Working with a Copywriter 2.0

Copywriter Basics:

Let’s begin answering the fundamental question: what is a copywriter?

Copywriters are advertising professionals who are hired to write the marketing literature and advertising initiatives. Expert copywriter Bob Bly likens copywriters to “sales executives behind the computer”.

What is “marketing literature”?

Marketing literature is the print ads, brochures, flyers etc used to promote a product, brand or message.

What are “advertising initiatives”?

Advertising initiatives refer to all the marketing and advertising campaigns and approaches. What is does is set the tone of marketing literature and advertising campaigns used to achieve a certain goal. This includes measures to take to ensure the campaign is a success. One measure to execute advertising initiatives is the production of marketing literature.

The best marketing literatures work in tandem with the overall advertising initiatives in shaping the clients’/customers’/prospects’ perspectives and perceptions towards your brand, product, company or category.

Marketing initiatives are more expensive than marketing literature and is more complex.

When do you need a copywriter?

Let’s face it: anybody can write anything. What sets copywriters apart from anybody else is the way copywriters write. They take into consideration the following factors, among others:

• Brand and image of the company/business/product
• Needs and wants of the prospects
• Matching language with the target prospects
• Matching language with the brand
• Ensuring consistency with other marketing literature/advertising initiatives
• Sensitivities of the target market and the community surrounding them

Simply put, the copywriter speaks to the familiar stranger called the “prospect” or “target market” aimed to help them decide why your product/services is the best solution for them.

In addition to that, good copywriters follow a certain pattern in their writing. The pattern is not meant to express the copywriter’s creativity. As a copywriter, I follow formulas used in the past that yields the results my clients want.

Remember: copywriters like me are hired to make the sale.

 

How to Communicate with a Copywriter 2.0?

The Internet has advanced communication to a higher level. For example, I have had the opportunity to write thousands of ringgit’s worth of marketing literature that yields millions of ringgit without ever meeting my clients! I have met one particular client once in April 2009, seven months after being engaged by them. This client still continues to engage my copywriting services today.

How do we communicate?

• Yahoo! Messenger
• Text messages
• Telephone calls
• Emails

But that list is not exhaustive! We have Skype, MSN, Facebook, YouTube among others!

Working with this Copywriter 2.0

Workflow

 

Here is basically what will happen:

1. You email me your project/job brief and budget.
2. I will reply my quote for your job.
3. If you accept, you will confirm by replying to the email and depositing 50% of the fees into my designated bank account.
4. Once I begin, your job will be assigned a job number and I will request from you the materials I need. Preferably, this is emailed to me with your brief.
5. You will receive the final output before the deadline to allow your input and review. You are entitled to two free rewrites*. Your invoice will be attached with this email. You are to pay the remainder 50% within the agreed period.
6. Once you are satisfied with the output, we close the job.

“Rewrites” refer to rewriting the copy in that format. You will be charged differently if you decide to change the format, e.g. from brochure to print ad.

If you decide to cancel the project, I will retain the 50% deposit as a kill fee. If I cancel the job prematurely, I will give you a full refund of that deposit.

 

What if my clients fail/refuse to pay?

I own the copyright to any and every intellectual property and work I produce for that client. These rights will be transferred to them once they have paid the full amount. Failure to pay amounts to an infringement of my copyright and legal actions may be initiated.

This copyright does not extend to the materials supplied by the client, but covers the research work conducted by me. It does not, also, cover what has already been copyrighted before.