Running your own business is exciting, ain’t it? But speaking from experience, it’s also a ton of work. And no matter what you do, whether it’s practicing law or building websites or running a nonprofit or selling handmade apparel, you’re most likely creating content for your biz. Content that helps you reach new audiences and keeps your loyal customers coming back for more.

So…what if you don’t have time to create content? What if you have a big launch or promotion coming up and you need someone with a special skill with words? Hiring a copywriter can relieve some of the burden so you can focus on your most important day-to-day work.

Working with a copywriter isn’t hard exactly, but it is super important that you find the right copywriter for you. To do that, you need to know a few things about your business before you add a copywriter to the team.

What your business does

Have you ever been so passionate about something that, when you get asked a question about it, your mind goes completely blank and you don’t know how to answer? Yep, we’ve been there. And talking about your business is like that. All. The. Time.

This sounds like a basic and obvious thing to think about before hiring a copywriter, but trust us. The topic is worth revisiting the longer your business is running. Plus, you need to know what your business does because your new copywriter will very likely be writing about that a lot. 

Here are some questions that’ll help you nail down what your biz is all about:

• What’s your mission, vision, or general goal? 
• What do you offer or provide?
• Who’s your target audience or ideal client?
• How would you describe your brand voice?
• What makes your business unique from your competitors?

A good copywriter will want to know all about your brand so they can write about it well. If you’re unable to answer those questions about your business, it miiiiiight be too early to think about hiring a copywriter. Spend a bit more time thinking about your biz first.

What you want to achieve with your content

Once you’ve nailed down the basics of your business, reflect on what you want to achieve — and how hiring a copywriter can help you do that. Where do you want to take your business, and how can great content get you there?

Maybe you want to hit a specific revenue goal, gain more social media followers, or break into a new content medium like podcasts or vlogs. Whatever your goals are, you’ll likely talk about them with your new copywriter.

If your main and immediate goal for hiring a copywriter is to relieve some of the pressure of churning out content on time, that’s totally fine. But it’s worth exploring your goals in a larger sense, too. It’ll help you find not just a talented copywriter, but one that will make your team better — one that’ll help you get the results you’re looking for.

How you and your team work

Take it from a team of writers, content strategists, graphic designers, and client managers: You have to know how your team prefers to work before you start throwing new team members into the mix. If you don’t, your new copywriter will have a hell of a time acclimating to their new role. 

Think about details like:

• When your team works/is available. Do you all have different hours? Are there certain hours that you expect everyone to be online or available to chat?
• How your team communicates. Do you typically talk through Slack, email, Google Doc comments, or Zoom? How are your projects managed?
• Your work process. How long does it take for a project to be completed, from assigning it, getting a first draft, reviewing edits, and sending it off for approval?
• Everyone’s personalities. Is everyone on your team friends, or do you prefer to keep things professional?

After you outline your team’s preferences, you’ll be able to find a copywriter who fits those preferences…or at least, one who’s flexible enough to accommodate them. 

Ready to hire a copywriter?

Once you’ve reflected on these three things about your business, you can start to form a picture of the copywriter you’d like to hire. Remember to keep these other details in mind when hiring a copywriter:

• Their qualifications and experience. Have they written for the medium you want? Are they comfortable with or flexible enough to write different kinds of copy? 
• Their references and previous work. Ask for samples of their work and testimonials!
• Their schedule and availability. Remote or not, you’ll want someone who’ll be there for you when you need them.
• Their interests and passions. Do they love writing, or are they doing it as a side hustle or to pay the bills?
• Their price. It’ll depend on where you live and the type of writing you’re looking for. Keep in mind that great copywriters don’t have to break the bank, but super inexpensive copywriters aren’t always high-quality, either.

Now, go forth and find an excellent copywriter who’ll elevate your team and your content. 
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