As copywriters, we sometimes joke about being stuck in an endless loop of revisions (if we don’t laugh, we’ll cry?), but the truth is that the more a piece of copy gets rewritten, redefined and reworked, the easier it is to lose track of what we were trying to achieve in the first place.
So, how do you keep the fine-tuning to a minimum? Here’s a step-by-step guide that we follow to ensure an effective and on-target copywriting process.
Spoiler alert: It’s a little different from what you might be used to.
Step 1: Get to know the client, both on paper and in person.
When you join MarketSmiths as a new client, whether it’s for a one-time website project or to open an ongoing copy account, we begin by getting to know you better. We want to know what your goals are, your pain points, your tone and voice, your target audience—all the information we need to help us form an accurate and complete picture of your needs. This happens first on paper, then goes into more detail during a live kickoff session.
Side note: One of the biggest mistakes we see in the copy process is forgoing this all-important face-to-face huddle. The benefits of a thorough kickoff meeting are myriad, and you’ll see a big difference in your copywriting. Don’t skip it, and don’t skimp on it.
Step 2: Put together a strong copywriting team.
Most people consider writing a solo endeavor. Not us. We approach copywriting from a team standpoint, combining people with complementary strengths to form a more powerful whole. It’s an unusual business model, but it has worked well for us in a number of ways: First and foremost, a team of writers keeps the account running smoothly, even in the event of hot requests or work absences. Team members also hold each other accountable on deadlines, are great mutual resources for information and inspiration, and they aren’t afraid to call each other out on typos or off-brand messaging. Finally, pairing strategists with writers ensures the output is not only well-written, but always delivers on business objectives.
Step 3. Assign a single point of contact
While there’s a team working its magic in the background, you only have “official” communications with one point of contact. This streamlines operations, provides the opportunity to build a trusting (and focused) relationship, and eliminates contrasting feedback that can confuse stakeholders on both sides. In return, we ask for a single point of contact on your side, too.
Step 4. Deliver a prototype
We’ve all seen what happens when companies mass-manufacture products before working out the bugs. In order to ward off unpleasant surprises that require big fixes, we begin the writing process with a prototype—one page of a website, for example—to make sure the messaging, tone, and voice aligns with the overall goals and sparks additional thoughts or questions. From there, it’s much quicker and more effective for the copy team to expand the approved Version 1.0 to the remainder of the project.
Step 5. Perform quality assurance
Something else that’s unique to MarketSmiths is a rigorous, 35-point QC process that covers every aspect of what constitutes a successful piece of copy, from navigational ease to strategic positioning to momentum and affinity. If something is missing from the checklist, we fix it before you see it.
Working with a copy agency of record brings confidence, reassurance and a long-term partner who will learn to know exactly what you need—maybe even before you do.
