This post is primarily for web and print gurus.  Remember that project where you finished a design of the website (or print piece) and the client realized that ‘Lorem Ipsum Dolor’ just wouldn’t be enough to sell their product or service?  Then, after the client realized that they don’t have any copy, they kept hinting about you just ‘filling in some content’ or ‘can you use this or that to put some content together’?  Well, if this sounds familiar read on…

It’s a funny thing how clients place certain value on certain mediums.  I’m certainly guilty of his myself as there was a day not so long ago where I placed design over usability & common sense.  But this notion, of clients placing too much or too little emphasis on specific services is rampant.  Some clients think the most important thing in the world is their print marketing materials, for others it will be the website, and still others will place all their emphasis on a small order processing application that is so old it makes noises like Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Well, they’re all wrong...it isn’t one thing that is the most important.  It is the whole process of marketing their business that is important and this includes all these pieces and more.  But that is not what I’m getting at here, its that client’s will sometimes expect you to fill in the blanks, or add this, add that...and ‘can you come up with something’. 

Yes, I’ve written web content and I have the writing skills of about...say, a 7th grader.  But why write content for client’s when it is not included in the project? If the client is ultra-cool, is putting food on your table, and you can write half-way decently, then yes - there are always exceptions. 

Though the client may not place any value on Copy, I am becoming more of a believer that specialties (web, print, video, copy) should all be knocked out by specialists.  Rocket science..I know. 

I personally, have done (tried) everything. I’ve written copy, code, designed for print, web...you name it.  I’ve even tried to be a salesman (ohh that sucks).  In my elder age though I am coming to the realization that all of this should be done by people who are much better at these things than I.  If you don’t know any copywriters, find them.  They are around.  They will add to the quality of your project and can help the client sell their product or service by not confusing readers and rambling on...like I’m doing to you right now.

You must make them realize that anything they say on a website, print material, video, commercials is THEIR responsibility once it hits the public eye.  They ask you to put pricing online (or in a brochure) and this pricing is wrong, BLAMO!, big problems to come.  More specifically, they ask you to list a certain price and you accidentally place an extra zero (or worse, remove a zero) from pricing - let the reckoning begin!

Now, I’m sure there are some of you, or even clients who think that ny take on this is wrong, but there are two things at work here to really focus on.  If you are not providing official copywriting services, you should not be writing any client copy!  Though many of us fall into this trap, all it will take is one type-o or mis-print and they will come back for your head - even though it is always their responsibility to proof-read everything.

Now, on the other hand, if you’ve been hired to provide both copywriting and proof-reading services and have a contract that specifically states that you are responsible for any errors and omissions...then this is a different story.  The moral of the story is simple though - if you find yourself just ‘filling in’ content in a brochure, website, script or any media piece when it is not part of the deliverables, you are taking on additional risk.


My 2 cents
SP