FAQs

Why should a company hire a professional writer instead of writing everything in-house?

This is a great question. Like many other business decisions—it depends on the cost/benefit ratio. Here are some occasions when the benefits of hiring a qualified business writer outweigh the costs:

• When time is of the essence: Writing well for public consumption takes time. Most business materials take a number of drafts, and need to be reviewed by others for accuracy and content. As a full-time business writer, I can devote many more hours to researching, composing, and polishing a writing product than you can, simply because I’m not busy running the company. Are there writing projects languishing on your desk waiting for you to have time to work on them? How much are you losing by not completing them?

• When the format or audience is unfamiliar: Many subject matter experts who are great at writing reports or technical materials in their field may not know how to communicate the same material effectively in another format or to a different audience. There are key differences between the written word and the spoken word. (I think we’ve all sat through enough boring PowerPoint presentations to know this is true!) There are also differences in writing for a Web site, an article or a magazine ad. And what if you want to put this same information into a training course? It’s easy to miss opportunities and waste resources creating something that won’t deliver the results you want. An experienced business writer knows how to communicate effectively in a variety of formats.

• When you need a fresh outlook: It’s hard for company executives and managers to be creative all the time. Number one, they’re busy, number two, they may have trouble seeing things from a different perspective. This is where an outside writer can help – the company supplies the inside information, the facts and the context, and the writer thinks about it in creative ways: What if we turned this around and told it from a different angle? Can we take a humorous or lighthearted approach? Can we draw from other forms of media to make this more interesting? There are so many ways that companies can communicate more effectively and a business writing professional can help. Plus, it’s fun to work with other creative people.

• When it needs to be absolutely the best it can be: Good writing says a lot about a company (and of course, bad writing says even more). There are certain things that businesses absolutely, positively need to get right or else they waste money, look unprofessional and make life difficult for themselves. Web sites need to communicate well and be free of grammatical or stylistic errors. Ads need to be compelling and have correct contact information. Proposals must show that the company is qualified, trustworthy and capable of completing work on time and under budget. Speeches and live presentations need to hold the audience and communicate information in engaging ways. Hiring a skilled writer knowledgeable about various formats and audiences can pay for itself.

• When you don’t know how to get started: It’s surprising how working with another creative professional can get things rolling. I’ve had clients say that spending one hour with me advanced their project further than all the hours they spent trying to do it themselves. As an experienced business writer, I know what I’m doing, and I know how to get writing projects done.

What is your favorite kind of writing to do?

Recently, I’ve been asked to write a number of “inspirational”-type speeches for company presidents and other executives who need to send a positive message to potential customers and/or motivate the troops. Most companies have good news stories they can tell, and their employees and customers certainly like to hear them—if presented in an engaging way. This is a very personal kind of business writing and is something that many busy executives don’t take the time to do.  

I enjoy sitting down with business leaders (either in person or on the phone) and talking with them about their mission and how they are making a difference with their employees, customers or in the world. Then, together we turn these ideas into notes, a speech or PowerPoint presentation that can be delivered live, on video or on the internet. These are amazing gigs for me and I feel honored to work on them. The more positive energy we can put out there, the better.

In thinking about my favorite kinds of writing, I keep coming back to my main areas of interest: people, relationships, ethical business practices, health, wellness, travel and spirituality. The best projects for me are those that combine two or more of the above topics in interesting ways. Someday, I’d love to work with an inspiring business leader to write a book or video about how to find and maintain passion in business and life. Overall, I like working with innovative companies that are making a difference.