Your manager wants changes that could harm the copy's quality. How do you navigate this delicate situation?

First point to note, THE OBJECTIVE IS THE SAME!! Mine and that of my manager. Secondly, not only do I have to put myself in his or her shoes to better understand his/her intent and goals for the copy, I have to be flexible enough to align and re-align my copy to that goal without it losing its authenticity. Everyone's happy at the end of the day, but most importantly, the goal of the copy is achieved????

If they know better than me, I let them make changes. If they are new to things and have less experience with business and copy, I tell them not to touch anything. If they don't agree, I tell them I won't take responsibility.

Your manager may have a good reason for wanting that change. First, do not assume you're right. Listen to the reason for the suggestion. Then, if you still think that your idea is better, speak your mind, but remember to justify your answer with data or some evidence. It's not good enough to assume you're right without proof. Find evidence to back up your idea and present it. What's also important is to remember that differences in opinion should never be taken personally.

1. Tell them what’s going on. 2. Try to find another solution. 3. There’s always a compromise. As simple as that. Clear and honest communication saves you a lot of work and stress.

From my perspective, clear and especially direct communication is crucial when discussing changes to copy. I would approach the conversation with specific examples of how the proposed changes might affect quality and effectiveness.

Try to understand the feedback the best that you can. That might mean looking at your own copy critically as well. If you still disagree, put across your rationale the best that you can. If your manager still disagrees, you've already done the best that you can. And your manager will have taken responsibility for the quality of the copy. Sometimes the little fights aren't worth ruining a professional relationship permanently. Pick your battles.

Will speak about the pros / cons of making the changes . If he understands it's fine and if not will change as per his recommendation but with a condition. If the copy fails to perform the entire responsibility will be taken up by the manager . Sounds foolish but it can save your integrity ??

Sometimes all it takes is a good one-on-one discussion about the issue to get to one understanding. If communication lines are open, you’re both able to accommodate each other’s points of view and move in one direction. Approaching all this with professionalism will make all the difference. Once you’re aligned, you can take the best agreed-upon action hopefully for the good of the business overall.

The counteroffer. That’s what it’s called. We agreed on a creative brief. From it, we created this copy. You’re now requesting changes. Is it because the brief has changed? Is it because the copy is off strategy or factually inaccurate? Once the real issue is discovered, offer an “improvement” that is actually an improvement (or at the very least minimizes the damage). It helps to remember that craft and style issues are often missed by others (even professionals) and rarely valued by others as much as you value them.

Copywriting is a mixture of science and arts and there is alot to subjective attractions. There are fair chances, I might be missed something vital in research. I will take a step back, look it objectively and will try to resolve the fraction. Whole team has one common goal so each and every member has unique offerings. Listening to all and taking a decision with broader lense will be the best course of action.

When faced with proposed changes that may compromise copy quality, offering alternatives is a constructive approach. Start by understanding your manager's objectives behind the suggested changes. Then, propose alternative solutions that align with these goals but maintain the integrity and effectiveness of the original copy. This shows that you are collaborative and flexible, willing to find a middle ground that respects both the managerial perspective and the quality of the work.

If you understand what the manager actually wants (and a discussion may be needed around this) then offer alternative solutions that will help achieve the same outcome

“Contra dados, n?o há argumentos”. Em toda apresenta??o de estratégia, gosto de trazer dados para comprovar páginas testes, anúncios, tudo o que possa mostrar ao cliente que aquela comunica??o está sendo efetiva. Vejo muitos copywriters reclamarem disso, acharem que o cliente está fazendo pouco caso, mas acredito que também falte sensibilidade dos profissionais em entenderem que, a partir do momento que você aloca/investe seu dinheiro, você quer entender minimamente se ele está tendo um retorno, nem que seja pequeno no início.

Data doesn't have to just be numbers or stats. If the proposed edit does not fall in line with brand guidelines, for example, or a preference from the customer/client, link to that document or anecdote directly so your manager can understand the context right away with the source to back it up.

Use data like analytics, customer insights, and performance metrics to create targeted, effective copy that resonates with your audience.

Data can come in different forms. Sometimes the qualitative approach can be enough to validate your strategic impulse. Invest in focus groups or even informal dialogue. Using a professional research moderator keeps the discussion authentic. Ask the right questions and the answers often present themselves.

For the most times is not about WHAT you say, but HOW you say it. If you understand why you wrote a copy in a certain way, speak up! I know I've done it tons of times. Your manager might not be a professional writer, so they can't grasp your genius... be patient, walk them through the piece with confidence, emphasizing the parts you consider to be the most necessary for the copy to be beautiful, relevant, and yours! Be the advocate for your own production with great taste: politely, with arguments, and showing that you care a lot about the project. Don't forget that your superpower is to have the right words at the right time ? You got it!

You have to be respectful and well prepared by gathering your data to show how the current version achieves the desired goals. Most importantly emphasize the impact on your targeted audience and explain how this change might affect the copy’s clarity, tone and effectiveness towards them.

One of the best ideas to justify and convince the manager is to refer to the file of past successful projects so that he can understand and trust the quality of our work and expertise. Showing the file that you have already created to your manager will make his worries and concerns go away. It will be lost a lot, so you should pay special attention to this matter, make sure to create a file of your successful projects and examples of your work so that in such a situation you can reveal your trump card and surprise your manager.

Sometimes, if you have analysed every angle of a copy and are convinced, from your expertise, that this is the best option, then I suggest sticking to your guns. Explain to your manager and the client that from an advisory perspective, this is the best approach. You are being paid to know the client's brand even better than they do, and you need to show them that you are as well-versed as they are in their brand voice and guidelines. Hence, tell them why you wrote the copy the way you did to address the brief, and that if they want to change the direction of the copy by tweaking the language or points, then the brief and the objectives have to be revisited.

The first thing you want to do is to be Open minded and professional. You want to understand their perspective to the situation. If you think it's valid, you could accept. If your manager point is not valid based off research and other tested metrics, explain to your manager why their perspective can't work out. If they insist reach a mutual point to the situation. It shows you are open to other suggestions.

Professionalism helps, sure. But a bit of human decency, kindness, and not taking ourselves too seriously - no matter what our role is - all probably contribute a greater currency.

It’s important to frame your response in a way that shows you value your manager’s input and are working toward the same goal. Use language that emphasizes collaboration rather than confrontation. For example, you might say, “I see where you’re coming from, and I think we can achieve that goal while still maintaining the tone that resonates well with our audience. How about we try adjusting the wording slightly so that it incorporates your suggestions but still retains the original message’s integrity?”

Make it clear that you are not resisting changes because you are being protective of your work, but because you feel strongly the suggestion won't work as well for the common goal and that you are happy to reconsider the whole thing in light of what was said. Ask if you can gather more opinions from the team to bring in some different perspectives. Consider that maybe your manager had a point even if not expressed well and you could end up with a better solution.