Hello!

Welcome to the January GOT COPY? newsletter! My apologies for the late issue (blame holidays and project deadlines).

A couple of notes:
(1) Excite @ Home Internet service is transitioning to Cox Communications, so note my new contact info at the bottom.

(2) If your e-address is also changing, please send me your new one using the "CHANGE ADDRESS" link at the end.

(3) The first two issues of GOT COPY? are now archived here.

Enjoy your day,
~ Stevie Ann Rinehart, Independent Copywriter

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GOT COPY? - Issue 3 - January 2002

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IN THIS ISSUE:
(1) AT ISSUE: Hiring (and Getting Hired As) a Copywriter
(2) MARKETING/WRITING TIP: Making Your Signature Work
(3) RECOMMENDED WEB SITE: WordBiz.com
(4) UPCOMING ISSUE
(5) NECESSARY BLURBS

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(1) AT ISSUE: Hiring (and Getting Hired As) a Copywriter
Some of you have written to me saying you're new to the copywriting field (whether as a copywriter or an employer) and would like advice on the hiring process. Here are a few things to look for on both sides of the desk, whether the situation is for freelance or full-time copywriting work. These don't take into account every possible factor, and your own experiences may not follow each exact step, but they form a general outline to better help you.

PROJECT SPECIFICS
--> Employers:
Provide the copywriter with as much information as possible about the company, the project's goal, audience, medium, call-to-action, and intended use. Every bit will help them provide you with the best copy possible.

--> Writers:
Get project specifics like those listed above. Ask how much information the client will provide versus how much you'll have to seek out on your own. This will help you to determine how to meet the client's expectations, how to frame your copy, and how to set your fee.

SAMPLES & REFERENCES
--> Employers:
Ask to see samples. Choose a writer whose style you like with experience in your industry, if possible. They will already know the nuances and lingo. If a writer has not worked in your industry, but you like their style and are willing to educate a little, they may ramp up quickly.

Also inquire about references. Get feedback from current or past clients about the copywriter's ability to grasp industry jargon, satisfy expectations, and meet deadlines. I wouldn't advise asking a client how much they paid for a piece - every project is different and you don't know if special circumstances applied.

--> Writers:
Show current samples pertinent to the client's industry and the medium in which the project will be completed.

Ask to view samples of the company's collateral, especially if you're to follow a certain tone.

Request references from other freelancers, consultants, or partner companies. Check things like reputation, what they're like to work with, and payment practices. For a small fee, firms like Dun & Bradstreet will provide basic information on a company such as credit risk and sales trends. Also check the Better Business Bureau if in doubt.

BUDGET & FEE
--> Employers:
Get the best copywriter you can afford who has the style and experience you're looking for. Words are the element that will most motivate your audience to perform your call-to-action so this isn't where you want to skimp.

--> Writers:
Be prepared to explain your fee to the client. You may have to educate them about the amount of work and expertise that goes into a project to justify your fee.

PROPOSAL, CONTRACT & RIGHTS
--> Employers:
Tell the copywriter what rights to the copy you intend to seek - one-time North American rights for print collateral only, or full copyright, or some variation in between. Be prepared to pay for what you want.

The creative community frowns upon "work-for-hire" contracts. Legally, this prevents the copywriter from claiming that they authored a piece and from displaying it in their portfolio. This is harmful to a copywriter's ability to secure future projects and gain extra income if they can't show their work or control its use.

Openly discuss alternatives to this such as granting (in writing) authorship and portfolio display rights (at a minimum). Discuss these options with a lawyer.

--> Writers:
Create a proposal and submit it to the client. (This happens before any contract is signed.) Reiterate the project specifics to show you understand them, propose your solution to their project, and include your fee (complete with each major component itemized, if necessary). Plenty of Web sites show you how to do this.

If the client is providing the contract, read everything carefully. Run it by a lawyer for review, if possible.

Ask who seeks to own the rights to the work. Be careful not to sign away all your rights unless you're being adequately compensated for it.

If you don't agree to the terms, let the client know so you can work out an alternate arrangement. Seek out the advice of a lawyer or go to a site like Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts or the National Writers Union to get basic legal information and updates (this doesn't replace a lawyer).

ONE LAST NOTE...
By all means, provide any requested information unless it's a trade secret or information that doesn't pertain to the project. Be clear on expectations, deadlines, payment structure, and who is responsible for what task. When this happens, things go more smoothly, work is better, and there's potential for repeat business.

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(2) MARKETING/WRITING TIP: Making Your Signature Work
Are you making the most of your email signature? If not, you're wasting a very prominent marketing tool.

I'm sure you've seen email signatures (or signature files as they're also known) that consist only of static information like name, company, title, address, phone numbers, fax number, email address, and URL. Boring!

What does YOUR signature look like? Does it include your company's current promotion effort? Does it state your unique selling proposition?

Take a look at mine:

-------------------------------------------------
  Stevie Ann Rinehart - Independent Copywriter
  FREE Copywriting E-newsletter! Click:
  mailto:gotcopy@cox.net?subject=SUBSCRIBE_sig
  602.391.9536
  gotcopy@cox.net
  http://members.cox.net/gotcopy
-------------------------------------------------

Notice that I included the following items:

  Name - Title
  Promotion
  Email link to subscribe to promotion
  One phone number
  Email address
  URL

I could have used other information, but this works for me for my purposes. Think about what you would include in yours based upon your own business needs and activities.

I've called attention to my signature by indenting and using dashes to give it a frame effect. This makes it easier to find information when searching email threads. However, be careful not to look amateurish by using fancy symbols or excessive punctuation marks.

For plain-text signatures, limit your line length to 55-64 characters if you have a lot of information for each line (assuming 10-point Courier type). Beyond that, many email programs will wrap the text and it will look jagged. Also, put links on separate lines in case your email program duplicates your links (making one active and the other inactive) so it doesn't look cluttered.

It's a good idea to create both plain-text and HTML signatures (HTML has more formatting options) depending on the email format you use. It comes in extremely handy.

The beauty of email signatures is that you can change the information easily and as often as you like - for free. If your company has a special announcement or limited-time offer, call attention to it in your email signature to prompt people to act. Make yours WORK for you!

--> BONUS TIP: <--
Using a special tag, you can control the message subject line of your linked email address. Here's how you do it:

Go to my signature example above. Click on the subscribe link. See how the email message's subject line says "SUBSCRIBE_sig"? (The "_sig" indicates that someone is subscribing through my signature.) All you do is:

  1) Attach the following tag to the linked email address:   ?subject=
  2) Type your desired subject line immediately after "=".

You can use this method or include a special URL or email address to track how effective your signature is. It works with both plain-text email links (as above) and HTML links (when sending email through a Web site, for example).

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(3) RECOMMENDED WEB SITE: WordBiz.com
Debbie Weil had the foresight to create a firm that emphasizes the power of words in online selling. Wordbiz.com marries marketing and technology to help B2B clients make their online marketing work for them. Debbie has a pretty cool e-newsletter as well. (Yes, I'm promoting a fellow copywriter.)

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(4) UPCOMING ISSUE: February 2002
~~ At Issue: Copwriting Isn't Just for Advertising
~~ Marketing/Writing Tip: Barging Through Writer's Block

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(5) NECESSARY BLURBS
Promote viral marketing! Just copy and paste the above URL into an email message and forward to a colleague. Feel free to CC me as well. (I don't give out e-addresses.)

Questions? Comments? Kudos? Call 602.391.9536 or click Feedback.

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