My Writing Process

How exactly does one take raw ideas and concepts, and meld them into captivating, gripping, unforgettable copy?

It's hard to say, but then again, my job is exactly that. Taking complex ideas and distilling them down into a language we all can understand. Here is a rundown of how I approach any and every project — no matter how big or small.

1. LET'S GET ROLLING

Some people are born procrastinators, waiting to work until the last minute and claim to do their best work under pressure. While I'm sure that's true, I'm the opposite. I like to start laying out plans, project timelines, and dive in to my work right away. This is the stage where I do that.

BUT WHY?

After setting up the initial project deadlines, the next step of my process involves questions. Hundreds of them. I liken it to a curious child, continuously asking their parent questions, and upon every answer, following up with a "but why?"

What is the project goal? The target audience? The types of collateral and copy required? What's the approval and workflow process... you get the idea. I like to know as much as I possibly can about a project because I believe it 100% impacts success of the copy or campaign. And I'm not going to write a single word of copy unless I understand the business, the products, and the customers.

WITHOUT DATA, ALL YOU HAVE IS REALLY JUST AN OPINION

This is the stage where I'll start hitting the books (or google more likely). In this part of my process, I like to explore existing brand collateral, reach out for potential interviews with key people who can provide valuable insight (product developers, marketers, researchers, engineers, the people who invest their time and passion in their brand and products), look into customer data, and get the full picture of a product and brand to better understand how to position it.

THE WRITING (FINALLY)

Now it's time to start doing what I love most - copywriting.
I take all that data, insights, customer pain points, etc., and turn that into riveting website, product, landing page, email, and other marketing copy.

EDITING ON REPEAT

Marketing is a team sport and I'm a great team player. After the initial writing process, I send my copy along to the necessary departments for revisions, reviews and feedback, striving for a polished copy that we can all be proud of.

IMPLEMENTATION AND OPTIMIZATION

I will NEVER tire of seeing the culmination of my team's hard work. Seeing a fully designed direct mailer, a landing page go live, a video ad on social, it never gets old.
But after the initial implementation of my copy, and as someone who has spent years in creative marketing, I know my work is never done.
The final step is an always ongoing one. I endeavor (and working with an SEO specialist is always a plus) to make sure copy stays relevant and continues to meet to campaign goals, making updates as necessary.