Asking For “A Friend:” Content Marketing Post-Mortem

One of my very best “friends” whom I have known all my life—possibly my best friend, depending upon the day or mood—recently encountered a content marketing fail in which the client refused to pay her, I mean the “friend,” after she completed the work requested. They said terrible things about her and her writing, insulting both her and by extension, her cats, who were none too pleased. My “friend” was very upset. She berated herself for not insisting on getting at least one-third up front, as she normally does. However, instead of calling herself a desperate loser (a not uncommon feeling when this happens, I’ve been told), she called ASJA’s content marketing guru and Board of Directors secretary, Jennifer Goforth Gregory. Along with the sweet comfort of common sense, Jennifer also dispensed some pearls of wisdom.

Friend:  At first, I had a trickle of doubt about this project. Along with coming from a job board I’d never used before, the company was a boutique agency located in a different state several thousand miles away. Most of my copywriting experience had been local; in the past I’d met with the principals at the agency in person to get an idea of what they wanted or done this via Skype. Nevertheless, their client appeared to have deep pockets. And the agency seemed responsive and reasonable and sent me a contract that included a nice fee.

JGG:  Actually not getting a fee up front is more common than you might think, even with technical or B2B (business-to-business) content. Although I usually recommend getting either partial upfront payment or negotiating a kill fee, sometimes, depending on the situation, it’s OK to go ahead with a project without an advance, especially if you know the company and have worked with them before. Speaking for myself, I would rather do a tiny portion of the writing and have them approve it before taking any payment. That way there are no surprises for either side.

Friend:  I did that! I sent them the first piece and they said it was the tone they were looking for. Then I did the rest. They kept shifting focus and asking for revisions, and I couldn’t figure out why they kept changing their minds. Still I rewrote to their specifications and turned in everything when requested. Then a few days later, my contact sent me an ominous-sounding email saying we had “to talk.” Obviously the news was not going to be good.

JGG: This is one area where content marketing is very different from journalism. The writing goes through various levels of approval and everyone has their input. So, to begin with, I always try to get feedback on a smaller portion of the project—one blog, post or section—from everyone who will be signing off on it. And the earlier in the project I get that information, the better, so we can move forward in an organized manner. With content marketing, expect lots of revisions, especially in the beginning….Although in your case, it sounds like you pretty much handled it the right way.

Friend:  During the call, my contact at the agency said that none of my work was usable and it had to be completely rewritten by their staff. And that there was nothing I could do to rectify the situation, but they would keep me in mind because new projects were always coming up. Sure! I’ll buy that swampland in Florida and bridge in Brooklyn!Where can I mail the check?

JGG:  Sometimes people just don’t like what you’ve done. This happens to every writer I know, including myself. Still, before you write the first word, make sure to ask for a sample of what they do like. That way you can match your writing with their tone. This is another big difference between content marketing and journalism. In journalism, you write with your own voice and in content marketing you do so in the style of the brand.

Friend:  So if they are willing to work with you, how do you go about fixing any problems?

JGG:  As mentioned earlier, always get several samples of what they are looking for, including something they don’t like so you know what to avoid. Then examine things like the tone: Is it formal, casual or short and snappy? Study sentence structure—length, preferred punctuation, and other stylistic patterns. Also do they write in first, second or third person? How does the writing make you feel? Is it a good fit for you in terms of your own abilities? Finally, who is the audience? In content marketing there can be several audiences, even within the same company.

Friend:  This is great, Jennifer. Thanks so much. Is there anything we as writers can do to prevent this from happening again?

JGG: I always try to do an outline, even before we start. Although it can be more work up front, they know what they are getting, issues are being addressed right away and there will likely be fewer revisions.

And I can’t emphasize how important it is to really screen your clients. You need a good fit in terms of expertise, writing style and brand voice. The more closely you match your clients with your abilities and interests, the more likely you are to have success with projects. Because not only do you know your audience but you are very familiar with the subject matter as well. This also serves in helping your recognize your limitations and avoid bad decisions.

As of this writing, my “friend” is sitting at her computer working on a new project. Like most of us, she tries to learn from her disasters and move on. The cats, however, keep making the same mistakes over and over….

ASJA’s Chicago Conference “Spotlight on Ghostwriting” takes place on Friday, November 17, and “Boosting Your Content IQ” will be held the next day, Saturday, November 18. Sign up for one or both days. Register here.