How I work

Getting started on your content writing project

I specialise in writing SEO-friendly blog posts and conversational content which connects. My experience covers a variety off sectors, but I especially love working with outdoor, purpose-driven and eco brands. So you can see how my process works, I've outlined a general plan below which covers the way I approach projects.

1. Initial chat

The first step is for us to have a conversation about your project in more detail. It's a chance for me to learn a little about your business, and for you to get to know the person you'll be trusting with writing your marketing content.

2. Project overview

Because I charge a set fee for jobs, I need to understand the scope of work before starting. It will mean asking questions (either via a phone call or email) which include things like:

  • The type of content (eg. blog post, web page, article, newsletter, etc)

  • The number required

  • For web copy, the type of pages included (eg. Home, About, Services)

  • Whether you have anything already prepared

  • Your thoughts on length (number of words)

SEO work will include questions about your competitors, and chosen keywords.

3. Proposal and quotation

I’ll send you a proposal outlining the details of the job and pricing, so there are no surprises.

The quote will include all necessary briefing and phone / email conversations, research, writing for the agreed project, and the revisions (usually two). Face to face meetings are not usually required, but can be added at an additional rate.

4. Contract and payment

I charge a 50% upfront payment. So, before I start working on your project, you'll need to sign the contract and pay the first invoice.

The remaining 50% will be payable on completion of the project. For long-term projects, or larger contracts, payment will be split on a 50/25/25 payment plan.

Clients on a retainer contract will need to pay the full monthly invoice on the 1st day of each month.

5. Timings and deadlines

I'm often booked in advance, so the sooner you can complete the brief, sign the contract, and pay the first 50%, the quicker we can get started. I will squeeze in small jobs and do my very best to meet your deadlines.

Once we've agreed a delivery date, I stick to it. Turnaround times will vary depending on the amount of content I'm writing for you and the speed of your response / approval.

6. Full briefing

This is where we go through the finer details about your project, for example:

  • Your customers / target audience, including their needs and wants

  • Your brand personality

  • Your tone of voice

  • Your marketing objectives

  • What you want the project to achieve

  • Any background material you've already prepared

The more I can understand your organisation's culture, history, challenges, and people, the better the final content will be.

7. Completing the job

Once I have the signed contract, first payment, and supporting information, it's time to get writing. Completed work will be in a digital format: MSWord or PDF.

I usually provide three versions of the content: 1st draft, 2nd draft, and final draft. This gives you two rounds of amendments. Any additional amendments will be charged at an hourly rate.

8. Meetings

My process includes an initial meeting prior to creating your proposal, followed by a further briefing meeting. These are usually held online using Zoom or via phone calls.

If you require extra meetings, these can be arranged and charged at an additional hourly rate. Where possible, I aim to limit in-person meetings (see my environmental policy) but if needed, travel time and costs will be charged as an addition.

9. Review and final payment

We'll agree in advance how long you'll need to review and sign off the content I write. Please remember that you'll need to read through the full text to ensure you're happy it meets the brief. The effort will mean a better end result.

When the job is complete, I'll invoice you the final amount. My payment terms are 14 days.

10. Happy clients

My aim is to wave off happy clients at the end of the project. Good communication from both of us throughout the time we work together will help with this.

Once we've finished your project, I'll ask you for a testimonial for Google Business Profile, LinkedIn, and my website. It's the kind of thing future clients will look for when choosing to work with me - and maybe played a part in your own decision.

Samples of work

To see examples of previous projects, please visit my Portfolio page. You can also see samples of work here: https://www.jacquiebudd.com/portfolio-samples