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"You get out what you put in".
This is precisely why I send clients a detailed brief and chat through their answers before writing a word of copy.
Why? Because there is no point crafting words before knowing how to make them successful.
If we work together, expect me to send you a brief with the following questions:
If you've not written a brief like this before, these questions can seem a bit obscure, so I always write some prompts and explanations on the brief and I'm always happy to fill it in with clients over the phone so we can chat as we go.
Take a look at my website copywriting services if you want to know more about those, but for now, let's take a look at each section of the briefing document.
1. What do you do?
You might think this is obvious from your website or LinkedIn profile, but I’m not looking for your job description when I ask this question.
I'm looking for a simple yet descriptive sentence or two about what your business does.
Here are some examples:
An accountant might say “I help people manage their business accounts so they can be confident they’ve done everything above board”
A cheesemonger might say “I source incredible cheeses from around the country and sell them to customers from my shop in Royston”
A coach might say “I help people achieve their career goals by helping them define success and develop their skills”
Why do I need to know this?
I want to know the language you use to describe what you do. Often the answers I get help me to see glimpses of the motivation and passion that easily get lost in bland job titles.
It also helps me steer clear of jargon. Accessibility and comprehension are at the heart of good website copy, so I think it's good to start as we mean to go on.
2. What makes your business special?
What I'm digging around for here is "what makes your business stand out from the competition". Invariably one business is similar to another in the same industry, but there will often be something that sets you apart. For example:
A fresh food seller sells the same items as the grocer down the road. What makes them special is that they label each item on the shelf with its provenance and food miles so customers can make an informed choice.
A business consultant offers the same sort of advice as their competitors. What makes them special is that they're experts in keeping things simple.
When we work together I'll help ensure your answer is as single-minded as possible. This means we'll focus on what makes the biggest difference to your customer.
Why do I need to know this?
Copywriting is selling. To sell your business well, I need to know what sets it apart from its competitors. If I write compellingly about something generic to your industry, it risks benefiting your competitors rather than you. For that reason, I'll also ask you to tell me who your main competitors are and what you think is special about them too.
Another reason I include this question is that I love hearing how and why your business started, and why you're passionate about it. This information helps me inject more enthusiasm and personality into your copy.
3. Who does your business help?
Whether you work direct with consumers or businesses this question is crucial. And it's often trickier than it seems, especially if you offer a general service like mortgage advice or a coffee shop.
When I send my brief, I include a list of prompts to help you think broadly about this question; mindset, income, attitudes, personality, or stage of life. For business customers, it's good to think about their niche, staff, culture, mission etc.
The customer you help now might not be the one you want to help in the future. In that instance, I find it helpful to break this question down into two sections:
Who do you work with most often?
This is your core customer base - what defines the customers you work with most often.
2. Who do you want to work with more often?
You might want to work with more of the same customer making this easy to answer. But if your business goals have shifted and you’ve launched a new service as a result, you might want to target a different (or additional) customer.
Why do I need to know this?
Because it’s my job to climb inside the head of your customer.
When you hire a copywriter, you're not just hiring someone to write about your business. You're investing in words that will change your customer's behaviour. Behaviour that will benefit your business.
To do that I need to know what they care about, what problems they have, the solutions they need and the style of language they'll respond to.
4. What information are your customers looking for?
While the purpose of a website is primarily to convert visitors into buyers, it does need to be found by people in the first place. With such a high percentage of businesses found through web searches, the main structure of your website needs to be written with SEO in mind.
To do that, I need to know how your customers research your services. If this isn't your first SEO rodeo, then you might already have a list of keywords or phrases that I can work with.
If this IS your first SEO rodeo, then I offer a keyword research service as an add-on to my website copywriting services.
5. What are your business goals?
Why do I need to know your business goals when writing your copy? Surely I should be staying in my lane. You're not hiring me to run your business after all.
When I managed brands as a client, I was always clear with suppliers about our business goals. Why? Because everyone involved in the marketing of a business has a part to play in achieving those goals. Any marketing done in pursuit of something else is a bad investment.
When I deliver your copy, I'll always outline how my approach contributes to your business goals.
6. How do you want your customers to behave after reading your website copy?
Different pages of your website will have different objectives, and we can dig into this in more depth as we work together. But at this early stage, I'm just keen to know what action (or actions) you want readers to take to meet your business goals.
It might be “Sign up for my course”, “book a call”, “fill out my contact form”, “subscribe to my newsletter”, “pop into my store”….
Why do I need to know this?
Copy is a bit of a diva. It demands to know what its motivation is before it will perform. That’s because copy is designed to convert – its primary purpose is to make its reader do something. Without that it's just words.
7. How does your business speak?
You might have heard this referred to as “tone of voice” before but sometimes it's not a very helpful phrase.
For this question, think about how you talk to your customers. How would you describe your style of communication? Is it formal or chatty? Simple or detailed? Direct or nurturing?
Don't worry if you find this difficult. An important part of what I do is to research your business before I start writing. I'll consider how you present your business on social media and your existing website. This gives me an idea of how you communicate and what is authentic to you.
It might be that you don't have a distinct style of communication. If that's the case we can create one together.
Why do I need to know this?
The way your business speaks affects 2 things
how your business is perceived and
the impact your business has on your customer
By writing in a style that accurately represents your business and appeals to your customers, your website should attract quality leads. Leads who you want to work with and like what your business stands for.
Other things I like to know when I write your website copy
Other things I find helpful to know are:
What other marketing you're doing.
What do you love and hate about your current website (if you have one)?
Are there any websites you particularly love and why?
Is there anything you particularly want to see on your website?
Are you working with a designer or building it yourself?
Want to know more about my website copywriting process?
If you think you need someone to write your website copy, get in touch. I always start with a free half-hour chat, so you’ve nothing to lose.
Alternatively, take a look at my website writing services on my website.
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