Hi!
I created this page to give you an idea of what to expect when we work together.
If we’ve already spoken, we may have covered some of this. Please read on anyway – it’s important to the success of our project and will only take a couple of minutes.
And if we haven’t had chance to speak yet, this page will give you an overview of how I work and what to do next.
Ok, let’s hop to it…
About my process
Conversion copywriting and a ‘Selling Unique’ messaging strategy are business investments. And they can provide a huge return on that investment.
Our work together is crucial to successfully communicating with the people who want what you have – in a way that helps you sell your products/services, grow your audience and drive your business.
So conversion-focused messaging plays an important role – but so does communicating your unique value with a great offer AND understanding your market.
Without all three elements, businesses struggle. That’s where I can help…
As you already know: I love to write.
And I particularly love writing for my clients, especially when it helps them grow their biz.
(I also love to learn about new things, like how to help people I’ve not yet met – which makes my research process enjoyable too!)
I consider myself incredibly fortunate in that writing is (almost always) a lot of fun for me, and I have fun doing it and talking about it.
But I take my own business seriously, as I’m sure you do with yours.
That means I meet my deadlines, I show up for scheduled or meetings on time, and I continue to invest my time and money learning new ways to improve my practice, so I can pass that knowledge & results on to my clients.
So despite my somewhat hairy outdoors-y appearance, when it comes to my work I’m organised and professional…
I value good communication, punctuality, honesty and courtesy (call me old-fashioned, I’m ok with that!)
But if I see something in your messaging that I think will hurt your business goals, I believe it’s my duty to politely and clearly point it out.
I can’t force you to implement anything I suggest as part of our engagement – but I figure that when someone pays me for my insight, it makes sense to at least consider my recommendations.
So when we work together, I hope you’ll be as eager to implement and launch as I am to consult, create, optimize and provide you with value.
Let’s do great work together, and let’s make it impactful on your business.
Sound good? Ok…
Next steps
Confirming projects/payments
Once we decide to move forward with your project, I’ll send you an invoice for the first payment, along with a fee agreement outlining our agreement and start date. My bank details will be on the invoice, along with everything you need to transfer payments from wherever you are.
My business is registered in the EU and I can accept bank transfers in €, £ or USD (I use Transferwise to receive $ into a US-based account, which should save you paying any overseas transfer fees if your bank’s in the US). We’ll decide on which currency to use when setting up the first invoice.
Every time someone pays me – in fact, every time a client or customer pays you – it’s not simply money that’s being given & received…
It’s TRUST.
When you pay me, you’re giving me your trust, and that means a great deal to me.
Thank you in advance for that trust.
If you’re not yet ready to make that first payment and share your trust, we’re not yet ready to work together. In which case, please get in touch with me asap – I’ll do what I can to help us move things forward.
One of the golden rules that helps me run my business professionally and effectively is this:
I only ever start project work once the initial requested payment is made, and I’ve received your trust.
Depending on our work that may mean payment in full (for consultations or surveys) – or a 50% payment before any work commences (for Selling Unique messaging projects).
As soon as that first payment clears at my end you’ll get an e-receipt for your records and we’re officially booked…
Fantastic! This is going to be great.
Next I’ll send you my new project Q&A to complete so I can begin my research, and we’re off to the races.
This is when I start digging into your market’s motivations, desires and objections, and learning all about your product/service. Call me a nerd, but I love this part.
Important note on split-payments:
If we’ve agreed to split a payment, the first 50% secures your project booking in my calendar, and the balancing 50% will be due upon submission of draft copy OR agreed consulting deliverables.
Should you decide to cancel a scheduled project before we begin, I’ll wire you a 50% refund of the deposit you paid (so, 25% of the project total).
Once I start work on your project on our agreed date, the deposit is no longer refundable. In almost a decade of business I’ve never had to action this clause, but it’s there to protect me as a solo biz-owner.
Communications
I use email for all written client comms, unless we agree to also use your Slack/Basecamp etc channels for project management. Once we’re engaged on a project, you can expect a same-day email response from me during weekday office hours.
Project calls on Zoom can be scheduled by email or my call calendar. Because I split my workdays between home & office here in Berlin, I don’t use a landline phone – but I can call your office number directly if you prefer.
If you need to speak to me urgently about our project once we’re under way, please use this link or just email me to setup a quick call.
I don’t check Skype or Zoom for DMs outside of scheduled call times. If you need to add me to a team Slack channel for collaboration, please let me know in advance.
Keeping notifications switched off during my working hours helps me focus on doing my best work for you, and minimises distractions while I’m researching & writing for your project.
My core available office hours are Tuesday – Friday, 10am – 6pm CET / German time (that’s GMT +1 hr). Click this link to see what time it is here right now.
I may respond to emails outside of those times, but any calls after 6pm need to be scheduled in advance. I keep Mondays meeting-free for work on my own marketing & business development, but if something’s time-sensitive, I can schedule a call on a Monday once our project’s under way.
(I use calendly for call scheduling, it’s useful especially if we’re in different timezones. Feel free to use that link to schedule a call with me at any point during our work together.)
If you’re working as part of a marketing team or agency, we’ll agree on a single point of contact at the outset so our comms run smoothly.
Deadlines & deliverables
As I mentioned, I take deadlines seriously. In 10 years of freelancing I’ve never missed a project-end deadline.
I’ll need your help to do the same for our project – so when I request information from your team (research docs, feedback, meetings, survey results etc), I’ll always make clear when I need them by in order to move on to the next step of the process.
If you think there’s going to be a delay getting any requested info to me, please let me know asap so I can plan accordingly and avoid any delays to the completion our project.
Unless otherwise arranged, all copy and consulting notes will be delivered as Google Docs or Word/PDF.
I’ll mark-up any copy I send with relevant layout notes/directions. We can discuss specific design considerations on an early project call.
Although I rarely write blog posts or articles for client projects, if content marketing is an essential part of your goal I may be able to refer you to a content writer in your niche to help us out – just ask! And I’ll happily handle the conversion-focused copy & messaging strategy.
Ready to get started?
Fantastic!
If we’ve already discussed your project, hit reply to the email that brought you to this page and tell me you’re ready to get moving. Be sure to include your full business address and VAT number (if you have one) so I can prepare an invoice and add our project to my calendar.
If we’ve not yet talked about your goals, your next step is to head over to this page to see how we can work together. Drop me an email if you need any help at all.
Ok, thanks for reading – if you’ve made it this far I think we’ll be a great fit 😉
I look forward to helping you with your project and growing your biz!
– Pete
