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Jen Phillips April

Your Online Marketing Partner with SEO Copywriting and Social Media Marketing

  • Home
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    • F.A.Q.
    • Applause
  • Samples
  • Work with Me
    • Copywriting
    • Pet Marketers
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A Writer’s Process

my writing process
If you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. .

“Your job is not to write copy. Your job is to know your visitors, customers and prospects so well, you understand the situation they’re in right now, where they’d like to be, and exactly how your solution can and will get them to their ideal self.” — Joanna Wiebe

If you don’t know who Joanna Wiebe is, then you’re probably not a copywriter. As the founder of Copyhackers, she teaches people how to write persuasive words that educate, inspire, and make more sales.

For most of us who make our living writing websites, blog articles, sales pages, and all the other things that drive revenue, we develop processes and frameworks that guide each project from start to finish.

Can you imagine trying to put together a houseful of Ikea furniture without any instructions — and missing a few screws?

You’d probably feel disappointed and frustrated.

You’d wonder what happened to the friendly salesperson who sold you these bits and pieces of plywood and channel thoughts ranging from rage to disgust.

You might go back to the store demanding your money back because you can’t build three bookshelves, a reading chair, a couch with a pile of pressboard, and no guidance.

Now imagine yourself as a working writer with a prospective client who sends you a note asking “Can you write ten pages of web content by next Wednesday?”

The short answer is, “no.”

Not if you want it to be useful, educate your prospective customers, get found on Google, and generally, not be an embarrassment to your business.

It turns out, writing is about planning and research as much as it is about writing.

My Website Writing Process 

I’ve never met a business owner who wanted a website.

They want customers.

They see the website as a way to attract those customers.

If this sounds like you and you’re a small business owner, then you’ll want to work with a professional copywriter and web designer to achieve your goals.

There’s a process to creating websites that attract prospective customers, build trust and shorten the sales cycle.

Just like the directions for that Ikea furniture help you put together your bookcase, there’s a process for developing a web writing plan for every website.

Over the years, I’ve broken it down into a strategic process:

Pre-Writing, Research, and Organization 

1- Clarify the target market

2- Review writing resources (competitor’s analysis, for example)

3-Identify the typical sales cycle

4- Review SEO keywords to keep in mind (or do SEO research and develop the strategic SEO plan, this is a separate element)

5-Clarify 1–3 business goals for each page

6- Identify SME’s to interview for background and/or quotes

7- Research sources

Drafting Process 

All of that preparation has stimulated my brain to think about the target customer, what they want to know, and the main points I need to make.

THEN, I’m ready to draft words on paper (or screen.)

1- First draft outline

2- Let it sit overnight or a couple of days

3- 2nd Draft/Revision — See where I need additional data to support my points

4- Review for a solid draft, format for the web, review for SEO fundamentals

5- Polish — run through Grammarly, check the readability score with a Fleisch Kincaid reader

6- Send to client

7- Incorporate client feedback

8- Final approval

9- Send to web designer/developer

10- Publish

If I’m rewriting/optimizing your website so you can increase your traffic and conversions, I analyze the keyword research and assign terms to different pages on your website in alignment with your targeted prospect. I also include meta descriptions – these are the “behind-the-scenes” code that helps your web pages get found.

I let it sit (a day or two is ideal) to revise.

Then it’s off to you, the client, for review.

Whew! It looks like a lot but really, you probably take as many steps before you start a project too.

You just don’t think about it because you’ve done it so many times. It’s the “inherent” knowledge you develop from years of practice.

Are you ready to get started with your writing project?

You can schedule a short call to discuss your needs here.

 

Let’s Get Social

Clients Include:

Barkleigh Productions

American Writers & Artists Institute

Smarttvel - Travel Smart

Seer

Official Payments Corp

Leadit Marketing

International Living

Day Smart Software

Training

Jen_Speaker_trainerJen's seminars focus on helping organizations develop their social media strategy and create action items around it. Whether showing business owners the best practices of Facebook posts or how to optimize your LinkedIn headline, Jen is passionate about the social media revolution. Her engaging, conversational style keeps audiences coming back for more. One FAQ is, “When are you doing another class?” and dozens have become regulars at her small social media trainings. Check out her training...

Social Media Help

Jen_social_mediaThese in-person training seminars focus on you and what steps to take to maximize the power of social. Whether you need help crafting great content or connecting the ROI to your bottom line, Jen can help. Read More

Writing

Jen_CopywritingCopy is more than words on a screen. It’s a sales tool. It educates, informs and invites your reader to do something. Does yours? Check how it's done here

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