How to Get What You Need from Clients and Finish on Schedule

Ideally speaking, you write goals and checkpoints into your client contracts. When everyone stays on schedule and on track, you can earn your income in reasonable time periods and your clients can enjoy their finished products when they expect to. A contract will keep everyone involved accountable. Ideally speaking.

Problems arise when we don’t stay on track, but we all recognize that sometimes we don’t because we can’t. Slow paying clients, new or urgent assignments, and project delays due to slow client or vendor response can impact everyone you do business with.

As copywriters, we need to make it as easy as possible on clients to give us what we need, to do the jobs they hire us to do – and we need to do a great job. Everything we do goes into our portfolio and becomes our resume. Work done well now means work in the future. It’s gold for our reputations.

Clients love it when we’re ‘on our game.’ It inspires confidence, and makes their lives easier, too. So I thought I’d share some of the things that help me stay on track before, during, and after the agreement is signed:

• First, find out exactly what their goals are. If they’re vague, it’s not the end of the world, but a starting point. Ask questions to help them refine vague goals so that you’ll have a clear vision of how to proceed.
• Reiterate their goals to the best of your understanding in the contract so everything is on the table.
• Request timeline information to adhere to. Then ask yourself: Is the timeline requested by the client reasonable for my current work load?
• Make it clear that meeting the agreed upon timeline goals depends upon their response time. A delay can jeopardize the entire schedule.
• Leave room for revision – ALWAYS.
• If there’s a creative hang-up, write the copy a couple of different ways and give your client choices. If they like features and material from both, you’ll know how to incorporate the things that will make your client’s eyes shine. A second well-thought out piece is also a brilliant add-on sale for a writer, naturally using material in another helpful way.

Do you have criteria in place to help you crank out excellent copy for your business partners or clients? We’d love to hear about it, drop us a comment and share your insights with our readers!

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Revising or Rewriting – The Cost of Poor Communication

Contracting And Copywriting Are In My Blood

I’ve been associated with, around, and among contractors in every industry my whole life. It’s a lifestyle I know and understand well. I’ve watched industrial and residential contractors react to marketers and advertising for a long time. It’s one of the reasons I got into this business.

Yep, I was doin’ do-it-yourself marketing ANYWAY.

It’s a stubborn lot, and one of the reasons many go under or continue to live paycheck to paycheck. The do-it-yourself mentality is hard to overcome when a cost comparison between using a professional marketing company and an office staffer is made. Successful companies have had to learn to think big.

Often it’s easier for busy contractors to say, “Good enough” to their handwritten fliers, business cards, and website pages. They did it themselves, saved a dime, and it’ll work for now.

Not only that, but sales support does exist through companies that will brand their invoices and baseball caps. Many small contracting companies don’t realize:

• what other marketing options are available for them, or
• why they need those avenues.

It actually sounds a little silly to to some of them to think they should be helped with an ‘online strategy’. They already have a network.

I totally get it.

How do I know contractors can be stodgy about marketing?

My dad owns a plumbing company, several of my friends were building contractors, we all networked socially with electrical contractors and remodelers, and when my children were younger I had my own cleaning business for new residential construction and model homes.

Convincing some contractors that a poorly done direct mail or flier campaign is a waste of time is impossible if even 5 calls come in on a $25.00 paper investment. Often they  feel that sending MORE is the cure for a bad return. Odds are slim they’ll be convinced to try something new over the phone. Marketers are dreaded by the office staff and management of most companies because they don’t see the sense in paying for something they believe they can do themselves. I know that because I spent ALOT of time in those offices.

When my sister Shari started having me write small pieces and edit work for various other companies, I learned that my experience could bring some clarity to common misconceptions many small businesses have.

I love to write copy, or marketing material, for all sorts of businesses now. It’s not enough for me to just accept payment. I want to see that all the increased traffic resulted in conversions, or sales, for my clients. But I know that what I do isn’t the only factor when it comes to turning a ringing phone into a paying client:

• How that call is handled,
• how that company manages that client, and
• whether or not a follow up is done can make or break a small business.

But I’m here to tell ya, folks – copy matters. What you do with that copy matters, too. Here are 6 basic suggestions:

• Have your business profile set up in many locations, and share your blog links or landing pages wherever possible.
• Request reviews of your work from happy clients, and make those links easily found on your website and in your email correspondence.
• Use social media responsibly. That means time, reputation, and content management.
• Make sure your most prominent social media handles are located on your invoices and business cards.
• Direct your phone inquiries to additionally check out your blog, and to comment.

And the number one thing you can do is develop a relationship with your copywriter or marketing consultant. Make sure your position is understood, but don’t be resistant to demonstrative advice. A healthy relationship will ensure that you trust your marketer to know the business, understand your clients, pivot when necessary, and always have your best interest at heart.

Are you concerned about trusting a marketing company to help your business succeed? Do you believe they can and will, or do you think they take your money and run? If you would like to learn what options might be available for your business, send me an email with your questions or call me today. I’ll be happy to spend time with you to develop a plan for success that you can afford. I get it.