So you’re in the market for a copywriting partner. Congrats! You’re taking an important step toward workdays free from the constant grind of sourcing, vetting, and training new writers. You’re ready for a partnership that lasts—one that delivers growth-driving, action-inspiring words every time you need them.
But before you live in this exciting new reality, you have a bit more vetting to do. With so many agencies out there, finding the right partner can be challenging. Here are 7 things to look for in a content and copywriting partner:
1. A team-based approach
Collaboration is the key to creativity. In team-based content creation, multiple writers combine their expertise, build off each other’s ideas, and consider differing viewpoints as they conceive, compose, and revise their work. Just as iron sharpens iron, writers bring out the best in one another, collectively rising to a new standard with every business problem they tackle.
The result is content that’s stronger than anything produced by just one individual writer. Working with a copywriting partner that employs a team-based approach will help you procure content that doesn’t just hit the mark, but that goes above and beyond in terms of creativity. You end up with content that’s fresh, innovative, and exciting—not just to you, but to your growing audience.
2. Built-in quality control
Ask potential copywriting partners about their quality control (QC) process. What steps do they take to ensure copy is attention-grabbing, on-brand, and strategically aligned with your marketing goals? How can they ensure their words will connect with readers, inspire them to imagine new realities, and compel them to take action?
Don’t just ask if they edit, ask how they edit—and, moreover, how they shape a piece of writing so that it’s guaranteed to make an impact. A QC process that’s rigorously defined—and used uniformly across the board by each writer and strategist—will keep your voice consistent, your message clear, and your content performing as it should.
Furthermore, a thorough QC process will save you from making major edits or rewriting content yourself. Pieces will arrive virtually ready to be published—saving you time and stress, not to mention making you smile when they hit your inbox.
3. In-depth, strategic kickoffs
Each piece of content, no matter how short, should be working towards accomplishing a larger goal—capturing leads, inviting your audience to think in a new way, or driving traffic to an exciting new offering. At MarketSmiths, we refer to this quality as strategic alignment.
That’s why we schedule a kickoff call—an hour to an hour-and-a-half-long conversation—to delve into your company’s background, values, audience, inspirations, and broad marketing goals. This helps us understand your brand on a deeper level so that by the time we put pen to paper, we’re already crafting copy that’s delivering the right message, to the right person, at the right time.
Some copywriting partners may be okay with you just tossing a brief over the fence for them to get started on. But without taking the time to actually take aim together, you’ll likely end up with disjointed, ineffective content that’s bound to fall flat. That’s why starting a copywriting partnership with a strategic kickoff conversation is key for creating compelling copy that actually resonates with readers.
4. Expertise across multiple content types
Some writers and agencies are masters at specific types of content. They’re known solely for their excellent video scripts or witty social captions. But when you suddenly need a rush email that encompasses similar themes, the copy just doesn’t work—and you’re left scrambling for another resource, or left to rewrite it yourself.
Make sure you’re working with a copywriting partner that possesses experience in a variety of different formats—be it emails, e-books, sales decks, web copy, one-pagers, and more. The market moves faster than ever, and you’ll likely need to pivot early and often to produce the pieces necessary to drive your objectives forward. A versatile partner ensures you’re never in a pinch when your content needs inevitably shift and evolve.
5. Dedicated teams
You’d be amazed how many times we hear about marketers who don’t collaborate directly with their copywriters. Many agencies force clients to filter their input, questions, and feedback through a project manager, creative director, or some other intermediary—instead of providing immediate access to the person penning the words (who, incidentally, might be someone new with every project).
To us, this approach is all wrong. Having a dedicated team of writers you know by name brings so many benefits to the content creation process. Communication is seamless and your projects are always in the hands of people who understand your brand voice. Furthermore, you have the space to actually develop a rapport with your team, so they’ll begin to anticipate your feedback in advance, and the copy will be more effective. Over time, as the synergies within the relationship compound, so does the quality and power of the creative output.
So be sure to ask potential copywriting partners if they’ll be assigning you a dedicated team of writers and strategists—people who become experts on your brand as you develop a strong working relationship that lasts.
6. Writers on staff
If the copywriting partner you’re vetting doesn’t have writers on staff, they’re likely using freelancers, or other agencies, at a marked-up price. This is a problem because freelancers often come and go—setting you back to square one each time you land on a writer who truly gets your brand.
On the other hand, when writers are on staff, you get built-in consistency. For starters, writing becomes a daily practice: staffers continually hone their skills, sharpen their strategic chops, and refine their marketing and storytelling sensibilities. Furthermore, with a collaborative team of brand experts on staff, any time a beloved writer departs or takes a vacation, the quality of work remains high. It all adds up to a sturdier experience in every way.
7. Highly-vetted talent
Ask your potential copywriting partner how they vet their talent. What skills do they look for? What experience? Do they stop short at evaluating a portfolio, or do they dig deeper to uncover a writer’s approach? Do they have a knack for knowing raw talent when they see it and then giving it the space and resources to flourish? What tests do they administer to ensure the utmost quality?
Don’t settle. You want to work with writers and strategists who set high personal standards—and who are capable of delivering at a level that represents the pinnacle of the industry. At MarketSmiths, we test 15% of applicants—and accept under 1%. In short? Work with a copywriting partner that’s ultra-selective of their talent.
Looking for an exceptional copywriting partner? Look no further.
MarketSmiths runs Content Catalyst—the world’s first cross-departmental copywriting program. Powered by a team-based writing discipline, we deliver Copywriting for Humans® in a full range of formats across a breadth of industries, at scale and on-brand every time. Contact the MarketSmiths team to get started today.
