It’s not uncommon for a freelance copywriter to refuse a writing test, on the grounds of “you should trust me.” Here’s why you shouldn’t…
You’re running a business. You have a message to get across and a brand to build. So you need to find a copywriter who can write knockout stuff for your website, blogs, emails and marketing campaigns. Where do you start?
Naturally, you want to find a “good” writer who can grasp your brand and turn it into dazzling prose. They have to be more than a wordsmith. You’re looking for someone who is witty, adaptable, open to criticism, and very, very, VERY tuned-in to your demographic.
Before you invest in hiring a copywriter, you should be able to give them a test without any stamped feet. After all, you’re not testing their ability to know “there” from “their” (although if that does happen, consider it a major red flag), but you want to know how well they can adopt your brand.
You can be the best writer in the world and be utterly clueless about your fitness food demographic, or your heavily-restricted financial language. What you need to find is not just a good writer, but the right writer for your business. Doesn’t sound so easy now, does it?
So, a test is advised. And yes, that’s coming from a copywriter.
Good copywriters will understand
A decent writer who has experience working with brands will understand why you are wanting to test them. You’re not checking if they can put a sentence together – the chances are they can. What you’re checking is how well they can write for your demographic, how well they can adopt your tone of voice, and how well they can, ultimately, improve your website traffic and sales.
Also there’s no shortage of writers these days, the chances are you can afford to choose a copywriter who is willing to cooperate with you properly rather than one that insists you should automatically trust them without evidence.
How to know a copywriter is right for your business
Again, you’re not checking that they can use English properly, you’re checking if they can write in the style you need. Here are a few ideas on how to do it – and how to sift out the ideal copywriter for your company.
An onsite blog
Give them a headline with absolutely no other information. Nothing about word count, or linking, or subheadings. Just let them go and do it. With research they should be able to mimic your tone of voice and come up with something which is actually usable in real life.
A customer email
Depending on the sort of business you run, this could be anything from a special offer to a monthly marketing email. Ask them for subject lines, preview texts and an email – this will really help you to see if they have researched your brand.
Demo social media posts
As above, research on the writer’s side should result in a matched tone of voice and an understanding of your audience. You might be surprised by some fresh ideas for social media engagement, and you’ll see if they can adapt to different platforms.
Need a copywriter?
If you’re looking for a copywriter, feel free to take a look at what services are provided here. Or just get in touch for a (free) chat.
