Words, text, copy - whatever you call them they play a vital role in our business and daily lives. 

Don't let yourself or your business down with poor, ill judged copy - it pays to get it right.

What's the Hold Up?

Getting the look and feel right of your printed and website material is really important.  It takes time, effort and patience, and the last thing you need is a delay.

If you decide to ask a member of your team to write copy in-house, before the task is given out it's worth giving some thought to the following to help ensure you get the copy you need just when you need it.

1. Find out first who enjoys writing. An appetite to take on the task goes a long, long way to accomplishing it. If not, at best it will be done grudgingly and poorly, at worst it will simply keep falling to the bottom of the 'to do' pile.

2. Ensure they have the time within their job to undertake the task.

3. Provide a brief that tells them what you need e.g. any references they should be aware of, the required style, length and deadline for delivery.

4. Offer support with access to relevant material and professional help if need be. This may especially apply to online writing if SEO (search engine optimisation) is required.

5. Check interim drafts to ensure you're happy with what's being produced.

6. Make sure it is proofread, ideally not by the person who has written it.

7. Importantly, don't accept poor copy that could damage your brand perception and sales. Would you employ a sales team that consistently gave out the wrong information or image? If it's not going well it's time to get professional help and avoid wasting precious time and resources.