The copywriting process (part two)

Scenario 1

Client sends Copywriter Messaging Matrix in Excel

1.    Receives email advising of attached Messaging Matrix for review
2.    Suspects Messaging Matrix means an Excel document
3.    Sees attachment is an Excel document
4.    Sighs
5.    Opens attachment
6.    Sighs
7.    Eyes hurt looking at the mess of fonts, colours and lines
8.    Squints to read Copy
9.    Presses arrow on keyboard to move across a row
10. Moves across five rows in error
11. Attempts to make Excel document smaller to fit the screen
12. Excel document does not fit the screen
13. Sighs
14. Reviews Copy
15. Hits Return but goes to the box below instead of starting a new paragraph in the box above
16. Sighs
17. Highlights the whole document
18. Presses Ctrl+C
19. Opens Word document
20. Presses Ctrl+V

Scenario 2

Client tells Freelance Copywriter work is approved

1.    Receives email advising of work signed off
2.    Sits back and smiles
3.    Sits up and panics
4.    Checks email advising of work signed off
5.    Sits back and smiles
6.    Wonders what to do next
7.    Worries work wasn’t good enough and Client is being kind
8.    Worries Client has briefed a better Copywriter to do the job
9.    Worries Client will never send more work
10. Double checks email advising of work signed off
11. Sits back and smiles
12. Prepares invoice
13. Worries work wasn’t good enough and Client won’t pay invoice
14. Wonders if agreed rate should be reduced
15. Triple checks email advising of work signed off
16. Writes invoice with the agreed rate
17. Sends invoice and hopes Client won’t ask for a reduced rate because work wasn’t good enough
18. Sees work live on TV
19. Realises Client really did sign work off
20. Sits back and smiles

By Vikki Ross
Vikki Ross is a Copywriter, Copywriting Tutor and Co-Founder of Copy Capital, the hottest event around for Creatives and Clients: copycapital.co.uk