Comments on: When copywriting is NOT the answer

By: Rajendra Grewal

Rajendra Grewal — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 12:15:41 +0000

Extremely lucid analysis and trenchant conclusions.
Having been an adman, client, and now a communications consultant (with a bent for writing)
all the conditions described are prevalent at small and medium-sized companies.

By: Bad Language / How to make money writing for the web

Bad Language / How to make money writing for the web — Tue, 13 May 2008 13:39:33 +0000

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By: Bad Language / When to hire a consultant

Bad Language / When to hire a consultant — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 16:55:02 +0000

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By: Vikram Manghnani

Vikram Manghnani — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 11:39:14 +0000

Hi All,

Am overwhelmed after reading your views. Let me start my comment by patting Mathew’s back for categorising the “this job is in trouble” symptons. I run a copy boutique in India and it is surprising to know that free pitches are not just a nuisance out here. Hoping to comeback to you guys again with a solution to eradicate this problem!

By: Clare Lynch

Clare Lynch — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 14:38:09 +0000

Oh dear, I think I’m in the same situation with a client. No written brief despite several requests, and constantly shifting deadlines because the political situation at the organisation is always changing. They want me to put together a magazine and are expecting me to start writing it even thought I’ve not even managed to get them to tell me how many pages long they want it . . .

By: Laurence Vittes

Laurence Vittes — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 19:03:24 +0000

Your summary crystallized my experiences, also with companies and organizations large to small. The person I worked with at one extremely large client was unusually insightful into the process of coordinating all marketing activities so that they could serve the company’s goals. His most practical observation was that the expense of such operations, when done properly (i.e., the only way to do it), is almost always significantly underestimated. As a result, most proper operations are never funded, those that are under-funded fail, and only the few that are properly funded succeed. Sobering.

By: Sherrilynne Starkie

Sherrilynne Starkie — Fri, 02 Nov 2007 02:24:38 +0000

You’ve forgotten to mention the client that really only brought you in to tell his colleagues that he is, in fact, a brilliant writer. If you don’t back him up he just rewrites everything you do anyway. I am not fond of this client.

By: Linda

Linda — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 12:30:31 +0000

Yes I am nodding vigorously!
It has been a huge learning curve in terms of making sure everyone is clear what expectations are realistic.

Even on something as specific and potentially (or hopefully!) straightforward as working on copy for a brochure, it’s funny how this can change into the client wanting you to chuck in a few ideas about “branding” and design while you’re at it, and oh please can you tell them what the copy should be in the first place - all for a day of your time of course!

By: Toddie Downs

Toddie Downs — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 19:05:06 +0000

I feel your pain. I specialize at the moment in small business copywriting, particularly web site analysis and revision. Many of my clients have (understandably) tried to save a lot of money by having a friend or their wife’s brother design the website, but don’t have a good handle on the co-dependent nature of design/copy/SEO to bring traffic to the website. While I have working partnerships with people in these fields, those pieces often still get left out.

I also run into the situation you mentioned of having clients look at me, the copywriter, as the marketing expert. And while there is obviously some overlap, I do not have the metrics background to want to take that piece over.

There’s definitely something to be said for doing some pre-screening of potential clients to be certain the expectations are clear on both sides.

By: Matthew Stibbe

Matthew Stibbe — Wed, 31 Oct 2007 16:28:37 +0000

It’s revealing that so many of us (professional copywriters) recognise these symptoms.

Tom’s comments are particularly relevant. It’s very easy to fall into the trap of free pitching or doing unpaid extras simply to be agreeable.

It’s happened to me a couple of times: I’ve done free work for companies that have much bigger revenues than I do because they were a “small business” with a “limited budget.”