After publishing a post all about the signs that I’m the right writer for you, I thought I should also talk about the reasons I might not be.
What!? Why would I ever want to put someone off working with me?
Actually, there are a lot of reasons. I don’t want you to choose me as your writer if we’re a bad fit. I’ve learned this lesson the hard way. I want you to be delighted with your content, and I want to feel excited about working on it.
So here are 7 reasons you might NOT want to hire me.
You Want Your Content “Yesterday LOL”
I’m not completely opposed to quick jobs in all circumstances, but I prefer to avoid them where possible for one reason: creating the quality of work you deserve takes a little time.
Rushing won’t get you the results you need.
The work I do for you is so much more than just putting fingers to keyboard and bashing out words. It’s also getting to know you, your business, and your values, asking the right questions to get to the heart of what’s unique and magical about your story. It’s researching the topic, performing keyword research to find the best terms to target, and scoping out your competitors to see what you’re up against and how we can do better. It’s also editing, refining, tweaking, and polishing to make sure every word is doing its job.
We’ll discuss timelines at the beginning of the project and, once we’ve agreed a deadline, you will not need to worry about me meeting it. But I won’t agree to a timeline that’s unrealistic, because I won’t give you substandard work. That’s not how I want to run my business.
You Don’t Understand Why I’m More Expensive Than That Person You Found on Fiverr
Content mills and freelance boards like Fiverr are a race to the bottom. They’re filled with people who are willing to work for next to nothing, and clients who are happy to accept crap as long as they can pay peanuts for it.
That’s not me. And trust me, it shouldn’t be you, either.
If you’re just after words to fill space as quickly and as cheaply as possible, a content mill or a generic freelance site will help you get that done for a fraction of what I charge. But I won’t be reducing my rates just because “someone on Fiverr said they can do it for £50.”
If, on the other hand, you consider copy and content writing a genuine skill worth investing in? If you want the good stuff, the kind of copy that jumps off the screen and smacks readers in the face (in a good way) and makes them go “yes, I want that!” about whatever you’re selling? Then we should talk.
Your Content Needs to Go Through 12 Levels of Approval Before Publishing
I want you to love every word of your copy before you publish it, and I’m more than happy to accept and implement feedback. That’s why two rounds of edits and revisions are included with every contract automatically.
But if every piece of content needs to be reviewed, revised, and signed off by numerous people, that’s unlikely to gel with how I work. Because:
You Want a “Yes Person”
I’ll be nice about it, of course, but I will challenge you if I can see a better way of doing something. I want to hear your ideas, but you’re hiring me for my knowledge and expertise, so please let me do my job. If you’re looking for someone to agree with you no matter what, that’s not me.
Your Product, Service, Business Identity, or Offer Isn’t Fully Realised
I’m damn good at my job, but the most dazzling copy in the world can’t sell a bad product. I can’t write you a website if you don’t know what your business is. I can’t create something out of nothing.
Hiring a writer before you nail your product or service, before you understand your brand identity, or before you know what your goals are, is a waste of your money and time. I want you to succeed, so I’ll absolutely tell you if I don’t think you’re ready to work with me yet.
And, of course, “not now” doesn’t mean “never.” Come back to me when you’re a little further along your journey and we might be a perfect match.
You Can’t Tell Me Who Your Audience Is or What You Want Them to Think, Feel, or Do
Your ideal customer is not “everyone.” Sorry! I can’t write for “everyone.” I need to know who you’re targeting; you don’t need a fully fleshed-out customer persona but, at the very least, I’ll need you to give me an idea of demographics, interests, or pain-points.
I can’t persuade people to take action without knowing what that action should be. I can’t evoke an emotion without understanding what that emotion is. If you can’t answer these questions, I’ll ask you to come back to me when you can.
You’re Ultra-Corporate and Looking For the Same
If “the opposite of corporate” had an aesthetic, it would be me. My favourite colour is “all of them, preferably together and in improbable combinations.”
Formal, corporate, dry, and buzz-wordy aren’t my vibe. I don’t do playing it safe. I do sparkle, I do vibrant, I do surprising and playful. I’m not the right writer for anyone looking for the content equivalent of sad beige. The copy I write is as colourful as I am.
Still Reading?
If you’ve made it this far, then I probably AM the writer for you!
If none of these points have put you off, and if you’re not already composing an email to tell me how unprofessional and entitled I am for having standards and boundaries, then I’d love to hear from you and learn more about what I can do for you.
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