FAQs About Working with a Partner in Marketing

Most companies who are thinking about working with a new vendor have questions about the way their projects will be handled. Here are answers to a few questions you might have. If you don’t see a particular question you have, contact me to discuss it. I want you to be confident you’ll get the results you want and need from working with me.

Q: What’s a partner in marketing? And why do I need one?

A. I chose that tagline because it represents my goal of being a freelance writer for marketing departments.

You can choose from a large pool of freelance writers, but they may not understand marketing or the role their writing plays in nudging prospects to complete the customer journey. And that unspoken message can’t be added at the last minute by making a few tweaks before you submit final copy to Production. Even simple content, such as a blog or social media post, works best when it is grounded in an understanding of marketing practices.

I aim to be your partner so you don’t have to explain marketing basics. I understand and speak Marketing. Give me a creative brief that includes your market analysis, an avatar, or ICP (ideal customer profile), the reader’s place in the funnel (top of funnel, middle of funnel, or bottom of funnel), and I’ll give you a writing product that is designed to hit your marketing targets.

If you’re totally swamped, I can help you draft content strategy or develop content calendars for your review. This kind of assignment will also help you meet your strategic marketing goals.

In any case, you own the client and its marketing plan. My goal is to be your partner in implementing that plan.

Q: Why do you charge by the project?

A: I realize some freelancers bill by the hour or word. They may be beginners or amateurs who believe that copywriting is an easy side hustle. Often, they haven’t invested in professional training, and they don’t fully understand marketing.

Budgets are important, of course, but you need to get value for your investment – especially when you are investing in a message that helps your company survive and grow.

Setting a per-project price is the only fair and realistic way to reflect the value I bring to your project. Charging by the word encourages “writing long,” which creates garbled messages, and cutting words takes extra time. The hourly rate assumes I am sitting and typing. And I don’t. I stare out the window. I get up and wander around. I’m not on staff, so you don’t need to worry about this trivia. You can focus on the value my writing contributes to achieving your marketing goals.

Q: What’s your take on AI?

A: Personally, I think AI is an exciting tool. But as a veteran of publishing, I’m alarmed by its hallucinations, instances where AI confidently generates false, misleading, or made-up information. And then there are the issues of copyright violations, missing attributions, and mishandling of sensitive legal matters.

Many of these issues are being addressed with new releases of AI models. Even so, AI users need to be aware of these issues and develop workarounds. For example, one writer reported that he uses different models during research: one to conduct basic research and a second to fact-check the first model’s report.

Can an AI model ever replace a human writer? The answer is clearly yes if you need a factual report on undisputed facts, such as an earnings report or an analysis of business options. But if you want to create successful marketing materials, such as a sales letter that speaks to buyer psychology, you probably need to keep a human in the loop. At this point, AI can’t experience human emotions that are tied to “logical” buying decisions.

My goal is to seek opportunities to make AI my partner and to capitalize on each of our strengths.

Q: We don’t have a large project right now. Will you take a smaller project instead?

A: No project is too small if it helps you meet your marketing goals. In fact, starting with a small project is smart, because it meets a pressing need and helps us learn how we work together.

What is a “small” project? A blog is a good example. Your team can identify the demand and develop a creative brief, and I’ll spend the heads-down time to write a piece that will delight your readers.

Q: How can we be sure you won’t leak our trade secrets to competitors?

A: I’m a professional writer and honor confidentiality as a pillar of any business agreement. As a W-2 and 1099 contractor, I routinely sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) at the beginning of every project. If you don’t have your own NDA form, I include comparable wording in my letters of agreement or contracts.

Q: How long will it take to complete our project?

A: It depends. First, quality work takes time, including the days you let a draft rest until you can revisit it with fresh eyes. Second, other obligations and real-life events sometimes cause delays. That’s why we must work as partners. For example, I may be able to meet an aggressive schedule in return for premium pricing.

If you have specific questions, please arrange a discovery meeting so that we can discuss your project in more detail.

Q: I’m in California and you’re in the Midwest. Can we still work together?

A: Absolutely! In today’s business offices, colleagues routinely use technology to call into meetings and share presentations – even if they work on the same floor.

I’ve worked on a remote basis for many years and can make this a seamless process for both of us.

Q: Do you specialize in a specific industry?

A: My primary specialties are:

• High technology products and services, with an emphasis on software, SaaS, and digital marketing
• Education and online courses
• Health, with an emphasis on lifestyle and stress management

Through my experience in Information Technology, I have hands-on experience in a number of industries that rely on technology. See Industry Experience for details.

Q: Do you provide a guarantee?

A: I guarantee I will use your background materials and my professional skills to produce a deliverable that helps you achieve your marketing goals. My fee assumes two rounds of minor revisions. If the project scope changes, we will work together to revise the proposal and fees to align with your new marketing goals.

I cannot, however, guarantee a specific number of leads or sales. Marketing materials are just one of the many factors that generate revenue. Other factors, such as new competitors or changes in the political, natural, or economic environments, are beyond my control.

Your Next Steps

Your next steps are all up to you.

You can learn more about me and my services by clicking through this website. I'm easy to work with, and I want to help you succeed.

Or you can request a free 30-minute Discovery Call. We'll discuss your current and future goals and needs, a timeframe, and a budget. If we decide to move forward, I'll send a proposal for your review. Once we reach an agreement, I'll get to work.