In the content creation process on WriterAccess there’s a system of give and take between you and the writer. As the client you give the writer instructions. The writer takes this information and forms a piece of content accordingly. They give you this content in exchange for payment. Ninety-nine percent of the time this system is seamless. But what about that one percent? What happens when the writer has questions or needs clarification? They request your assistance, which can put a kink in the workflow–but it doesn’t have to. How you provide this assistance makes all the difference.
Step 1: Be Prompt
So you’ve received a notification email stating one of your WriterAccess writers need your help.
Question: Do you attend to the situation as soon as possible, or do you wait for a few days to see if it works itself out?
Answer: Check out the assistance request ASAP. The longer you wait, the longer the writer has to wait. This can lead to a block in the writer’s workflow. If you can help them right now when they need you, this allows them to stay within the mindset of writing your content.
Here’s a bit of insight. The majority of writers at WriterAccess write about a dozen different things in a day from healthcare coverage to politics to animal hospitals to logistics software. If they have asked assistance for your content, then they are currently thinking and researching and drafting content for you and your industry.
They are in that mindset. By getting back to them as soon as you can, you stand a better chance that they are currently processing your content. It keeps them in the workflow and translates into tighter content.
Step 2. Be Thorough
When a writer asks for assistance they should be as thorough as possible so you can be sure about what is needed of you. Flip that coin and do the same for the writer. Be as thorough as possible in your response.
Start by reading through the request a couple of times to process what they are asking you. If the writer has used any terminology, such as CTA or hyperlink, that you aren’t familiar with, do a quick Google search to get an idea.
If you just aren’t sure what the writer needs, please ask them. Transparency is so important in this process. Plus, guessing what is needed of you only delays the workflow because the writer’s question will not be answered, and they will return with additional requests for assistance. Consider a request for assistance as an open dialogue with the writer intended to help with the content creation process.
Step 3: Provide Information
As you respond to the assistance request, use the same type of language you would use when emailing someone at work. Because, technically, that is what you are doing, albeit the worker is being outsourced from WriterAccess. Professional responses are best received by writers and are conducive to the workflow.
Keep the Content Coming
Assistance requests should be interpreted as exactly that. These are questions or considerations from the writer that help them fill in the gaps with information needed to complete your content.
And sometimes the writer is filling in gaps you didn’t even realize existed because, after all, writers at WriterAccess are industry professionals. They are ready to assist you in putting out the best content possible.
If you are curious about other hacks that will help you as a client get your own workflow moving, contact Byron White, CEO of WriterAccess.
