My content and copywriting process: 5 steps to project success

You're a marketer. You know how important it is to have a process. It's enshrined in the sacred 7Ps of marketing. And it just makes life easier.

Here's my process to make sure I hit the sweet spot on your content and copywriting projects. I've provided one content example and copywriting example.

Rest assured, we'll discuss the exact process for your particular project when we talk. Book your discovery call now.

Book my discovery call

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Content writing process example

Lead magnet/ebook

Step 1: Discovery call

• A short call to discuss the project, get to know one another, and decide if we’d like to work together

• I’ll ask questions to help me provide an accurate quote

• You’ll typically receive your quote by email within 2 working days

• I'll include a link to this blog post so you know what to expect next

Step 2: Project kick off call

We’ll have a half-hour call to discuss your needs. I’ll ask about the following.

• Your marketing objectives with the piece - such as capturing leads, building your brand reputation, etc.

• Who the audience is, what pain points your content will help them overcome, whether you have personas I can consult

• Who the project stakeholders are - who can provide input, who will sign it off, who’ll design it

• Whether original interviews or research are needed - if so, how will this be executed

• Any information you can provide so I can get your tone of voice right - brand guidelines, previous lead magnet examples etc

We'll also discuss how you’ll use the piece of content - where it will be published, how it will be promoted. Content amplification through social posts and ads is essential to content success, as is follow-up through emails and further reading. We'll talk through this and you can let me know if you'd like my help with that too.

Step 3: Outline

• I’ll provide a draft outline of the content for your approval or amends. This is typically in Google Docs, so we can easily share notes and feedback with one another.

• We’ll schedule a call to discuss your feedback.

• Once the outline is approved, I’ll begin the research/interview stage, if required. For example, interviewing your internal subject matter experts for insights and quotes. I’ll also conduct desk research with reputable sources such as McKinsey, Deloitte, etc

• Equipped with the information I need, I’ll then start writing.

Step 4: First draft

• I’ll provide the first full draft of your ebook for you to assess.

• You will compile feedback from all project stakeholders.

• We’ll schedule a call to discuss your feedback.

Step 5: Second draft and sign off

• I’ll provide the second full draft for you to assess.

• Hopefully, it is now ready to sign off.

• If not, we have one further round of revisions left to use.

• You approve the written content.

• I remain available to consult should you need any further support. For example, if your designer would like to discuss anything.

• We close the project with a postmortem to chat about what went well, what we've learnt, and discuss future opportunities together.

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Copywriting process example

Website landing/product page

Step 1: Discovery call

• A short call to discuss the project, get to know one another, and decide if we’d like to work together

• I’ll ask questions to help me provide an accurate quote

• You’ll typically receive your quote by email within 2 working days

• I'll include a link to this blog post so you know what to expect next

Step 2: Project kick off call

We’ll have a half-hour call to discuss your needs. I’ll ask about the following.

• Who the audience is, whether you have personas I can consult

• What pain points your product or service helps them overcome

• The key selling points/USPs you think your product or service offers to the target market

• What your call to action is - a purchase, booking a call, starting a trial etc

• Who the project stakeholders are - who can provide input, who I should contact

• Any information you can provide so I can get your tone of voice right - brand guidelines, TOV documents, examples of web copy you like

• What design templates/constraints I need to work within

Step 3: Research and message development

All good copy is based on research - voice-of-customer research and voice-of-market research.

This uncovers how customers and the wider market view what you offer. This can reveal key insights to include, plus barriers to overcome.

• I’ll conduct desk research (consulting existing sources of information) and original research (with your customers) as required by the brief

• I'll use this information to develop core messages to include in your web copy

• I’ll present the insights gained from this research and discuss them with you

• We'll discuss and agree the new messages

Step 4: First draft and wireframe

• With your CMS/template in mind, I’ll draft your web copy that integrates our audience-focused messaging

• I’ll provide the copy as a Google Doc (so we can collaborate easily online) and we’ll schedule a call so I can talk you through my methodology and rationale

• I’ll also provide a wireframe of how the copy should be formatted. This isn’t a full design. Just an outline to show your design how I say the copy working on the page

• You will compile feedback from all project stakeholders

• We’ll schedule a call to discuss your feedback

Step 5: Second draft and sign off

• I’ll provide the second draft for you to assess

• Hopefully, it is now ready to sign off

• If not, we have one further round of revisions left to use

• You approve the written copy

• I remain available to consult should you need any further support. For example, if your designer would like to discuss anything

• We close the project with a postmortem to chat about what went well, what we've learnt, and discuss future opportunities together

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About the author

Libby Marks is an award-winning copywriter and content marketer. After 15+ years in marketing and communications, she escaped the 9-to-5 and started Write on Tyne.

Write on Tyne is a small content and copywriting agency dedicated to making marketing managers' lives easier.

We provide top-notch copy for campaigns, content marketing, and websites - underpinned by expertise in marketing strategy and SEO.

Book a call about your project now