Copywriter Client Questions

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Written by CAROL TICE | April 4, 2011 | 58 COMMENT
40 Questions You Need to Ask Ever

Copwriting Client
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You’ve connected with a prospective

client and you’re at your �rst meeting!
It’s an exciting time in the life of any

freelance marketer or copywriter.
Unfortunately, this is also the moment

when the seeds of disaster are often
sown.
Instead of having a detailed discussion about the project at this initial meet, hungry
copywriters often slump into desperation mode. At the �rst mention of a payment of
any size at all, you’re sticking out your sweaty hand ready to shake on any deal you
can get.
Remorse sets in later, when you �gure out the project requires ten times the workload
you imagined.
If you accepted a �at project fee — always preferable to naming an hourly rate — you
realize you’re earning less on an hourly basis than you’d get working the counter at
McDonald’s.
Avoid this unpleasant scenario by learning all you can before you agree to take a
1 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

40 Questions You Need to Ask Every Copywriting Client -... http://www.copyblogger.com/copywriter-client-questions/
project. There is a lot to know to really nail down what a copywriting assignment will
entail.
Here is my list of 40 questions to ask a prospective copywriting client:
1. Can you please de�ne your project? You might imagine a company that’s called in
a copywriter has an idea what they want. Much of the time, you would be wrong.
They’re hoping you can help them �gure out whether their best new piece of content
would be a white paper, a revised landing page, or eight blog posts a month. If they
can’t �gure it out even with your help, try to �nd a small initial project they’re willing
to greenlight to get things moving.
2. When will you be ready to get started? If the answer is “next fall,” you know this
is just a meet-and-greet. This client isn’t ready to assign anything, so politely wrap it
up as fast as you can and ask if you can stay in touch.
3. When do you need this project completed? Between question two and this one,
you learn the timeframe — how long you’ll have to do the work from start to �nish.
This is one of the most important metrics I use in setting my bid. If the timeframe is
short, remember rush work should always pay a premium rate.
4. Is there a hard deadline by which materials must be delivered? For instance, if

what you’re writing is to be handed out at an upcoming trade show, there won’t be
any wiggle room.
5. Have you worked with freelance copywriters before? Pray the answer is yes.
Training a client who’s new to the whole process will be time-consuming.
6. What is your budget for this project? Try to get the client to name a �gure, or at
least a range. Getting them to speak �rst on price will help you avoid radically over-
or underbidding. If they won’t bite, mention a broad range and say, “I’ll be able to
deliver a more precise project quote once I know more about your needs.”
7. Who will be my editor? This is the person you’ll spend the most time interacting
with, so try to meet them and get a sense of whether you’re compatible.
8. How many people at your company will be involved in this project? Many

executives or departments on board can mean an ugly scenario in which your work is
reviewed by multiple managers or department teams. This is usually the enemy of
good copy, and can make consensusArticles
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9. If multiple executives or teams are involved, who has �nal approval? Push to
de�ne where the buck stops. Otherwise, it may stop with no one, or you may �nd
yourself enmeshed in a power struggle may between several executives who each
think the project is theirs.
10. Will I be interviewing people outside the company? If so, �nd out whether the
company will provide contacts or you’ll be expected to dig them up yourself.
11. Who will come up with the topic(s)? A corporate blogging project where you
need to generate a dozen ideas a month takes far longer, and should cost more, than
one where you’ll be handed a monthly topic list.
12. May I see your existing marketing materials? One of the best ways to cut the
time you spend on a copywriting project is to read existing materials to learn what
their marketing team likes.
13. Oh — you hate your current marketing materials? If current materials are
loathed, it’s even more important to get a look at it. Ask managers what’s not working
for them, so you can avoid putting more of the same in your copy. Also, identifying
crappy existing copy opens the door to negotiating additional project work.
14. Will what I’m going to write be used with your existing materials? If your
brochure is going to have one of their existing �iers tucked inside, you’ll want to
know that from the start.
15. Who, speci�cally, is the target audience for what I will write? If the company
doesn’t know, beware.
16. How much can you tell me about this audience? Extract every detail you can,
down to what brand of co�ee their customers drink. The more developed your
picture of customers, the easier it will be to ‘talk’ to them in your copy.
17. What are the most important problems facing this audience? If the company is

fuzzy on this point, talk to sales sta� about what they hear from customers, or
arrange to spend a day going out on sales calls.
18. Have you done any market research on your customers? If there’s a study sitting
around, get it in your hands.
19. How, speci�cally, does your product or service help solve their problems? The
answer to this question may deliver an instant outline of the points you need to
cover.
20. Can you provide me with �ve descriptive words that de�ne the values you’d
like me to convey about your company? This little exercise is invaluable to get
prospects to crystallize their corporate values so you can clearly communicate them
in the copy.
21. Who are your major competitors, and how is your company di�erent? This is
your chance to learn that essential element your copy will need to highlight — the
client’s unique selling proposition.
22. How will this material be distributed? Online content has a distinctly di�erent
format than print, so �nd out if links need coding.
23. Are you looking for a graphic designer on this project? If so, stand out by
o�ering to tap your rolodex, and possibly also score a project-management fee.
24. Do you have any multimedia needs for this project? In today’s interactive age,
you may need to integrate QR codes, video, slideshows or other interactivity into
what you write. Understand all the moving parts up front. If you have experience
with these tools, you should think about raising your fees.
25. May I show you some of my writing samples? Bring a portfolio or tap your
website as a way to stand out in the client’s mind compared with other writers.
26. What is your preferred method of communication? If the answer is IM or Skype,

be wary. Customers with a fondness for IM may want to message you instantly —
around the clock.

27. What is your expectation of my availability? This is another way of teasing out
whether 24/7 communication is expected. If you cherish your weekends o�, make
that clear and set your boundaries now.
28. Are you looking to lock down my time exclusively? Some clients want you to
drop everything and work only for them until their project is completed. You may or
may not be able to clear those decks. This question can also bring up whether the
client might put you on an ongoing retainer if they like this �rst project.
29. If my piece will be published online, may I get a credit that’s a live link to my
writer site? This is especially relevant if you’re blogging or writing articles for a
company. Those bylines can be a great source of new referrals, so it’s worth asking.
30. Does this project require a nondisclosure agreement? Get clarity about what’s
top secret, so you don’t screw up and blab something con�dential.
31. Will I be allowed to use this piece as a sample in my portfolio? If you’re

ghostwriting for team members and the company wants that fact kept con�dential, it
costs you a sample — so the assignment should pay a premium.
32. Are there any restrictions on who else I can work for in your industry?
Especially beware of any noncompete clauses that extend beyond the term of your
project.
33. What is your payment method? PayPal is increasingly common — but that
service charges a fee that can be nearly 3 percent. If a company can pay through
PayPal, in my view, they can pay via direct bank transfer at no cost to me.
34. How soon can you get me a 50% up-front payment to get started? Maybe you
could accept 30 percent if you really love the project, but don’t start work without an
up-front payment.
35. Let’s review the payment terms for the rest of my fee. Don’t leave this one
vague, or the client may pay you six months after you �nish work … or never. Right
here is where a lot of cash-�ow headaches are born. Ask for net 30 days from when
work is turned in, or better yet, net 15.

36. My fee usually includes two rounds of rewrites. Does that work for you? I know
many copywriters who stick to this rule, and any additional desired edits are extra. I
personally take an “I work until you’re thrilled”
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how to structure your contract, especially if you’re smelling a “gang edit” scenario.
37. Let’s determine the time limit for this project. Sometimes, a �rst draft gets
turned in and then you never hear from the client again. In this scenario, your �nal
payment will never trigger unless you’ve built a cuto� date into your contract, at
which point all work is considered �nished and your check is due.
38. When do you need my bid? If the project is complex or some questions remain
unanswered at the end of the �rst meet, put o� bidding until later. Go home and
think it through, wait for the rest of the facts to trickle in, and then give your quote.
39. Are you meeting with multiple writers? This company might be thrilled to �nd
you and ready to hire — or they might be emailing a list of the �rst 50 writers they
saw on a Google search. If it’s a cattle call, you may want to put less energy into
trying to land the business.
40. If you’re considering turning me down based on price, could you let me know
so I can consider rebidding? If you’re worried about whether you’ve bid too high and
you really want this client, this question could keep you in the running.
What are the questions you consider crucial for your clients? Do you have a varying
version of one of mine? Leave them in the comments below and let’s talk!
About the Author: Carol Tice shares tips to help writers earn more at her Make
a Living Writing blog, recently named one of the Top 10 Blogs for Writers. Grab
her free report, 40 Ways to Market Your Writing.
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READER COMMENT (58)
Barne Austen says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 8 : 5 7 A M
Hi Carol
“Can ou please de�ne our project”. Great question and one that should be promoted
with an prospect in an business project at the earliest opportunit. Project scoping and
de�ning the boundaries are vital for success.
If the scope is not de�ned it will end in two de�nitive results.
1. An unsattis�ed client.
2. Your business losing mone on the deal.
If the can’t de�ne what the want, then a simple scoping exercise can be done with ou
(which could/should be chargeable). You can alwas make it part of the overall price if the
decide to go ahead with ou.

Good post – thanks

Rand Kemp says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 3 1 A M
cope is also a integral part of project management. omebod should be running

the project as a project manager – either on the client or the freelancer side.
Rand
Codrut Turcanu says

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 : 0 9 A M
Barne, I have been there, done it. Like ou said, when no project scope is unde�ned,
then the client could ask for things which where didn’t specif from the beginning, and
ou work a lot more, for no additional income. If freelancers would use contracts or be
upfront, nothing like that would happen.
Mani Viswanathan @ DailBlogging says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 9 : 0 5 A M
I will �rst ask the person to show some previous work & the budget as ou rightl pointed
out. Good list of questions. Thanks for writing it down Carol.
Nick tamoulis says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 9 : 1 9 A M
As an EO consultant, I’ve asked ver similar questions. The biggest one is usuall in
regards to how much control I am allowed over their content. Will I be writing blog and
articles, or will someone be doing that in-house? Do I have to get everthing approved
beforehand, or do the trust m judgment and expertise? How man people do I have to
convince of an action before I am allowed to follow through? ometimes ou spend more
time getting things approved than ou do actuall working on it!

Fisao @ ecrets of Entrepreneurship says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 9 : 5 2 A M
These are reall great tips. o man, ma be because of lack of customer base don’t reall
ask most of this questions before starting on a project. For me, i’ve gained. Thanks for
sharing
Grace Judson says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 9 : 5 7 A M
Great questions – and I’m happ to sa that I ask most of them (sometimes some just
aren’t pertinent to the client or project).
I will sa that I can’t agree that a �xed-price bid is alwas best. I do aim for �xed-price
when I can, but if the scope seems open to change, I’d rather go with an hourl estimate,
de�ne the scope as tightl as possible, and set clear expectations that scope creep will
a�ect the �nal cost.
ometimes (as ou also point out) clients reall don’t know exactl what the want. Tring
to push them into de�ning it when the haven’t et committed to working with me can be
– reasonabl from their perspective – annoing. It’s also often quite futile, because when
someone doesn’t know what the want, the ma need an example – something to shoot
at, so to speak – before their wishes will crstallize into form.
I guess what I’m saing is – everthing is alwas �exible and dependent on the situation!
Carol Tice says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 1 9 A M
Hi Grace — That’s wh I sa if the don’t reall know, tr to �nd a small initial project
ou can do for them. ometimes ou can do several smaller projects while the client is
�guring out the big picture of what the want to do in marketing this ear, and that
keeps our name in front of the client and generates some income in the meanwhile.
Grace Judson says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 8 : 5 9 P M

Well, conceptuall, I agree.

In actual practice, though, it’s a tad di�cult to ask a client to de�ne a “small initial
project” when the come to me wanting a new website, but unsure about exactl
what the pages will turn out to be.
It’s usuall a lack of full clarit around their business – and understandable
enough; in m experience, relativel few people have that level of clarit about
their business, and even people who’ve been in business over 20 ears have told
me the were much clearer about their real focus and strateg after we were
done. It seems a bit in�exible if I insist that we have to nail down ever aspect of
their site before we start. I’d far rather give them a more broadl-de�ned, hourl
approach.
I’d also add that ou have to be ver, ver good at writing tight project de�nitions
if ou’re going to work on a �xed-bid basis, and that’s a skill that takes time and
practice to develop. I’ve been writing project de�nitions of all sizes – from a few
$100 to half a million (literall) – so I’m relativel con�dent in m scoping and in m
abilit to write a scope document that both I and the client can be comfortable
with.
Codrut Turcanu says

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 : 0 1 A M
Carol, that’s good advice, I am alwas puzzled when some copwriters go for the
big projects and completel neglect the smaller ones. If done right, the’ll add up
and generate a lot more cash than a single bigger project
Karen . Elliott says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 9 : 5 8 A M
Bo, was this article ever timel! Thanks!
PenPoint Editorial ervices says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 0 1 A M

Great post, Carol. Thanks for putting it together.

Joe McDermott says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 0 4 A M
Excellent, Carol. Thank ou for posting these. I am going to print this out and keep it with
me.
Jennifer Hooper says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 0 5 A M
Carol,
This is a great list! I alread ask man of these, but thanks to ou, I now will be asking a lot
more! The answers de�nitel helps de�ne a clear scope of work upfront, protecting all
parties.
Jennifer
Joan tewart, The Publicit Hound says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 0 6 A M
Carol, I often get phone queries about m copwriting and decline most projects simpl
because m rates are higher than what people are willing to pa. o asking the question
about their budget is right near the top of m list.
I ask onl a few of these questions initiall. If the’re still interested, we proceed to the next
laer of questions. Asking them all means I could end up wasting 45 minutes and having
nothing to show for it.
Carol Tice says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 2 1 A M

I would rarel ask all these questions o� a phone quer, Joan. De�nitel would want to
be at a stage where I’m clear it’s a fairl serious prospect before gathering this man
details.
Carla says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 1 0 A M
Couldn’t agree more – this is a fantastic list! 40 take an unrealistic amount of time to ask
for some copwriter-client situations, so can ou get it down to the Top 15 or 20 that one
shouldn’t live without?
Patt says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 3 2 A M
Carla, in m business, I cover all of these questions, but in a more phased manner so it
doesn’t seems like I’m grilling the prospective client or putting him/her in the hot seat.
For example, I don’t initiate a discussion about m pament terms until we have
determined that m skills are a good �t for the client’s project and whether I have
enough free time to meet their expected turn-around time.
Carol Tice says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 5 1 A M
Hi Carla —
I think it’s going to depend on the client and situation which of these will be the critical
questions to ask.
Patt says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 1 3 A M
Carol, this is such a great list! I particurl appreciate questions #15 – #21, which are critical
to delivering on-target cop. Although I don’t tpicall ask these tpes of questions up
front, once I have “won” a copwriting assigment, I never move forward without gathering

this basic product/client/competitor insight. Thanks for sharing.

Justin says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 1 9 A M
Wow, that’s a reall thorough list of questions. I de�nitel didn’t have nearl that man on
m list, so I’ve got quite a few notes now-
Thanks Carol!
Melissa Paulik says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 2 8 A M
#23 is so important. I �nd that those who are new to working with a freelance copwriter
ma not think about the di�erence between cop writing and graphic design. If ou don’t
bring up design, ou can �nd ourself delivering the prescribed cop and hearing the
client ask when ou’ll be putting it into the �nal format.
Freelance FactFile says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 3 0 A M
I also ask: ‘What does our target audience currentl think/feel/do and what do ou want
them to think/feel/do once the have read this brochure (or website, or whatever it is I’m
going to be writing).
Questions around tone of voice can open up a can of worms if the don’t have a clear
concept of what their tone of voice is/should be. I was recentl briefed b two directors of
a compan on what their tone of voice should be and I agreed to do two sample web
pages to check I was on the right lines. The said it was spot on and so I wrote the full 12
pages. Then a third director got involved and said he didn’t like that tone of voice at all
and made me rrewrite it to HI speci�cation. (Totall overruling his two fellow directors).
That begs a further question: who needs to be in the initial brie�ng session?
onia imone says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 3 7 A M

Having worked with a lot of creative pros and agencies from the client side, I can
con�rm that we used to do this toArticles
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This is a critical one to get sorted out, and to make sure that ou don’t get penalized
for the compan’s disfunction.
#8 and #9 might not seem that important if ou’ve never worked in an organization
that has issues with power struggles, but the’re critical.
Rakesh Kumar says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 3 5 A M
Quite useful questions. Here i think that b discussing these question with client no
confusion will occur later.
Brenda Marie says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 4 1 A M
Great article with some ver pertinent advice. Thanks for writing it.
Dean says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 1 : 3 6 A M
Thank ou. I wish I’d read this before meeting a new client.
athishkumar says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 1 : 5 7 A M
I have never been into copwriting business and I am not interested at all, since I am
planning to stick with m blogging career and live m life as a blogger. Anwa, thanks for
sharing these useful tips.

John says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 1 : 5 9 A M
“Let’s determine the time limit for this project.” Ke especiall if ou work like I do ““ until
ou’re thrilled.” Plus I love #23. All copwriters should get to know good designers.
Derek says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 2 : 0 0 P M
Carol, I alwas loved articles like this. A lot of people pop into freelancing (writing,
developing, designing, and etc) and the get “blind-sided” b clients that request too
much of them.
However, if the follow these 40 questions, the can prevent that from ever happening.
Now think about it… what if ou turned this into a 2-page document and o�er it as a free
download? People can refer to it before each and ever client meeting.
Emil Wenstrom says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 2 : 0 3 P M
This is a fantastic post. I am going to hold onto this as reference for new client meetings.
Frank says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 2 : 0 8 P M
Without fail, there alwas seems to be something I forget to ask during those initial
meetings. List like this certainl come in hand. And the beaut of a compilation like this is
that it not onl covers what ou should ask of our clients, but what the should expect
from ou. Most times, the client will ask “Can ou “insert project here” for us?” without full
realizing what a half-decent copwriter/designer/illustrator should be bringing to the table.
These tpes of questions get the clients to look at their project in a di�erent wa. It’s
alwas satisfing when a client leaves a meeting with a new perspective on their own
project.

Gabor Wolf says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 : 2 9 P M
Can I be brutall honest?
I’m all for content marketing – that’s how I built m business as well.
But in this post ou’re NOT giving awa content – ou’re giving awa METHODOLOGY,
and I don’t think that’s smart, for a number of reasons:
1) You’re creating (amateur) competition that is diluting the copwriting business,

2) You’re giving awa stu� ou could get mone for,
3) You’re devaluing the methodolog.
This questionnaire should be EARNED while a trainee is working with a pro copwriter, or
bought b a beginner copwriter who WANT to get ahead faster.
What do ou think?
Carol Tice says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 : 5 0 P M
Guess I don’t agree, Gabor.
This is exactl the sort of content I give awa on m blog all the time. M mission is to
help writers earn more, so I often describe exact was writers can do that.
I don’t think I’m devaluing methodolog b discussing it. And as ou can see from the
comments above, not everbod agrees with m points anwa.
I’m not worried about more competition, and I don’t think sharing methods creates
more. It doesn’t give people the skills to DO great copwriting — it just allows
copwriters to gain a better sense of what the should charge, and charge
appropriatel for the project’s true scope.
Certainl �attered ou think the list is of such high value that I should sell it. But most
of m products for sale are much more extensive than this.

I think putting forward this information gives copwriters better tools for demanding
more pa. That strengthens the copwriting business and �rms up rates for all of us,
rather than diluting the value of copwriters in the marketplace. But happ to hear
others’ thoughts about it.

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 4 : 4 5 P M
Carol’s enough of a pro to know that the market is alwas strong for good copwriters
who are also good businesspeople.
And we give awa lots of stu� we could charge mone for. We’re asking for
people’s time and attention — that’s much more valuable than an dollars the could
give us.
Elizabeth Williams says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 2 : 0 9 P M
Great list of questions–I onl wish ou’d written this post two months ago! I was recentl
burned b a client speci�call because I didn’t know the answers to Questions No. 5, 9,
16-20, and 27-29! I was hired b the business owner and spent weeks reporting directl to
her for �nal approval–which she was slow to give, if she even replied to email/voicemail at
all–when the person I was *supposed to be* reporting to thought I was a slacker for never
talking to her!
I eventuall discovered, as the business relationship was rapidl dissolving, that the owner
had no experience with freelancers, so she didn’t know that I thought I’d be reporting to
her unless she told me otherwise. he didn’t know that freelancers don’t alwas take on
one client at a time from start to �nish; she basicall wanted me to be a 24/7 emploee
available at her beckon call, whereas I usuall work on multiple projects simultaneousl.
The also had no client pro�le what-so-ever, and how the present themselves in
marketing is MUCH di�erent than how the work behind the scenes. The are a ver
traditional business that wants to cast a wide net and get ever possible person in a large
area–the have a niche, but the want that niche AND everone else. Thus, the wanted
traditional marketing pieces–press releases with ver “professional” (which in their
culture’s terms meant traditional, nothing that could be considered out-of-the-box or
unusual) images to go with it.

ince I was brought on board to work with their online presence and create their social
media program, I jumped in with behind the scenes photos, personal stories from clients,
and applied all of the usual Web 2.0 communit-building tactics that their marketing
seemed to suggest the’d want. Unfortunatel, the were still working with tried-and-true,
impersonal methods of marketing–nothing in the �rst person, everthing ver stoic and
rigid–so that the culture clash was too severe and the ended up going with a di�erent
freelancer to maintain what I’d built up until that point.
If I’d simpl asked the right questions, I’d have known from the start that the project was
completel and utterl wrong for me.
Of course, I’ve bookmarked this site and will integrate these questions into m new client
questionnaire so I can hopefull avoid another bad experience!
Thanks!

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 4 : 3 8 P M
What a painful experience!
Compan culture is such a trick thing, and doubl so when ou’re coming from
outside.
Jack Armstrong says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 2 : 4 1 P M
Thank ou for our post, Carol. I’m fairl new to copwriting, and these sample questions
will be a big help. I’ve noticed that �nding reliable information about the interviewing
portion of copwriting is almost impossible. Most websites discuss the writing aspects of
the work and seem to gloss over the fact-gathering stages.
As a writer, I �nd the interviewing process the most challenging portion of m projects.
Could ou recommend an further sources for information on the interviewing/fact-
gathering processes?

E. Fole says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 2 : 5 9 P M
Awesome list! De�nitel bookmarking this for when I do this tpe of work.
As far as giving awa our IM or kpe handle… M main business is online dating pro�le
writing & dating coaching. M clients have m IM handle – m business handle. I onl log
into this account when I am meeting with a client. If a di�erent client pops up asking for
advice, I will schedule a time that we can talk. ometimes it’s immediatel after the current
client, sometimes it’s the next da or over email. Either wa, I control m schedule.
R Hove says
A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 4 : 4 3 P M
Excellent piece. I am not a Copwriter but want to appl the 40 questions to other areas of
work, be it internal clients or external customers we need to de�ne scope and
expectations of satisfaction.
Dave Grimes II says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 5 : 5 7 P M
Luck number 13 is m favorite on this list! I cant tell ou how man time, earl on in m
copwriting career I forgot to do this. There is nothing worse than repeating the mistakes
of our predecessor! What’s worse is �nishing a TON of awesome content and being O
sure of our work, onl to get a frustrated or even angr response from our client… and
having NO IDEA what went wrong.
The simple act of going over their current content to �nd out what the do/do not like and
what the’d like to see done di�erentl can save ou from a serious headache. As an
added plus, it shows our client that ou can, and it gives them a chance to vent a bit.
The’ll be grateful for both.
Mark Mathson says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 6 : 0 7 P M

Whoa bo, step #1 in our list is alwas one of m favorites. It is so true that ou need to
be able to de�ne a project before making a request. At the same time, I alwas help
nurture along the question, can ou de�ne our project, b having available brand
questionnaire or web workbook to help people brainstorm and work through the process.
Great list!
Carol Tice says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 6 : 5 5 P M
I’m a fan of the written questionnaire approach too, especiall for that initial phone
conversation. omehow, being confronted with a line on a form that sas, “How man
blog posts a month do ou need?” helps crstallize an answer better than just verball
being asked.
ue Guthrie says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 6 : 4 6 P M
Hi Carol, thanks for the list. De�nitel ver pertinent. I also agree that it’s worth sharing.
ue
Elizabeth Todd says

A P R I L 4 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 5 7 P M
Hi Carol. Thank ou for this ver informative post. I need to �nd someone to do some
cop writing for m business consulting website and our list will be a fantastic starting
point to make sure that I have all the answers clearl in m head before an interview. Your
post ma have been directed speci�call to cop writers but it will no doubt save a lot of
problems on both sides of the fence.
Emma Donald says

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 1 AT 5 : 5 9 A M

Fabulous post, thank ou. And I guess that this epitomises the best of blogging –
perpetuating the communit feel, stimulating discussion, sharing our knowledge with
others and doing so with intelligence and charm.
accountant �nder says

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 0 : 3 9 A M
This is great! I actuall have a friend who will be in need of these questions. he is
currentl working with a client that is asking her to do things she never agreed upon, but
this was because she rushed into it, she took them as a client and never asked, like ou
were saing. Thanks for the post..wonderful!
Kristen Fischer says

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 1 AT 1 2 : 0 5 P M
This is wonderful and ver practical. ome things like getting clips on our website I have
alread built in to m contract. Great piece!
cott pinola says

A P R I L 5 , 2 0 1 1 AT 8 : 1 1 P M
Thanks for this great piece Carol!
I’m ver new to the freelance business (so new that I still need to keep m da job). While
I’m a technical writer rather than a copwriter, man of these questions are ver relevant to
what I do. I’m also tring to decide if copwriting is an area that I can move into down the
road so I’m tring to take in all the knowledge I can from the experts to see if it’s right for
me before I jump in. I appreciate that seasoned pros like ou are willing to share these
“secrets of the game” with the rest of us who are still learning how to pla.
I just added our blog to m feed list. I look forward to more great content.
Thanks!

lopez- como bajar de peso says

A P R I L 6 , 2 0 1 1 AT 5 : 2 6 A M
This is great. share our knowledge with others and do so with intelligence and ver
practical.
Moses says
A P R I L 6 , 2 0 1 1 AT 5 : 4 2 A M
That’s a ver useful secret ou have given out for free. It’s reall a good action plan for
freelance business. Thanks.
Mona Andrei says

A P R I L 6 , 2 0 1 1 AT 8 : 5 4 A M
Although none of this was new to me, it was ver well laed out. A perfect sum of
information. Thanks for reinforcing
Elgin UBWAYURFER Bolling says

A P R I L 9 , 2 0 1 1 AT 7 : 4 0 P M
I’m tacking this to m wall next to m computer and es, this list will be in m hands during
m next negotiation call for sure. I just wish info like this was available to me ears ago
when igot mself into some stick situations with clients.
Webáruház készítés says

A P R I L 1 7, 2 0 1 2 AT 2 : 4 0 P M
Most of them are true, thanks great article

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40 Questions You Need to Ask Every Copywriting Client -... http://www.copyblogger.

Articles Audio Education  Products  About M Account 

Written by CAROL TICE | April 4, 2011 | 58 COMMENT

40 Questions You Need to Ask Ever

You’ve connected with a prospective

It’s an exciting time in the life of any

Unfortunately, this is also the moment

1 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

4. Is there a hard deadline by which materials must be delivered? For instance, if

2 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

3 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

26. What is your preferred method of communication? If the answer is IM or Skype,

4 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

31. Will I be allowed to use this piece as a sample in my portfolio? If you’re

5 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

F I L E D U N D E R : Collaboration, Copywriting, Entrepreneurship, Freelance Writing

6 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Carol Tice Articles Audio Education  Products  About M Account 

What do ou want to learn?

 Design  Content  Tra�c  Conversion

READER COMMENT (58)

Barne Austen says

7 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Good post – thanks

Articles Audio Education  Products  About M Account 

cope is also a integral part of project management. omebod should be running

Codrut Turcanu says

Mani Viswanathan @ DailBlogging says

Nick tamoulis says

8 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Fisao @ ecrets of Entrepreneurship says

Articles Audio Education  Products  About M Account 

Grace Judson says

Carol Tice says

Grace Judson says

9 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Well, conceptuall, I agree.

Codrut Turcanu says

Karen . Elliott says

Bo, was this article ever timel! Thanks!

PenPoint Editorial ervices says

10 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Great post, Carol. Thanks for putting it together.

Joe McDermott says

Jennifer Hooper says

Joan tewart, The Publicit Hound says

Carol Tice says

11 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Carol Tice says

12 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

this basic product/client/competitor insight. Thanks for sharing.

Articles Audio Education  Products  About M Account 

Melissa Paulik says

Freelance FactFile says

onia imone says

13 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Rakesh Kumar says

Brenda Marie says

14 of 26 Wednesday, 13 January, 2016 10:17 PM

Articles Audio Education  Products  About M Account 