FAQ

I find editing to be a fun process. Unlike creating computer code, where you have a variety of tools to make sure it works right, any writing project turns out best when an objective party has a good and thorough final look.

Plus, copy editing projects fit more easily into a busy schedule. I’m not caught up in the time-consuming creative processes of conceiving big ideas and bringing them to life. Copy editing comes last, to make sure that the big ideas shine through to the reader.

Sure, writing benefits a lot from just proofreading and tweaking. But true copy editing goes much deeper than that. In my training, I’ve learned to apply a checklist that I move through to assure the best result.

Think of it like an automobile moving through a car wash, where a series of brushes and cleaning fluids get applied, finishing up with waxes and sealers, and finally a good blow-drying. My process is similar, where I work through flow and focus before getting to the details.

I move through a series of steps that move from the big stuff to the small stuff. I go in that order because it gets me into the intent and flow of the project’s narrative. Once there, it’s more effective to apply the fine-tuning, because I’m already in context.

Here are the steps that I follow.

I will first ask for any style guides or similar project materials, so that I can get a feel for the voice and approach that you use. (If you don’t have a style guide or a key message platform, I can work with you to create them as a separate project.)

The actual editing process starts with the big stuff:

• First impression read: I read start to finish with no other goal than to get an idea of what the project is all about and where it’s trying to lead me.
• Flow read: I read again and make note of how the narrative flows from one section to the next. Here I assess how the work is put together.
• Focus read: I read a third time, making detail notes of the points being made. I note whether the points are supported by headings, lists, and other devices.
• Major edits for flow and focus: Finally, it’s time for the bigger changes. By this time, I have a list of edits that range from restructuring (if needed) to revising the narrative so that it flows better and focuses the reader’s attention properly.

I’m not looking at the small stuff yet. That comes later. If I believe the edits need to go deeper, then I’ll work with you before making changes. It’s your choice if you want me to do it, or if you want me to point them out so you can.

The process continues with a review of the evidence and fact-checking (if you want me to do this). I’ll make a list of the areas where the narrative could be buttressed with more or better persuasive elements. Again, I’ll work with you before making changes.

The process concludes with the smaller stuff:

• Terminology pass: Especially for longer works, it’s important to use consistent terms, word choices, and voice. Now that I’m sure of the overall flow, it’s time to make sure everything in the narrative lines up.
• Punctuation and spelling pass: Finally, do a careful proofreading pass or two.

Upon completion, you can rest assured that your project car wash has been thorough, and your work will be the best it can be.

If you’re doing good, hey, nobody can argue with success. The question is, how much better could you do?

Here’s food for thought:

• A recent study reports that 65 percent of sales reps can’t locate meaningful content to share with prospects. It’s the most common complaint for sales teams in the US.
• Another study proved that today’s buyers have a strong preference to buy from sellers that can add value and help with their buying decision.

A trained sales enablement copywriter solves both problems. Your staff will use the cold email scripts, battlecards, and other content to personalize every interaction. In many cases these can be appropriate to share or use as a leave-behind.

Salespeople need business content like case studies and white papers, for sure. Marketing teams do solid work on projects such as these. What I’ve found is sales teams need a different kind of support. This includes a consistent, on-brand sales message and key information that can be revised to address the buyer where they are in the buying process.

Unlike marketing - which is broadcast messaging - salespeople work with prospects one-on-one. They need consistent sales collaterals to support these interactions:

• Cold outreach emails that work to “warm up” the prospect
• Cold call scripts that break the ice and open the door to conversation
• Follow-up emails that engage and initiate a response
• Battlecards to help with consistent, effective messaging about features, benefits, competitive advantages, etc.
• And more…

A trained sales enablement copywriter knows how to create these materials specifically for salespeople to adapt to their needs. In this fashion, sales enablement content is a crucial complement to what marketing provides your sales team.

Salespeople need to engage with prospects in their own natural voice, but you don’t want them to wing it, right?

Sales enablement copywriting provides a happy medium, providing content that’s written to best practices, but also customizable. For example, your salespeople will:

• Pick a cold email template, customize the greeting for a given prospect, and then use the rest of the content written to best practices.
• Choose slides from a larger deck that best address what a prospect needs to hear, and tweak as needed.

The content provided by a trained sales enablement copywriter is designed with the understanding that they will be adapted to fit each prospect’s needs, and according to the salesperson’s unique voice, while consistently representing your brand.

Taken at face value, a proposal that includes several dozen cold and follow-up emails, a 50-slide sales deck, and a five battlecards can add up. Let’s talk about return on investment.

Sales enablement statistics reports organizations that implement sales enablement saw these improvements:

• 15 percent improvement for lower-performing salespeople
• 31 percent improvement in sales messaging
• 76 percent of organizations increased sales between 6 percent and 20 percent

The content provided by the sales enablement copywriter keeps your entire sales team communicating in sync. Consistent messaging moves prospects through the sales funnel, resulting in higher sales. The revenue gained will dwarf the copywriter’s fees.