Might This Guy’s Process Win You More – and More Loyal – Clients?
Had a chat recently with a commercial freelancer with whom I had a long-term mentoring relationship last year. Our goal was to give his business-building efforts some serious structure and discipline (i.e., regular cold calling and ongoing follow-up), as he ramped up a former part-time commercial copywriting practice to full-time and operational.
As of late fall of 2010, he was landing some solid copywriting gigs. He shared with me his process when working with new commercial writing clients, and I was so impressed, I asked if he’d write it up for me, which he did below. Really good stuff:
Peter, I recently landed a new client, and as part of my value proposition, I do a thorough business analysis – all part of the package they invest in. I spend approximately three hours reviewing my client’s web site and marketing materials, as well as the web sites of their major competitors – all with an eye toward understanding their respective businesses and how they’re positioning themselves in the marketplace.
Once I finish my research, I’ve learned a good deal about their business – and, what I want to know more about. In fact, I’ll typically end up with a list of 20 to 25 follow-up questions. Next, I set up a face-to-face meeting (which could be done by phone in the case of remote clients) with the client, during which time we discuss my findings and I ask my questions to fill in any blanks.
I tape the conversation and have the tape transcribed – providing the client with a copy of the transcript as well as giving me a verbatim record of our discussion for future reference.
The end result of all this is a deep understanding of my client’s business and industry, from which I can make knowledgeable recommendations for effective marketing initiatives (and the accompanying written materials) moving forward.
More importantly, it serves as a true market differentiator for me. Few commercial writers delve into a client’s world as deeply as I’m doing (though none of what I do is particularly difficult), and that sets me apart. My clients are typically delighted at my approach, which, in many cases, actually leaves me more knowledgeable about their industry than even they may be.
As a result, I quickly go from being a copywriter to something far more than that: someone who’s made it his business to intimately learn their business, and who can then apply strong writing skills more effectively and strategically. This in turn fosters a longer-term mentality on both our parts, which is, of course, my goal: clients with whom I can work closely for many years to come.
While most commercial freelancers I know – myself included – will study a client’s site and materials, in my experience, few of us – again, myself included – are taking that research to as deep a level as this writer is. In a tough economy, shouldn’t we be grabbing every potential edge we can? Especially, as he points out, when it’s a relatively easy way to set ourselves apart from the pack?
One of the things I like most about the approach, as he notes, is the groundwork you’re laying to build a long-term, loyal partnership. When you start out interacting with a client on such a deep level, you powerfully transform the traditional client-vendor relationship into something much more solid and interconnected.
Put another way, when you can tell a new client things they didn’t realize about their business and industry, based on your research (vs. just following their instructions as to what they want written), you’ll earn a whole new level of respect, and will be viewed radically differently from the writer who didn’t do all that.
Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t do as he does. Most of us don’t, and most of us have built good businesses. Just think of it as a tantalizing “what-if†scenario.
No, this approach isn’t always appropriate with every client (if you’re contracted, say, by a Fortune 500 client to just develop a brochure, they may not agree to pay for a full analytics package as well…). But, for many smaller- to mid-sized entities (50-200+ employees – arguably, THE “sweet spot†for freelance commercial writers – it would absolutely fly.
If you don’t conduct such analyses with new clients, what is your process?
Might something like this give you an edge over your competition?
If you are doing something on this level, can you share your process?
How have clients reacted to your process?
Have you always followed this process, or did it evolve over the years?
I believe this falls under the category of “It takes money to make money.”
I firmly believe in digging into a client before I have check in hand (short of doing work for free, obviously). It’s never a waste of hours – either I land the gig, or I learn a lot about their products and market in the interim, and can parlay that to future projects/endeavors. It’s never a waste, and always shows I mean bidness.
I call it doing my homework, but it is typically self-motivated so I understand their business, which I need to do a good job. I do a lot of “homework” when writing white papers and case studies. I have one client where my in-depth knowledge of their business (that I didn’t have when I started) has definitely led to more work with them. However, this post definitely gives me a new perspective on how “doing the homework” could be used as a marketing tool.
I have also offered a review of websites, marketing materials, etc. and produced a report with my findings. They have all been well-received; however, I did not delve deeply into the competition. What a great idea!
I have so many ideas racing through my head right now, so a giant thank-you!
I really like this approach because it almost ensures the client will come back to this writer first when starting a new project (no learning curve) and because the writer is halfway home toward learning the ins and outs of the client’s business.
The upfront legwork also helps avoid repetition in the market, because the client won’t be doing something a competitor has already tried.
Great techniques that all of us writers should be using on some level, even if not as in-depth as this.
Once again, Peter, your post is right on time!
I’m thinking about offering clients 3–4 hours of “free labor” as part of my training video script writing service. It’s better to first learn how to work the machinery, or install the new equipment myself before creating a video instructing employees on the process.
For promo video scripts I plan to offer a twitter search analysis. Wise to know what their customers and target market are tweeting about these days.
Thanks, all. Always good to do one’s research; the issue, I suppose, is the level to which you dig, and this guy’s digging deep. But you’re right, Lauri, it takes money to make money. But, I’d hesitate to spend hours researching an industry or particular business in the absence of assigned work. Unless, of course, I had already decided to specialize in that arena and this was part of my getting-up-to-speed research. Then, of course, it makes sense, just like any training or schooling to become an expert in something, would make sense.
In my guy’s case, he charges them for that time, and that’s always preferable. But then, he’s focused on that one client and their industry, as a way to make himself more valuable to them.
And yes, Cathy, that’s what struck me about his approach – the the approach itself become the selling tool. From my experience, and I’m guessing from those of many of you as well, most companies don’t take the time to do that in-depth research on themselves and their respective industries, yet realize that such information could be invaluable in determining the best ways to position, distinguish and market themselves. So, someone comes along offering to do that as part of their value proposition, and that’s bound to get some attention.
And as Chris points out, it practically ensures the company will come back to that writer (assuming he’s just as effective a writer as he is a researcher…). Such an approach irrevocably alters – and to the positive – the perception that company has of the writer.
Glad you’re finding the discussion useful, Mele! Be careful about giving away too much free, as it can also impact a client’s perception of your value. If it’s something they shouldn’t be funding since it doesn’t necessarily deliver immediate tangible benefit (like what my guy is doing), I get it, but I wouldn’t advertise to a client that you’re giving them all this free. Just a thought…
PB
@Peter: I didn’t say that right. The term I use is, “included in your fee.” AND I make sure the fee reflects that added value. I’ll try to explain by example:
Let’s say I’m to do a training video on the closing procedures for a restaurant kitchen–this procedure being particularly complicated. I may offer to help the employees close one night. 3-4 hours max (which I believe is the amount of time your friend spends studying his clients’ and their competitors’ marketing materials).
The client is grateful that I’m willing to be so hands on, AND it doesn’t hurt that they’ve got an extra pair of hands doing the work (which helps when you’re paying folks by the hour).
My perspective: I get to “see” the procedure in my head–which is critical in writing a How-To or instructional video script (at least for me). Sometimes the best way for me to see the process is to actually engage in it.
Once it’s in my head, I can write a script in under an hour. So it helps me as well. I won’t offer this to every client because I won’t need to, but I hope that it’ll be a great selling point.
I’ve been doing a lot of the same thing, but not nearly to this extent. I think the difference between this copywriter and myself is I research and understand my client’s business, but don’t show the results (the transcript, for instance) to the client. So, unless the client is really paying attention, I don’t get “points” for the extra work I’ve done. You can bet I’m going to incorporate this into my face-to-face meetings in the future.
I would not go to these lengths. I would comb the website–maybe look at a report on the industry. Yes, I would have questions to ask. I also might–might–offer a free publications “audit,” my review of what the company has now. As for transcribing the interview–no. A la what you said, Peter–he could take the work he did on the prospect’s competition to those competing companies if the prospect punks out. Prospects do punk out.
Thanks, Mele, for the clarification. Good stuff, and I’m sure it does raise eyebrows – in a good way! But more importantly, it just helps you do a better job: we learn better by doing, after all…
And yeah, I’m not sure I’d go as far as the transcript of the meeting; seems like you could accomplish the same thing just by having the meeting. But, it works for him. And Chris, great you do the research, but that’s the key, if you don’t show it to the client (and most of us don’t), they won’t know you did it. And not showing it implies that what you discover and learn about them can only help YOU. When, in fact, depending on what you find out, it could definitely be revelatory for the clients as well.
And Star, I chuckled at your suggestion to “re-purpose” the research if indeed the client fades away. If it’s detailed enough, why not? That’d teach them to hire you next time…;)
PB
Hi Peter and Fellow Copywriters,
I do something similar to Chris in that I ask new clients lots of questions and do some advance research. I probably do 30-60 minutes worth of unpaid research (reading through and taking notes on a website, brochure, or competitor sites) before I meet with the client in person or on the phone.
When I meet with them, I ask questions about their business and personal questions about themselves. Because most of my clients are small businesses/sole proprietorships, getting to know them personally is the same as getting to know their business. I ask them questions like:
What are your goals for your sales letter?
If you had to tell people one thing about why they should hire you to remodel their house, what would it be?
Have you identified any competitor websites you like or don’t like?
What keeps you awake at night?
Name two personal goals, long-term or short-term?
What do you do when you’re not working?
I probably ask 15-20 questions, unpaid, before I do a stitch of writing. My larger clients don’t get this star treatment though. Their deadlines are always tight and the person I’m working with is never the person who started/owns the company.
This post and all your comments have given me excellent support and not a few ideas!
Cheers.
Posting this on behalf of Jennifer Mattern of http://allfreelancewriting.com. Jenn writes:
“I don’t do the face to face meetings because my clients are internationally based, making that unfeasible in most cases. But I do make it a point to research their target market, competitors, etc. I’d consider it irresponsible on my part if I didn’t do that. And when clients show no interest in providing the necessary background and just want to leap in without any solid plan based on that information, I refer them elsewhere. When I work for someone their success becomes my success, and I strongly believe in taking some personal interest in that. Unless I know who I’m working with and who their own target market is (not to mention the competition we’re up against) it wouldn’t be possible for me to do the best job I can.”
Hi Peter and Fellow Writers,
Greetings from the Greater Memphis, TN area. This is my first time posting. The writer referred to in Peter’s blog post is essentially conducting what is considered strategic and competitive intelligence/analysis. For those who might not be aware of this field, here’s the website for Strategic and Competitive Intelligence Professionals: http://www.scip.org.
I’m not a member of this organization (SCIP), but my father is a writer, librarian, scholar, archivist, etc. and I grew up with literally tens of thousands of books in our home. Growing up I learned how to not only find information, but to vet it for credibility, quality, and relevance. For years I’ve provided tips to resources that teachers, school librarians, friends, business colleagues, etc. didn’t know about. To say that my family has an “insatiable curiosity” or a “love of learning/knowledge for its own sake,” is an understatement!
I want to be clear though, to distinguish this “insatiable curiosity” and “love of learning/knowledge for its own sake” from being a “busybody,” “gossip,” or someone who disregards the important boundaries of both personal privacy and corporate confidentiality. In short, there can be moral and ethical issues involved in certain kinds of deep research. Depending on the type of research conducted, methods employed, etc. one may risk legal consequences. And no, I’ve never wandered “over the line.” 😉 The SCIP website goes to some length to point out the very issues I’ve just stated. It further reiterates that its members are bound by a commitment to make use of only publicly available information. For writers who need or want to conduct more extensive research, or want to learn new research skills, the SCIP site might be worth a look. There are other organizations and companies involved in this area and these can be easily identified by a simple web search.
I can confirm from my own experiences, that being a highly skilled researcher/analyst as well as a business writer has been a great personal and professional asset.
Welcome, Amy! And thanks for your great contribution here. Who knew that what he was doing had a formal name AND its own association? 😉 And what a great setting in which to grow up and “learn how to learn.” It no doubt gave you a healthy foundation in the art and science of critical thinking, something in woefully short supply in our culture today.
Thanks again and hope you’ll come back and weigh in often!
PB