If you’ve ever spent your days sifting through resumes, looking for that one needle-in-a haystack content writer who meets your needs in both skill and availability…
If you’ve spent hours rewriting off-brand content from one-off writers or an AI engine…
If you’ve ever wondered if there’s a better way, this article is for you.
The good news is, there’s a pathway to consistent, effective content—and it’s working consistently with a content partner. Building a strong, trusting relationship with a content partner will help you solidify and deepen your brand voice and produce content that generates results every time. And, while it may require a bit more initial effort than simply filling out a brief and sending it off, the payoff is enormous.
By putting in a little extra effort to build a relationship with your content partner initially, you can save yourself time, money, and a boatload of stress in the long run. Here are the key elements of successful content partner-client relationships, and how you can cultivate each one:
Shared goals.
Every piece of effective content begins with a clear goal. Perhaps the goal is to entice the reader to make a purchase, visit a website, or to teach a reader something new. A results-driven content writer takes their cue from this goal—and strategizes the most effective way to the intended outcome.
Now let’s zoom out. In a strong writer-client relationship, everyone is on the same page when it comes to content and marketing goals—on both micro and macro levels. For example, in the micro, a goal for a particular social post might be to encourage the reader to visit your website. In the macro, perhaps your company is trying to reach more prospects from a certain age demographic. Both of these goals will inform the strategy and writing of the post, which in turn leads to content that meets or even exceeds its intended impact.
Discussing your goals with your writer is a must. Whether it’s increasing brand awareness, driving conversions, or publishing thought leadership, a shared understanding of these objectives will guide the content strategy process to success.
This is why we begin every client relationship with an initial conversation to understand your story, delve into the specifics of your brand—Who is your audience? What differentiates you from competitors? What are your plans for the future?—and discover how our work fits into your larger goals.
Strong communication.
Any relationship expert will tell you that communication is the cornerstone of every effective relationship. For a strong content partner and client relationship, it is imperative that communication is open, honest, and effective.
To strengthen communication, implement regular check-ins with your team and be transparent about your expectations. This will ensure that work arrives on time and hits the mark. Of course, in a fast-paced environment schedules and content needs may change. When they do, be sure to communicate these changes to your content partner.
We encourage our clients to shoot us a quick email should any updates, changes, or new ideas come up that may inform our writing. We do the same if any questions arise on our end.
Clear processes for providing—and implementing—feedback.
Established systems for providing and implementing feedback keep content flowing smoothly.
To establish a process, set expectations on both ends. Decide how you’ll provide feedback. Will it be in the form of comments written in a shared document? A call? An email? Set a deadline for providing feedback to your partner that aligns with the final deadline for the piece, so that they have time to thoughtfully implement your feedback before the piece goes live. Consider consolidating feedback amongst your team before presenting it to your content writer to ensure that suggested edits are aligned—and your writer has a clear direction forward.
We always ask our clients to explain the why of their suggested edits. Understanding the why helps us strengthen our overall understanding of our partner’s brand. Constructive feedback like this allows us to avoid making similar errors in the future.
Consistency.
Building a foundation of mutual trust and respect is an ongoing process. This trust comes from consistency on both ends of the content writer-client relationship. On their end, your content writer will work to develop consistency and earn your trust by delivering on-time, on-strategy content that generates results. As a client, aim to establish consistency by providing clear, constructive feedback by your agreed-upon deadline, and don’t be afraid to reach out to your content partner should your needs or timeline change.
To further develop consistency, keep your content partner plugged in across all departments and channels of communication, so your writers can stay informed on company development, goals, and campaigns. This will help you keep your voice consistent and recognizable, and ensure that opportunities for joint campaigns and messaging don’t fall through the cracks.
Ready to build a content partnership that lasts?
At MarketSmiths, we produce high-performing copywriting for humans—and our human-centric approach extends to our relationships with our clients. Through open communication, tried-and-true processes, and a centralized strategic approach, we build the types of relationships that lead to consistently effective content.
MarketSmiths also runs Content CatalystTM, a cross-departmental content solution designed to help companies unify their brand voice while maximizing ROI. Contact the MarketSmiths team to get started today.
