A writing service is a great way for your organization to create content to increase your presence, build your brand and brand recognition, and become seen as a thought leader in your space – but only if that writing service produces what you need and does it well.
There are tons of writing services out there, but while some specialize, others (like us) take a broader approach. Some work with one writer, some work with teams, and – of course – the talent and experience of those writers varies. But getting the most from your writing service is a battle that goes well beyond initially selecting the service that you work with.
Of course it isn’t that your writing service doesn’t want to do well; odds are that it does. But there’s a dirty little truth: Success depends on more than the writer.
Playing to the Rules of Writing Service Workflow
With nearly any writing service, the workflow goes something like: company purchases service, service assigns job to writer, writer – in theory – jumps in and writes. However, the missing piece of that workflow all too often comes into play – and that piece is discovery. Some jobs are more straightforward than others; for example: “Here’s a URL – we need it rewritten so that it …” Most are not so straightforward. And that is where the client-writing relationship – and end result – becomes a bit trickier. At the basic level, the trick to getting more out of your writing service is to provide clarity upfront. The nitty gritty of it is a bit more detailed – so let’s talk about that. Here are our top five tips for getting more from your writing service.
1. Make It Specific
Let your writing service know exactly what you need. Are you looking for a website? How many pages? What is the site map or architecture? Where are the sourcing documents?
Need regular blog contributions? What are the specific topics and post ideas? Do you have a specific word count? How about mandatory inclusions or things that you specifically do not want to say?
The more detail that you provide upfront, the quicker the writer is able to start writing – and, importantly, writing exactly what it is that you are looking for.
And if you don’t know what you’re looking for, that’s OK! We’re here to help. That’s the beauty of BeezContent – we have a great team of writers, but we also work with marketing strategists, SEO strategists, PR pros, and more. Somewhere on our team, we have someone who can give guidance to shape your plan and requirements.
2. Set the Stage
Different companies have different target audiences and different brands – and since writing services develop materials for those particular elements, it’s important to set the stage before writing actually commences.
Before you work with a company for the first time, set the stage so the company knows who it is writing to. Include such things as your target audience profile, preferred writing tone, the main message that you want to convey, etc. Doing this upfront will save lots of time down the road while helping that writing service to get it right the first time.
3. Be Available
You know how we mentioned that writers will have questions if they don’t have the info they need? Well, sometimes we have questions even when we have all of the information. Like we said, writing services want to do well – so we ask questions to turn out better products. The quickest way to get your materials in hand and done well is to be available and open to answering those questions.
It sounds basic, but you’d be surprised…
4. Provide Feedback
If you’re working with a writing service for a one-hit wonder, it isn’t as big a thing (though feedback is always appreciated!), but if you’ll work with that service for additional materials, taking the time to provide feedback – and real feedback – is a crucial step of the process.
And we’re talking about more than a “great job.” We’re not looking for a pat on the back (though we’ll admit it – we love happy clients and we love hearing when you’re happy) – we’re looking for the dirt on what you like and what you don’t. Do you need a different tone? Do you not use serial commas? Need British English rather than American? These things may seem small, but by taking a few minutes to let us know about changes for the future, you’ll get a better product the next time around.
5. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
Not sure what you need? Do you want feedback on your strategy or approach? Have thoughts on where to head next, but want to run something by us before heading to SEO writing services? No sweat – we love taking your questions, because it helps us to better think through our own approaches while also building a better path for your specific organization. Which, of course, leads to a happier you. And a happier you makes a happier us. It’s very cyclical, you know … just ask.
All of this having been said, we know that getting the most from your writing service is about more than just being available and providing information – there are clearly plenty of things that the writing service itself needs to do. But rather than having us tell you what those things are, we’d love to hear from you.
Are there things your writing service has done that you loved? Things it hasn’t done that you wish it would? Share below – or if anonymity is important, drop us a line at info@beezcontent.com.