Rami Abughazaleh, from copywriting agency Yala Creative, explains how to get the most out of your copywriter.

• Trust is important in the creative process. Let the agency make recommendations and guide your choices.
• While you may know your business inside out, leave actual writing to those who know writing best.
• Give detailed feedback, but always run changes by the agency first.

Good creative involves knowing when to listen

It’s nice when everyone agrees (if only every day was like that!).

Unfortunately, in business and life, a complete agreement is rare.

When it’s time to make a decision, consensus may be hoped for, but the responsibility ultimately falls on one person’s shoulders, usually a department head or manager.

Many of the clients we deal with at Yala Creative are used to that leadership role. They oversee everything in their department and have the final say.

While that kind of hands-on, day-to-day direction is strength in business, it can lead to trouble in the creative realm.

In this article, we’ll look at some of the reasons why you may want to defer certain choices to people with a different perspective and skillset – your creative agency.

 

A market with many voices

You’re ready to launch in a new territory, and you want a campaign in English that gives you broad international reach. Whatever your goals in the UAE or MENA, the first challenge you face is the sheer diversity of potential English speaking customers.

Even the expat community of a single city, such as Dubai, is a patchwork of nationalities, cultures and educational backgrounds. Finding a voice that speaks to them all is no straightforward task.

Luckily for you, copywriters specialize in just that. They understand the subtleties in the way the language is used by different segments of the population. This is invaluable to your campaign.

We craft headlines, taglines and concepts that will resonate with the most people possible, avoiding words or phrases that could sound odd or out of place to readers. As a rule, we aim to keep writing simple but smart, with broad appeal.

Good copywriters know just when and how to use a colloquialism for maximum effect, or avoid unwanted connotations, all while getting right to the point.

But in order to work that magic, writers need your trust. Trust involves knowing when to let them lead.

Leave the writing to the writers

Your inner voice may protest: “I speak English pretty well, and no one knows my audience better than me!”

This may be true. You may use English every day and have years of market experience. But stop and ask yourself why you’ve hired a creative team at all. If it’s simply to have them nod along with your choices, you’re missing an opportunity and probably wasting your budget.

The art of communication is a separate sphere of expertise. Copywriters shouldn’t be afraid to give direction, disagree strongly or propose something better. Otherwise, they wouldn’t be doing their job.

Writers need a clear and detailed brief. They appreciate input and direction. But when it comes to the nuts and bolts of writing, it’s best to let them lead.

Advise but don’t revise

With a deadline looming, you may feel tempted to make quick changes by modifying the document directly yourself. But think twice before micromanaging copy.

While that’s a great way of giving specific feedback, hold off on releasing your personal draft to the public. You’ve paid for the skills of a professional. Chances are, they will catch something in need of revision: grammatical, cultural or creative.

A poor choice of word or a sloppily written headline can undo weeks of careful preparation and undermine everything you wish to convey.

Copywriters love receiving feedback – it clarifies your wishes and makes their job easier. But to get the most out of an agency, let the writer interpret your comments and make the changes themselves.

The takeaway: use copywriters to your advantage

In short, a creative agency is there to articulate your message for you, using all the skills and experience at their disposal. Giving them a little leeway on creative decisions can pay off for you and your campaign.

Opinions expressed in this piece belongs to the author.