How to hire a copywriter without falling into a trance

“So if you aspire to be a good conversationalist, be an attentive listener. To be interesting, be interested. Ask questions that other persons will enjoy answering. Encourage them to talk about themselves and their accomplishments.”
— Dale Carnegie

Earlier this year, I wrote a book about how to succeed as a copywriter on Upwork.

And in my opinion, one of the most valuable tips in that book was how to handle interviews with potential clients.

​​When a client starts off an interview by asking me why they should hire me, I usually respond with something like:

“I’d definitely like to answer that for you. But I want to make sure I’m speaking to the things you care about. So can you first tell me what’s most important for you on this project?”

5 out of 6 times, this puts clients into a trance state.

They start talking…

And they keep talking…

And 20 minutes of talking later, without knowing anything about me, they will often say:

“John, it really sounds like you might be perfect for this job. When could you start?”

This is great for me. But what about the clients? Are they really making smart decisions in this half-drunken trance state?

I got to thinking about this today when I saw a question on Facebook from a guy named Dave. Dave asks:

“What is the best way to hire a freelance copywriter? What kind of questions should I be asking?”

One of the people in the comments responded by saying that clients should NOT ask questions — instead they should evaluate the copywriter based on how well he asks questions.

Like I said, I don’t think this is enough. Asking good questions — while it is an important sales skill — is not the the same thing as writing effective sales copy.

So I think clients should take a page out of Dale Carnegie’s book.

Yes, allow the copywriter to ask you questions, and see whether he understands your particular situation and goals.

But at that point, get genuinely interested in the copywriter. And ask your own questions to see if this is a person you would like to work with. Questions such as:

What’s your process for writing copy?
How do you do research?
What are you looking for when you do research?
What kinds of clients do you like to work with?
What similar projects have you worked on?
What kind of results can we expect?
What do you need from me?

I can’t give you specific right answers to look for here.

But I think asking these questions will help you figure out if this copywriter is experienced, competent, and trustworthy.

And if you want to ask me those questions — after you’ve told me all about yourself — then get in touch with me and we can find a time to talk.