Finding a subject matter expert who can write for your project can be difficult. So what can companies do to find the right writer?

1. Interview your writer on the phone – The phone interview does not need to be long, and it can be informal in nature, but it is a good gauge for how you and your copywriter will work together. Your potential writer will probably also have some questions for you to ensure that they understand the scope of what your company is asking from them. If you feel like your approaches will gel well, and the writer sounds like they can get the job done, move forward to the next step.

2. Look the writer up online – Before you hire a writer make sure that their writing style works with your project. If you are looking for a formal document that will be released to C-level members of companies, but the writer you are considering seems to write light comical pieces with a hint of sarcasm, you may need to do some more research on the potential writer to assure it’s a good fit.

3. Check references – Make sure that you have taken the time to call on some of the people your potential writer has worked with on past projects. Copywriters, like other freelance professionals, can be flaky and disappear when you need them, or have issues with meeting deadlines. These red flag behaviors could come up on your project causing delays, or require added effort just to re-engage a “lost writer.”

4. Writing takes knowledge of your company – A good writer, even one who is already an “expert” on a particular subject matter, needs to take the time to learn about your company and what makes it unique before writing for your business. Phone or face-to-face interviews with key players in your company can really make the difference in the final writing product. Your writer should have lots of leading questions to ask you so that they can gain the knowledge necessary to write solid and concise copy that is specific to your company’s needs.

5. Give constructive feedback – Writing is not done in a vacuum, so once a draft is available, make sure your company takes the time to read over it and suggest improvements. At this point in the process, you should know that you hired a good writer if you can check off the first four points on this list. Top-notch writing pieces are a collaborative effort between the writer and the company. A good writer can work with reasonable edits to improve the quality of their writing so your company gets just what it needs.

The right writer can make all the difference in the copy for your websites, marketing pieces, or public relations materials. Now you are more equipped with some of the tools necessary to find the best writers available for your project.