You have one of those amazing clients that not only provides a topic, but also provides specific examples to rewrite and reorganize. It makes your job easy when the client knows what they want, but are you going beyond the call of duty to make the content even better?
Two Brains are Better Than One in Freelance Copywriting
Your client has a direction in mind and posts instructions to get you on the same page. As a writer, you can either match that expectation as closely as possible or look for ways to push it further. You have to be careful here – you don’t want to change the intent of the assignment, but actually understanding the target audience and industry will make you invaluable in the freelance copywriting business.
When you add your own insight to the piece, you might be able to take it to a third dimension and create the kind of innovative content that isn’t on the competitor site. This might include combining your own personal experience, unusual sources or finding the untapped spin-off direction.
Getting to the Heart of the Matter
As you look for ways to make the content unique, you must consider what it is the client is trying to accomplish and who they are looking to reach. This means getting into the head of the company you are writing for and considering their brand as you craft content. It’s more important in my experience to see the direction the client wishes to go, than to get hung up on what they are telling you they want crafted for their article.
Again, you have to be careful here. Taking a slightly different direction must always be for the good of the client and the client will have to see it this way as well. If you are pulling the rug out from under the client’s feet, then you will create understandable frustration. If, however, you are able to present professional content that stands out from the competition, then you will likely have one very happy client.
It is important to consider what you are offering the audience that isn’t already out there. You want to make your client successful, so you will have to consider what their audience has access to and what they likely already know about the industry.
Finding the C-C-C-Courage to Adjust
Finally, it is important to communicate with the client. Don’t get so caught up into your own direction that you ignore the client’s instruction and always communicate clearly with the client. If you feel a different angle is called for, then you will need to communicate your line of thinking to your client so they don’t think you went out in left field on accident.
It takes courage to explore a new direction, but it also will likely take clear communication to keep the client on board. While you might not specifically say anything to a client when you add an extra point or two, you should let them know if you adjusted the angle slightly to fit their brand, audience or past content better. And, if you believe the article should go in an entirely different direction for any reason, you certainly need to reach out ahead of time and not surprise them with an un-requested direction.
Alethea M is a corporate blogging guru and freelance writer for WriterAccess. She loves pulling out interesting facts from article research to impress friends at dinner parties.
