The Write Blog

Any good writer will tell you to build your sentences on verbs. It’s not nouns or adverbs or adjectives that make your prose shine. When it comes to great writing, the verb is the powerhouse.

Ok, so write with verbs. That sounds easy enough. But as with all things writing, wrapping your sentences around verbs can be more difficult than you think. To make it even more difficult, not all verbs are created equal. Some verbs are just plain wimpy. And for hard-hitting copy, you need hard-hitting verbs.

Here are a few limp verbs that should send your editor alarm bells ringing:

Let. If I had a penny for every time I saw this one. Let us serve you with our 100 years of experience at financial planning, blah, blah, blah. Blech. You can do better than that. Try instead: From our first meeting, we pull from over 100 years of financial experience to build your retirement plan.

Allow. Just like Let, Allow is a lazy verb. It’s easy to write and easy to ignore.

Offer (or Provide). Yes, you’ll probably have Offer in your copy somewhere, and that’s fine. But be aware. Offer can get boring, fast.

Here’s an example with allow and offer in the same sentence: We offer mobile, onsite services that allow us to clean and detail your vehicle anywhere - from your home to your office.

Try instead: With our mobile, onsite services, we’ll clean and detail your vehicle anywhere - from your home to your office.

To Be. Am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been. Use too many forms of the “to be” verb and you are sure to put your readers to sleep. Of course, you do need some of these. But instead of “We are an award-winning establishment that works for you 24-7. Do: “At our award-winning establishment, we work for you 24-7.”

Have. “We have more than 30 stores to serve you.” Okay, fine. Not a terrible sentence, but it isn’t exactly making me jump out of my seat either. How about: “Find your next widget at your choice of over 30 locations.”

Am I saying to avoid this list of verbs at all costs? Of course not. They are part of the English language, and they have their place. But if you find yourself using one, take another look at your sentence. Chances are, there is a more powerful verb waiting to get out.

Imagine you walk into an auto dealership, and the salesman walks up to you and says “Hey, we got these great cars! They can take you from home to work much faster than a bicycle, and did you know that almost everyone in the US owns at least one?” You’d look at him like he was nuts.

You don’t want to be sold on the benefits of a car. You want to know why his cars are better than other cars. You want to know why the Nissan Pathfinder is better than the Ford 4Runner or why you should buy the Honda Civic over the Toyota Corolla.

Yet as a copywriter, I can’t tell you how many times I see the former pitch rather than the latter on people’s webpages. For some reason when people write web copy, people insist on selling the car, not the Nissan. They’ll tell me all about why I need maid service, when I’m already on the maid service page.

Guys, if I’m on the maid service page, then I’m looking for maid service. I already know that a cleaner house will make my kids safer and my guests happier. Don’t tell me that in the first sentence. It’s an egregious waste of space.

Tell me why your maid service is better than the other five maid service pages I just visited. Give me your main differentiator. Up there. Up front. Up bold. In my face. So I can’t miss it. Because you’ve only got a few seconds of my time. Don’t waste them trying to convince me that having domestic help will “take away my worries and give me time to go the spa.” I’m sold on that already. Sell me on you.

I sympathize with anyone who has to shop for a copywriter. We come in such a wide variety of skill levels, prices, and personalities that it’s almost impossible to compare apples to apples.

You, as the customer, obviously want to get the most bang for your buck. You figure that the dirt cheap copywriters ($35 a page for example) are probably not that good. You can weed those out right away. But what about the zillion other writers and agencies that charge anywhere from $200/hour to 30 cents a word?

To complicate matters, writers and writing firms also have a bewildering array of quoting methods and terms of business. Some charge by the hour, others by the word; still others will give you a flat rate or a range. A copywriter may limit your number of edits or may grant limited rights to the final copy. When you line all of the factors up side by side, you can end up wanting to toss your proposals and write the darn thing yourself.

Take a deep breath. I’ve heard about every client question in the book, and here’s what you really DO need to ask to get the most copywriter for your money:

1. Do you have references? If the copywriter you’re talking to doesn’t have at least a half dozen raving fans they can send you to, they either have a history of unhappy clients or they’re new. New isn’t always bad, and a newbie can save you some cash if you have a limited budget; but the risk has to be worth the savings to you. On the other hand, an experienced writer with no references is almost always a ticket for disaster.

2. Can I see samples and testimonials? Any writer worth his salt should be able to provide these on demand. If you like what you see, chances are your writer can do something similar for you.

3. Under what circumstances would the price you quoted me change? Understand what the procedure is if the project exceeds its scope. You also need to know what the writer’s policy is if they go over hours on the project, and how a writer treats multiple rounds of edits.

4. Are expenses included? If you will be paying extra for tolls, gas, mileage, subscriptions, etc., make sure you understand what extra items may appear on your bill.

5. Can we get a lower rate if we give your firm name recognition? Some agencies value backlinks or bylines.

6. Can we get a lower rate if we give you more work? Some firms will lower their prices if you negotiate a long-term contract with them. Instead of getting just one press release, for example, discuss what the company’s rates might be if you do one press release a month for the next year.

7. Can I get a flat quote? If you can clearly define the project scope, most writing agencies will be able to provide you with a flat quote. That way, you can line up your quotes side by side and find out what each writing option is really costing you.

8. Who owns the final copy? If you need to own your copy, be sure the writer doesn’t charge you each time you reprint the material.

9. Can I get it in writing? Your copywriter should have a contract. It’s not just for them — it protects you as well. Your contract should cover all of the financials you’ve discussed, as well as any discounts or long-term contract terms. Nothing ruins a good relationship like an unpleasant misunderstanding on the invoice. That’s about it. Is that really every question you could ask? Of course not. But by the end of the above nine questions, you’ll have a good feel for what kind of copywriter you are interviewing. You’ll know if they have experience, if you like their work, and if they have a proven track record. You’ll know if there is anything you can do to save on your copywriting bill, and you’ll have uncovered any hidden costs. Good luck and happy hunting!