The Consultation…
The consultation comes before we get down to the nitty-gritty of the project at hand, and you may first want to contact Wes with an email about your project or projects, as well as any questions you may have about his process, including fees and billing practices. You will receive a response from Wes within 24 hours, and he may have his own questions about your needs. This helps him get a handle on potential research and what kind of interview process will be required to get the job done.
SkillUnlimited works through a written agreement, which will be tailored to the needs of your project. It may be emailed as a Word document or pdf that you can print out, keep a copy for yourself and then mail (the traditional way) to the address provided. If you prefer the contract mailed to you, we’ll do so with a return envelope. This will ensure that your work will be completed in a timely fashion, namely deadlines for drafts, revisions and final copy.
We will provide a pricing breakdown, and the agreement will generally ask for 50 percent up front—unless it is an open-ended or ongoing project that would be more convenient to pay as a billable hourly rate on a weekly or bimonthly (every two weeks) basis. We may agree to a fee in terms of hourly rates or an overall project estimate. We will not charge beyond that estimate unless there are modifications to key elements or scope of the project.
Producing the Words….
This is what copywriters get paid for, and the free or preliminary consultation process is part of researching and compiling the information required to produce the work—up until you decide to contract with SkillUnlimited.
After preliminary consultation comes the gathering of information, and much of that may be done by exchanging emails and via phone interviews. Some clients prefer to have the writer do the interviewing instead of relying on email communiqués. Wes will follow the lead in your management style.
Drafts—With information gleaned from interviews and research, the next phase is drafting the wording. There may be two drafts relying on divergent approaches or themes for the client to consider. For example, drafts for your website copy may include a casual or more formal approach to choose between. You may get to choose between multiple themes for your brochure, direct mail or newsletter project.
Revisions— The feedback from the drafts will take us to your revised final copy. That gives the client another opportunity for editing, proofing and amending before the project is completed.
Final Copy— By this time you know what is coming, and you should be comfortable with the completed project. By the way, it is your property with payment and your to edit, change or incorporate into other marketing material.
