I recently celebrated my one-year anniversary as a full-time copywriter. The past year has been one long learning curve, giving me a perspective and appreciation for business owners that I previous did not have.
Since first hanging out my shingle back in August 2012, I have developed a relationship with several clients. I thought I’d list several advantages for developing a long-term relationship with a copywriter.
You get to know the copywriter
When you use the same copywriter for multiple projects, you have the chance to get to know how they work. My clients know, for instance, that I’ll often send emails early in the morning, usually before they’re even awake. I like doing this for a few reasons. First, I’m already up since my husband gets up between 2:00 – 3:00 AM for work.
But I also like to send early emails so they can see it at the beginning of their day. I work hard at turning around both projects and communication as quickly as possible because I know that I’m only one piece in someone’s marketing puzzle.
There are graphic designers putting my copy into printed or web format, web developers and designers, printers and trips to the post office. The sooner I can send in my part of the project, the quicker my client can check it off and move on to his next task.
This type of knowledge about me comes after working through a project or two. My clients also get to know my communication style and how I see things. I like to think of myself as someone who can offer concept development in addition to writing the copy. My clients learn that I’m an “idea person” and can bring up options and alternatives for marketing approaches that they haven’t considered.
The more a client gets to know me, the more they know that I’m here for them and totally committed toward exceeding their expectations for my services.
The copywriter gets to know you
This is so important. When a copywriter works with you long-term, she can anticipate your needs. For instance, one of my clients needs short, punchy copy. When I worked on my first project with him, I didn’t realize that. After a few revisions, I understood better what he was looking for.
The next project went faster. And the next. And the next.
When a copywriter understands your preferences, it significantly decreases the amount of time you have to spend “babysitting” a project. My clients have grown to trust me, knowing that once they give me a project, I can turn it around quickly with minimal direction from them.
I have a favorite client who simply makes my job easier. He pulls together all of the resources I need to write his copy, including buyer personas. Because he makes my work easier, I crank out the copy for him day or night. I give him extra attention and courtesy because he respects what I do.
The copywriter gets to know your business
I saved the best part for last. When you work long-term with a copywriter, they get to know your business. If your business doesn’t fall into one of their niche industries, they likely have invested a lot of time in learning about it.
When a copywriter knows your business, it means they keep up on the trends and new developments. You can rest assured that they’re pouring over industry reports probably well after you’ve had your dinner and retired for the evening.
Copywriters are research hounds. They have to be. If you saw my Evernote tabs, you’d be amazed. Both my laptop, my iPhone, and my Kindle are filled with books, articles, blogs, and websites devoted to my client’s industries.
This dedication pays off when your copywriter sits down to tap out your web copy, sell sheet, blog post, or any other piece of content marketing. My research into my client’s industry (and what the target market is saying) pays off when I start mapping out the message.
Bottom line: developing a relationship means building a relationship of trust. You know you can depend on a copywriter who has worked with you before and is committed to giving you the best she’s got. When you return that trust, you’ve essentially created a powerful ally for achieving success.
Nothing is better for a copywriter than knowing their copy helped bring conversions or generated new leads for a business’ sales team. And you rarely get those types of results outside of a long-term relationship.