Many people ask me many questions about content writing.  They vary from the off the top of the head answers to “I actually need to research that” responses.  So when our head honcho at Design Theory asked me about researching client industries, billing and how clients respond to issues surrounding that, what solutions to these problems look like and how to not cause heart failure with the billing from it all, I realized I had quite a bit to say.  So rather than writing it all, Jean & I decided to give you an over the shoulder peek at our conversation on camera.  Some of it you might already know while another facet may give you an Ah-ha moment.  Either way, I hope it conveys some worthy considerations when you incur some of these same questions and frustrations with content writing, research and billing for your web and branding clients.

Here are some of the highlights:

Professionally Developed Content
*Clients need to understand the process & value of the necessary research & writing that will be critical to the success of their website.
*Not everyone who owns a business can necessarily write well about their business.
*Understand the importance of the potential consumers experience will be via the client’s website.
*Make the potential consumer/service recipient feel like “I want to do business with them or by their product.”

Content Writing Time & Research
*Do your due diligence in research to create great content to create traffic for the client
*Become intrigued and entrenched in the subject matter & then writing from a position of “seeming” expertise and authority.
*”Write It Like You Live It” positioning in content writing

Billing
*Use reportable billing software (i.e. Toggl) that report specifics to prove good utilization of time
*Consider incremental billing
*Establish a great rapport & trust so they so they don’t question the integrity of the work & the corresponding billing