10 Questions to Ask to Find Out If You Should Be Writing for Your Own Company
In some ways, everyone knows how to write. After all, everybody is already composing emails and texts. Some of us pen proposals, letters, or even articles for blogs or publications. Others have a writing background, so it's natural to wonder if we can write everything for our company ourselves. Why hire someone to do something you already know how to do?
Building Your Own House
At Cup O Content, we compare writing to building a house. When you break all the construction tasks into small components, it seems like anyone could do it. You can hammer a nail. You can screw in a lightbulb or paint a room or even shingle a roof. But everything needs to work together. You must be aware of potential issues (and know how to avoid them.) You are required to dedicate time and attention to the project. And, of course, skill and experience matters. The same considerations should be made for writing. Handling a small task here and there isn't too difficult, but creating writing that works with every other part of your marketing while also being professional, persuasive, on-brand, and optimized for digital performance can be tricky.
Ten Writing Questions
Every situation is different, so looking at the question from all angles makes sense. Here are a few questions to ask when evaluating yourself for business writing.
Question 1: Am I good at organizing content?
Do you know what needs to be said and the order in which it should be communicated? Good writing relies on organization. If you want to begin creating content for your company, starting with an outline is smart. Make sure you know what you want to say and why you want to say it. And make sure to organize content in ways that are consistent with your company's brand.
Question 2: Am I good at writing?
Do people compliment you on your writing skills? Is the information you create clear and easy to comprehend? Good writing is not only easy to understand, but it also elevates the tone of the business. It conveys trust and confidence through well-structured, error-free, and compelling content.
Question 3: Do I have a good command of grammar, spelling, and punctuation?
A skilled writer knows and sticks to the rules, especially in business writing. After all, clear, error-free writing is an essential component of a professional and effective marketing effort. While you could hire a proofreader to check your content, they can only polish content, not "fix" sloppy or incomplete writing.
Question 4: Do I have time to write?
The more you write, the better you become. Experienced writers can produce work quickly and efficiently. But many writers need more time. Be honest with yourself and estimate how much time it will take to do the writing for your firm, and make sure you are willing and able to dedicate that kind of time to creating content.
Question 5: Does my perspective help or hinder the writing?
Some people hire outsiders because they can look at information through an outsider's eyes. That's important. Any business writer (whether it is you or someone else) must continually analyze the company's content strategy with fresh eyes. Sometimes, too much knowledge or too many acronyms or assumptions can confuse the reader. Never assume the reader has the same level of expertise.
Question 6: Am I willing and able to support my points?
When writers share examples, surveys, studies, or statistics, they must be able to source their facts to a primary point of origin. This takes time but is essential for credibility. This means that, in addition to producing quality work, you must be adept at researching and analyzing in ways to support the development of relevant and informative information.
Question 7: Do I understand how to optimize all aspects of writing?
Writing needs, styles, structure, and format vary widely depending on use, whether it's for websites, blogs, social media, print materials, or something else. For example, if it's digital content, it should be search engine optimized through the use of keywords, programming, links, and syntax. If it's a published article, you must follow the publisher's content guidelines and style guides. Social media posts have their own rules based on the publishing platform.
Question 8: Do I have another co-worker who can review my work?
All writing needs to be reviewed by a second party for content, clarity, and grammar. If you want to be a writer, make sure a skilled writer or proofer is available to check your work.
Question 9: What will I stop doing if I take on this writing project?
Writing takes time. What will you stop doing to make time for writing? Will you give up some job responsibilities or use your personal time to complete the work?
Question 10: Who is going to ensure consistent progress?
Marketing and content need deadlines to stay on track. A writer must stick to a deadline, but you lose accountability if you are both the writer and the keeper of the deadline. More than any other reason, this contributes to inconsistent (or non-existent) marketing programs.
If You Want Help Writing, Talk to a Digital Marketing Agency
At Cup O Content, we write a lot. It's a core skill, and we're proud of the abilities of our team of writers, editors, and proofers. If you want professional, reader-friendly writing that engages your audiences and persuades customers, contact Cup O Content. We're here to help.
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