1. First I establish that you have at least a basic workable marketing strategy and I ask questions of you until I develop an understanding of how this specific piece fits into that strategy. Any marketing piece that is not part of a larger strategy is probably not going to accomplishyour goals, no matter how well the piece is written.
2. Frequently this marketing strategy does not yet exist, at which point I strongly encourage the client to consider investing in a few hours consulting services first, so we can get together to map out a strong strategy to accomplish their business goals.
3. Once the marketing strategy is developed, and you agree to it, and the first half of the copywriting fees are submitted, my next goal is to develop a solid understanding of both the product or service and the target audience. This may involve reading all of the existing marketing of the organization (trade journals, case studies, Internet research, etc.). A strong copywriting piece cannot be written without a strong grasp of the problems, concerns, and issues faced by the prospective buyers and an understanding of exactly how the product or service will solve that problem.
4. Once the target audience is fully understood, I identify two or three psychological triggers that can, and should, be “pulled” with the prospective buyers as they read the piece. I then gain your agreement before beginning writing. On smaller projects this is usually discussed early in our dialogue. I want you as the client to understand why I am taking the approach that I believe should be taken. This avoids misunderstandings down the line and in my experience works pretty well for all parties.
6. If revisions are requested by the client, those are performed as necessary to ensure the client’s complete satisfaction. I usually request that clients use the “track changes” feature found in Word to provide me with detailed feedback.
7. Depending on how the piece is used, there may be ongoing improvements being performed for split testing purposes, so you are continually offering stronger marketing pieces to the prospective buyers. These revisions will be provided on an agreed-upon schedule created during the initial marketing strategy development.
8. It is recommended that once a printed proof is obtained, or the development work is done, thatyou send a copy to me, so I can ensure that all of the right elements are in place and the piece has the overall look and feel that I had originally envisioned. If part of a larger package, I may make suggestions for improving the overall package and increasing “open” or response rates.
9. I follow up with you after enough time has elapsed for you to know the overall response rate or success of the piece and discuss ways to increase the response if necessary. In some cases, this is done at no cost to you, or this may become the starting point for a new project.