I’m all about words. In many forms, for many purposes. But words never stand in absolute form, without a relationship to us as meaning-makers. The goal of writing is to connect people, convey importance, and invite action. My Master’s degree in conflict transformation means that I’ve studied and practiced communication skills like interviewing, deep listening, facilitation, messaging, persuasion, and negotiation. All of this comes in handy with this work. Clients have hired me for headlines, footnotes, and everything in between, including:
The Arc of a Project
1. A Conversation
For new clients, the first conversation is often an in-person meeting (if you’re local), or video chat (if you’re further afield). It’s a chance for us to learn whether the connection holds some promise, whether my experience is a good fit for your project and team, and whether the big picture is do-able.
2. Project Brief
In many cases, clients already have a framework to describe the project’s scope and roll-out. If not, I have a format that can serve. A project brief assures clarity from the start, even if the scope is modified along the way. The document usually includes: the category of work (branding, copywriting, editing, etc.), page/word count, deadlines, budget, on-ramping process, details for team cooperation, deliverables, competitor research, brand guidelines, mandatory inclusions/exclusions, etc. Clients may also request a confidentiality agreement or other financial paperwork. After seeing the brief, I will often provide an estimate for the work.
3. The Work
Once I’m on board, it’s green-light go. I work very hard to produce an on-target, on-budget, on-message, on-time, beyond-expectations piece that will serve your goals. I relish the back-and-forth creativity of working with a team, when the project warrants. At the risk of over-communicating, I am in touch with clients all along the way. Because let’s be honest: in the range of possible surprises, clients generally only want the fun ones.
4. Wrap-up and Beyond
Far from ghosting clients after sending the deliverable, I am puppy-dog eager to hear how the piece played out. What was the impact? Did you see an uptick in open rates? What did you hear from your audience about the message? What’s the next step? Having worked in a branding environment, I have an eye on the big-picture story that extends beyond a one-off project.