How I Work

I work with businesses in the Life Science industry to produce website copy and content that helps them get noticed and improve their marketing efforts.

In case you want to know more about what to expect when you work with me, I’ve put together an outline of the process I use for every project.

1: Project Scope

In our discovery call I’ll ask some questions, like:

• Project type? Website pages, white paper, case study etc.
• How many web pages, or how many words are you aiming for?
• Timeframe of the project – do I have days, weeks, or months to complete it?
• Is there some material already available, or am I creating it from scratch?

I will ask these questions (and more) to provide the most accurate quote for the project. My preferred method for contact is via phone call or Zoom meeting, so we can chat through it in real time.

2: Making it official with a proposal

Armed with the information from our discovery call, I’ll send a detailed proposal with an outline of the agreed deliverables, timelines, and pricing.

If we’ve discussed optional material, I will price that separately and you can add it in if you wish.

3: Up-front Part Payment

I charge a 50% commencement fee on all projects.

If the project is under $1000, I charge the full amount up-front.

The 50% commencement fee must be paid before I begin any project.

4: Work Plan

A work plan will be put together in the proposal stage. The delivery date is adhered to where possible – that is, all drafts are submitted to you on time and you agree to have all amends back to me within an agreed timeframe.

If any unforeseen changes to the work plan (by either party) push the timeline back, a new work plan will be submitted showing new completion dates.

Any changes to the scope, however, will need re-costing and new timelines agreed to.

5: The Briefing Call

This is where I nail down the finer details of the project that enable me to write better copy for you. You should allow up to one hour for this discussion.

The focus will be on:

• Tone of voice (do you already have a guide?)
• Customer avatar
• Goal of the project
• Competitors (if applicable)
• Background information and resources that would be helpful
• Agreeing on the person who will be my SINGLE POINT OF CONTACT for this project.

6: Begin Working on the Project

Once the proposal is accepted and the 50% up-front payment is made, I’ll start work on the project.

The work plan will look like this:

• I’ll present a skeleton draft for approval. This is to make sure all relevant facts and information are included. It’s not pretty, nor formatted, nor edited. The skeleton is about the inclusion of details.
• Your review and approval will move the project along.
• The first draft expands the ideas in skeleton draft, and allows you to assess the tone and feel of the writing. At this point, you may decide to add or delete information to suit the project.
• Your review and approval moves the project along.
• The second draft polishes the copy from the first draft. Only minor changes should be happening at this point. Major changes at this point mean a change in scope and extra fees may be incurred.
• On review and approval of the second draft, I’ll polish and submit the final draft to you.

7: Drafts and Amendments

Three versions of your documents are included in the proposal (first, second, and final drafts). This gives you two opportunities for amendments.

Additional rounds will be charged at an hourly rate as set out in the proposal T&Cs.

Any feedback or amendments throughout the project should be delivered in either MS Word as track changes or Google Docs as suggestions.

8: Your Reviews

Your timely reviews as per the work plan will keep the project on track.

Any hold-ups by either party should be communicated via phone or email so the project can be completed as close to the deadline as possible.

It’s important that you review the material thoroughly, so make sure you allow enough time for reviewing and returning the material to me.

The single point of contact will oversee the reviews and only return to me once all relevant parties have agreed on the changes needed. This eliminates back-and-forth conversations and confusion and will ultimately deliver your project to you more quickly.

9: Final Payment and End of Project sign-off

The final invoice will be sent on approval of the first draft. Payment terms are seven days, unless agreed to otherwise in advance. For example, with a purchase order.

I’ll send an end-of-project sign-off document. Once the invoice is paid and the document is signed, the copyright for the material is handed over to you.

10: Sharing the Success

At the end of the project we should both be happy with the work produced. I ask all my clients for a testimonial which I feature on my website, to share the success stories that both my clients and I have achieved.

That’s it!

If you’d like to work with me – just call, or use my contact form. Let’s get this project started!