1. Contact and Communications

As we work together, it is important that we have fast and easy communication.

During our project, I am available every day to answer any questions you may have. By far, the best way to reach me is through text at 310-497-8072. For lengthier comments, you can call me at the same number or email me at findleykate@wordarcs.com. Though my schedule varies from day to day, you should receive a response within a few hours at the most.

2. Beginning the Project

Once you are ready to get started on a potential project, I will send you a complete Discovery Questionnaire. This will help both of us to clearly define the parameters of the project and ensure maximum results.

I will send you a link to the questionnaire through Google Docs. Please return it to me as soon as possible so that I can get started on your project in a timely manner.

Once I receive the Discovery Questionnaire, I review and study your answers, plus any other initial research needed. From there, I will outline a short Project Roadmap. This will save you time and help you see that I fully understand the project. It will also be the basis for our Launch Call.

3-10 days after I receive the Discovery answers, we will schedule a 20-minute Launch Call. During this call, we will discuss the Project Roadmap as well as any additional directions and insights you have on the project.

Once we have completed that call, I will draft and send you an Agreement. If your legal team has an Agreement, we can use that.

3. Investment and Getting Started

In the Agreement, I will detail the specifics on what exactly I will deliver, including project deadlines. I will also list your investment for the project and terms of payment. (Note: For large projects, I require 1/3 of the total project fee as an up-front deposit. Most of my clients prefer to pay by Paypal).

As soon as we have both signed the Agreement, I will begin working on your copy as agreed.

4. Research

My research process is exhaustive and comprehensive. First, I review your website and any other materials you send me. Next, I will research the market and your competitors. In some cases, I will ask to visit with your customer service team, past clients/customers, and different department heads.

If needed, I will reach out to you for additional details, product samples, and resources.

You can be assured that I’ll efficiently and effectively understand all the essential details about your product, your voice, and your customer’s core emotional and logical purchase decisions.

5. Collaboration

Communication is vital as we embark on this project together. While some clients are busy and prefer to hand off the project to me until they can review the first draft, others prefer to communicate with me on an almost daily basis and to discuss the project at every step along the way.

Which one of these preferences works best for you?

Please email me and let me know how often you’d like to communicate and the best way to reach out to you (email, phone, text, etc.).

One additional point: I prefer to communicate directly with a single point of contact on your team if possible. This person can then refer to other team members as needed to obtain information and approvals.

Finally, I highly recommend using Google Docs to share files. Unlike Word, it allows anyone to quickly and easily make edits and comments on the draft. You don’t have to worry about sending an outdated file or the document getting lost, as the document reflects only the most current edits. It can be accessed by multiple team members at once, allowing us to collaborate in real time.

6. Review of First Drafts

How fast I work depends on the project, but I always leave ample time for researching and revising. In most cases, you can expect to receive the first draft in 10-15 business days, depending on the size and scope of the project.

Once you have received the first draft, please review it carefully and share with applicable team members. At this point, it is crucial that we ensure that the tone, message, and offer are right. Well fine-tune details during the second and third draft, as needed.

7. Revisions

I am open to any comments and suggestions you may have once you have reviewed the first draft. You can note these changes using the Comment and Suggestion features inside of Google Docs.

I will review all of your suggested changes within 24 hours after you send it to me. I will then make all suggested changes within 2-5 business days, depending on the complexity and depth of the changes.

In all cases, I recognize that the project is for the good of your company and will defer to you as much as possible.

8. Additional Reviews

Your satisfaction with the final product is vital to me and thus three rounds of revisions are included in the fee. I will happily work with you until the copy is exactly the way you want it. For additional revisions (beyond simple line edits), I will charge an hourly rate. Most clients, though, find that one or two rounds are plenty. In most cases after I have completed the suggested changes on the first draft, we can produce a polished final copy within 2-4 business days.

9. Final Approval

After all revisions are completed, I will submit a final draft to you. Once you have reviewed the draft, you will send me an email confirming that the copy is ready.

Upon receiving this final approval from you, I will send you an invoice for the remaining 2/3 of the project investment. The invoice is due within 5 business days. I will make every effort to be prompt in responding to your inquiries and assume that, as a professional, you will show the same courtesy with my invoices.

I encourage you to send me a PDF of the final version. I will make sure that the design added by your team complements and enhances the copy.

If I find any elements that I feel detract from the copy, I will be clear in letting you know and make recommendations for improving it.

10. Transitioning to New Projects

Upon completion of the project, I provide you with a complimentary follow-up consultation of the project. By phone or email, we can discuss what worked with the project and any elements that need to be improved.

Next, we will review the Discovery Questionnaire in order to identify additional ways to uncover new profits. When applicable, we can discuss new projects that help your company use the power of copy to enrich relationships with current customers and establish new relationships with potential customers.