How to Help Your Writer Share Your Brand Story

It happens every now and again: a writer and a client aren’t on the same page. In my more than a decade of business, it’s happened to me a handful of times as well. “Fit” is important in matching a client with a content marketing firm, and sometimes the fit isn’t there. But it’s also about sharing your story with your writer in a way that they understand what you want to say and can help you get your message out.

So how can you ensure your writer is doing your brand story justice?

Know Your Business

It might sound like a no-brainer that you should know your business, but in that initial consultation with your writer, you’ll be asked questions that you may not have thought about specifically. Typically, in an intake for a marketing piece, the questions you’ll be asked include:

• Who’s your target market?
• What is your unique selling proposition (USP)?
• What are the mission and vision for the business?
• How does this marketing piece fit into your overall sales and marketing strategy?
• How do you want people to feel when they read this?
• What is the tone for this piece?
• What is your call to action (CTA)?
• If you’re incorporating SEO, what key phrases are you targeting?

Many times, business owners get stuck on these topics, which results in the writer getting a bit stuck too. See, although writers are certainly creative, they shouldn’t be making up information about your business. They need the information you provide to really showcase your message. More than anything, a writer is a translator. They consult with you, the business owner, to determine the message and how you want to convey it, and then they write it in a way that will be well received by your target market. 

Although writers are creative, they shouldn’t be making up information about your business.

Answer Questions with Feeling and Depth

The more information you can provide your writer, the better the final piece will be. Whether that information comes straight from you or you direct the writer to competitors or other areas for research, be sure you give enough information. Unfortunately for everyone involved, a writer is not a mind reader. They work with what you provide them, and if you skip a step or don’t share the full story, the project will reflect that.

Think over the questions you’re asked, and give real, meaningful answers. For instance, if it’s just you in your business, yet you want to feel like a large firm, let the writer know. If your goal is to grow your business, and you want to expand your target market, say so. And there’s a big difference between a luxury feel and a down-home vibe, so be specific in how you want the piece to be received.

Be Direct (Yet Kind) with Your Feedback

All creatives want their clients to be happy with their work. After all, we work hard to create the pieces that you’ve entrusted us with, and we put a bit of our heart and soul into everything we do. But if what we provide misses the mark, we want to know that as well.

Whether the piece that’s been written is awesome or not, let your writer know. Point out what really resonated with you, plus what didn’t quite hit the mark. Allow your writer the opportunity to make any missteps better with an edit.

Sometimes, it might be something very simple that’s not meeting your expectations, and the writer can fix that in no time. In those rare instances, your writer might be on a completely different page and will have to start over. Feedback is always good, but aim to be constructive and not attack. Yes, we know this is your brand, your “baby,” and we would never willingly do it a disservice, so give us the opportunity to improve, if needed.

Amanda Collins is the lead content strategist at Ink & Quill Communications and has been helping businesses share their stories for 11 years. Contact her at [email protected].