How To Choose A Copywriter

Author: Alyice Edrich

Choosing the best copywriter for your business isn’t an easy choice. First there are the needs of your company, then your company budget, and finally, the expertise of the copywriter himself. Writing is a skill that is learned and perfected over time. It begins with the writer’s natural ability to craft words but improves when he willingly studies his field and applies what he has learned in the real world.

There are many types of writers: article writers, book writers, content writer, copy writers, essay writers, travel writers, news writers, and even copywriters. They are all writers, but they aren’t all “the right” writer for your business. Not everyone can write copy. Not everyone has the ability to sell others on your business, your service, or your products.

When looking for a copywriter for your business, you must put your business first—not the writer’s potential, not the writer’s friendship, and definitely not the writer’s fees—and to do that, you must ask yourself the following questions:

Are his fees within my budget?
Can he meet tight deadlines?
What’s the quality of work on his own site?
What’s the quality of the work on his client’s site(s)?
Has his writing improved over the years?
Do his previous clients believe he is reliable?
Will he agree to a signed contract that spells everything out in clear detail?
Does he ask questions to make sure he understands my needs?
Does he offer suggestions that complement my ideas and/or make it stronger?
If handed a bunch of notes, could he make sense of those notes?
Is he willing to make changes quickly and cheerfully?
Can he implement search engine optimization techniques and still make sense?
Can he write for an offline audience as well as an online audience?
When he speaks with me, do I feel important, inferior, or on the same playing field?
Is he a “yes” man or will he thoughtfully discuss why my thinking won't work and why?
Am I willing to work with this writer until he has an intimate familiarity with my business and its terminology?

Once you have a clear idea of what you’re looking for, it’s time to locate qualified candidates. You can find copywriters by asking colleagues for recommendations, by visiting forums that cater to writers, and by doing a search online for phrases like, “copywriter for hire” and “copywriter rates”.

Pick the top ten candidates, then commence with the interview process. Ask questions. Take notes. Review samples. Provide one or two scenarios and ask the copywriter to give off-the-cuff strategies he’d implement into your copy.

Narrow those candidates down to two, then pay each writer to work on one project, with the understanding that whomever comes up with the best work will receive an on-going business relationship with your company.

Once you’ve selected the final candidate it’s time to write a mutually beneficial contract and get it signed. Once the contract is signed by both parties, it’s time to get down to business. Give the copywriter enough background information to help him fully understand your needs.

Information such as:

Any published marketing materials
Interoffice company memos
Notes from business meetings
Technical letters and product specs
Your marketing plan

As your working relationship progresses make sure that you and your copywriter have the right “chemistry”. If you find your relationship is always tense or feel the writer is always on edge consider using another copywriter. After all, success comes from “teamwork.”