One of the most common concerns organizations have before hiring a professional writer is how much added work it will create for their team. Knowing the type of information the writer is likely to need – and knowing how to obtain it – is one of the biggest things you can do to get your project moving.
The four things you (and the writer) need to know
Getting most projects started requires just four things. First is having a clear vision of what you want to create. Saying “we need some kind of document to …” isn’t really a clear vision. Saying “we need a white paper to explain our product’s advantages” is much clearer. If you’re not sure what format and approach will best serve your needs, it may be worthwhile to have a short conversation with the writer. Professional B2B writers are accustomed to helping their clients take rough ideas and determine the best channels for conveying the message.
Second is knowing who the audience will be. While most projects will be seen by multiple audiences, it’s important to be able to identify the most important targets. For example, the two types of people who play a role in choosing your product may be the specifying engineers who draw up the requirements and the crews who will install and maintain it. Sure, customer CFOs may need to approve projects, but your key audiences are the people you have to convince before they’ll even consider buying from you. Identifying those folks allows the writer to shape the tone, depth, and structure of the eventual project.
Third is knowing specifically what you want the project to accomplish. The purpose of that white paper may be overcoming suspicion about your new technology. While there may be other reasons people will read it, the writer needs to know what the most important objective is. Common goals may include explaining a complex service, educating prospects about a new offering, supporting sales conversations, or simply building credibility in the marketplace. The clearer your goals are up front, the less time you’ll spend making unnecessary revisions later in the process.
Finally, you need to know who can provide the information the writer will need to create the copy for the project. That might involve finding source documents and other materials, knowing the right subject matter experts for the writer to interview, and being able to identify other resources outside the company.
How much time will this take from your team?
Most types of projects require just one or two short interviews with you and your direct reports, one review of the draft, and gathering consolidated feedback. When companies work with experienced B2B business writers, they’re likely to spend less than two total hours of their own time per piece.
You’ll kick off the project by clarifying its scope, gathering the background information the writer will need (or giving the writer clear directions on how to find it), having a short interview with the writer to help them identify gaps, capturing your company’s public voice, and providing real-world examples that help the writer understand how things work; and waiting to review and refine the draft the writer creates.
Who should be involved from our side?
Every project is different, but generally, most benefit from having one primary client contact. There are usually one or two subject-matter experts (having more can actually confuse and complicate the process) and one final decision-maker with the authority to resolve disagreements within your team. That keeps feedback clear and timelines predictable.
Is it easier if we write a rough draft for the writer?
This might surprise you, but usually the answer is no. In most cases, starting from conversations and existing materials produces better results than starting with a rough internal draft. Your time is better spent explaining what the writer needs to know, rather than struggling through first drafts.
It’s okay to go ahead and start with a brief memo that describes the type of piece you’re thinking about, who it’s intended for, what you want it to achieve, and what opportunities for interviews or other input are available. That’s usually enough to outline a clear, low-stress next step.
Remember, the ultimate goal of the process is not to create more work for your team. It’s to reduce internal writing burden, capture your expertise accurately, produce content that is clear and usable, and respect everyone’s limited time.