Know-How Exchange : Copywriting

The first step in copywriting is to understand the client's objectives and evaluation criteria. What core message are they trying to communicate? Who exactly is the target audience? What unique and important benefit does the client deliver to the target audience?

If the client has not provided you with a clear Creative Brief, then that's the first step. Unless and until you and the client are on the same page, there's no point in even starting the project. If the client isn't clear about the assignment in his/her own mind, there's no way he/she will be able to explain to you what's required -- let alone evaluate the results of your efforts.

It's a bad sign that they've turned to a designer to write copy. It suggests that they don't understand the process. They wouldn't hire a copywriter to provide design, would they? How about an electrician or a shoe salesperson? What is it about designers that makes them more likely to be copywriting experts? Or do they think ANYONE can write copy?

It's time to gently explain this to the client so you are not setting yourself up for failure. It would be a shame to lose a good client (for your design services) because they judged you on a skill that you shouldn't be expected to have.

One of the first things to do is to listen to a dialogue between the travel agency and their prospective clients. What questions are the clients asking? Why did they choose to contact the agency? Who else did they contact? That'll help frame the types of questions people would immediately want answered.

Also, talk to past, satisfied clients. Why were they glad to work with the agency?

The words they use, the issues they faced, etc. are all great starting points for your copy.

The tenor of the home page will be different than that of other pages. Your goal would be to keep them lingering on your site. But on the "destination pages" you're actually selling something.

It would be worth the money to have someone do this for you. Lots of good people here.

Michael

As someone who has generated a lot of web content, I am well aware that a great website is the result of three key skill sets - design, programming and content - rarely do you find any two of those in one person, and definitely not all three! Your client should be advised that you will have to outsource (and probably pay) for content generation. If you are looking for help - and this does not have to be hugely expensive -- I suggest you post a notice outlining specs, and the pay offers. Another alternative is to have your client assign an in-house person to generate the content for each menu/sub-menu item, and then it would only need tweaking by a pro, rather than have the pro generate everything from scratch. Hope this helps....

Two ways to proceed:

1. Copy another successful site, with changes to promote your USP

2. Write up a version yourself

For both, make sure you send it in to us to look over and I will let you know how far you have to go to make it look professional.

Best,

Peter