worked and what you're not sure on
Your copywriter can acknowledge your points and take them on board, or challenge them as necessary. A copywriter's job is to fulfil the brief and help the business fulfil its commercial aims; they're practiced in the art of what they do, so don't be surprised or perturbed if your copywriter questions feedback. They're working to keep the project at its best
Having been through this process hundreds of times, I can say with confidence that it's straightforward, painless and fast.
For a regular blog post, this process should take 5-10 minutes. For landing pages or websites, case studies or eBooks, a little longer. But honestly, even with those longer pieces of content, if you follow the process above, it takes minutes rather than hours. Providing, of course, that the original brief was clear and agreed by all parties. But that's another post for another time!
The alternative
You spend ages re-writing the copy in a new document
Your copywriter tries to infer the nuance of what you mean from the written word, without the rich context of a conversation, and does their best to 'polish' what has been supplied
The piece ends up as a mish-mash of two voices and, ultimately, suffers
There you have it!
Save yourself time, get the most from your copywriter and perfect your content output to boot.
I hope this hands-on guide has been useful. Have a wonderful weekend and remember…
Your words matter,
Laura
The Weekly Writing Reflection
Welcome!
Each week I share an inspirational quote and a writing prompt. The idea is for you to spend a moment doing some active reflection through writing.
Here’s your quote for this week:
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.”
Socrates
And your writing prompt:
I am building…
Thanks to Sarah for the quote inspiration! ;)