Need to Outsource a Professional Copywriter? What to Expect (and What Should Never Happen)
Plus, 4 candid perspectives from business leaders about the first time they hired a writer.
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Give your writer clear context and examples so they can hit the mark fast.
Expect small mistakes, but a pro will catch the big ones before they become problems.
Collaborate with your writer (don’t micromanage) to get content that performs.
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Bringing a professional writer onto your marketing team – whether for copywriting or SEO content – can feel like uncharted territory for mid-size companies.
What should you expect to pay? How do they work? How do you make sure the writing is actually good? And, with AI tools in the mix, should you be paying someone to use them… or not?
Your in-house team clearly doesn’t have the bandwidth for all the writing tasks, but you also don’t want to waste time with a writer who simply won’t deliver. Luckily, hiring a professional, senior-level copywriter doesn’t have to be confusing – and it doesn’t have to feel like pulling teeth with a “creative.”
After writing for more than 70 clients since 2017, I’ve worked with first-time hirers and seasoned hirers, including ones who were burned by the wrong writers.
Below, I’ll share practical tips to help your team get aligned with your writer, avoid unnecessary setbacks, and make sure you have someone who is capable of delivering exactly what you need.
Detailed Onboarding Is Normal, Hand-Holding Is Not
Craig Focht, Co-Founder and CEO of All Pro Door Repair, remembered being surprised by the prep work a writer requested:
“The most surprising thing… was the amount of prep work they required from me. I thought they would lead the messaging.”
Professional writers do need onboarding. In fact, thorough onboarding saves time, reduces frustration and gets you the high-quality work you want in less revision rounds. They’ll ask about your brand, audience, business goals and examples. It’s part of the process to ensure the content hits the mark.
But there’s a difference between onboarding and hand-holding…
When I onboard a new client, our “kickoff call” lasts about 45 minutes. I ask them a series of questions (oftentimes 20+) and then follow up for brand guidelines, past campaigns and other documents.
If you feel like you’re providing endless documents, transcripts, or doing all the thinking for the writer, that’s a red flag. A senior-level copywriter will use your guidance efficiently and apply their expertise to craft content that aligns with the project scope and goals – without making you do the work for them.
To get the writer in lockstep with your marketing team, expect to provide context, examples and documents upfront. The writer will then translate it into content that’s ready to publish or optimize.
Mistakes Are Normal, Big Mistakes Are Not
Experienced writers can get off track if expectations or guidance aren’t clear. Focht also shared this about his first experience hiring a writer:
“Some versions… sounded like they were written for a high-tech firm, not a residential garage door company.”
Who’s really to blame here? The writer or the point-of-contact (e.g., marketing manager, hirer, boss)?
Probably the writer.
It’s really the burden of the writer to ask for clarification if things are unclear. These things could be as small as brand capitalization style errors or as significant as scope of the work. Luckily, experienced writers will know what to ask and when.
So, I’ll clarify with this:
Small mistakes – like slightly off tone or nonperfect wording – are normal. Every writer will need initial feedback on their work to get more familiar with your brand.
Big mistakes, however, like content that completely misrepresents your audience or your messaging, are clear signs that something went awry. And you may have hired the wrong writer.
From the first draft, an experienced, senior-level writer will be able to:
Deliver spotless work.
Craft razor-sharp, compelling angles.
Step out of their own “normal” writing style.
Incorporate all the nuances you asked for.
Have no fear. These are reasonable expectations for any professional writer.
Remember: If they went through the whole onboarding and initial writing process – and didn’t bother to ask you for further support – and they come back with something that makes you go, “This isn’t right at all,” they messed up.
Collaboration Is Normal, Mind-Reading Is Not
Zack Moorin, Acquisitions Manager at Zack Buys Houses, said, “The volume of back and forth involved to perfect the content… can often come as a surprise to business owners.”
And Raymond Black, in Sales at European Drivers License Services, highlighted a common misconception:
“Many business owners assume writers are mind-readers… and without context … they may deliver something misaligned.”
Even experienced writers aren’t mind-readers.
If you want your writer to anticipate every word and sentence exactly as you would, you might as well write the content yourself.
And while I’ve met some micromanagers who would actually love doing that, the reality is that most mid-size marketing teams are completely bottlenecked.
When you hire a professional, senior-level copywriter, you’ll quickly find that their work (once finalized) is far better than what anyone else on your team could produce. The content is sophisticated, perfectly attuned to your target audience, and crafted to outperform from a conversion goal standpoint.
A professional writer will translate your business goals into messaging, suggest content structures and optimize for SEO and conversions.
Your role is to provide context and feedback, not micromanage every sentence. Approach it as a true partnership, and your writer can do what they do best: create content that supports your strategy and delivers results.
Think of your writer as a strategic collaborator: your input shapes the content, but their expertise transforms it into something far more effective than you could have drafted alone.
Nailing Down Scope Is Normal, Conflict Is Not
Miscommunication around project scope, deadlines and revisions is one of the biggest pain points for first-time hirers. As Moorin explains, “Conflict arose in scope of work and delivery of tone/style.”
And Marc Bromhall, Founder of Cape Trek, shared a similar experience: “We weren't 100% sure on the procedure regarding revisions. It wasn't made clear to us from the outset. The writer attempted to charge us for a second round.”
Ahead of building out my own project quotes and pricing, many potential clients don’t have answers when I ask initial questions about scope.
Do you want multiple versions for testing? Do you want your CTAs hyperlinked or as banners? Who all needs to review and approve this ahead of the deadline?
To some clients, these questions might feel like overkill, especially those who originally thought, “I just need a writer to draft an email campaign for me…”
But the reality is, I ask all these scope questions upfront to set expectations, define pricing accurately and make sure we’re all on the same page.
Fully defining scope protects both parties and ensures there’s never a question about what was agreed upon once the project has started. Work can be added or subtracted later, but the starting point needs to be crystal clear.
Professional writers who limit the number of revisions can also be a red flag. If the content is way off, you need several rounds to get it right.
Senior-level writers who offer unlimited or flexible revisions are confident in their craft. They care more about making sure the work is spot-on and aligned with what you expected.
This is where clear scope and professional expertise intersect: you know exactly what you’re paying for, and the final content performs as expected.
Clear scope and flexible, professional revision policies aren’t just “nice to have.” They’re essential to a smooth, successful engagement with a writer. When the right process is in place, you avoid surprises, reduce stress and get content that truly delivers.
And again, most of this burden will fall on the writer to execute. So you’re usually in the clear.
Partner with a Pro: Book a Call Now
If you need a go-to copywriter and SEO content writer who goes above and beyond, and who can get it right the first time, book a call with me.
Let’s talk about how I can help your team deliver content and copywriting that truly performs.
