TLC Copy Critic

Sunday, January 24th, 2010

Critiquing or reviewing… why are they so important? Both are actually a key part of the consultation. And why are so many people too cheap to pay for a rock solid consult in critiquing?

They place no value on such skills. But yet a good consult with a thorough critique or review has saved many a client’s bacon. Critiquing and reviewing go way beyond looking at what written down on paper or on the website.

Sure you could just make the corrections and write up a good letter or article. You can even show the client what’s wrong and what’s right. Um, that’s only part of the job.

You consult with a bent to marketing and with the target audience in mind. This goes much deeper than making a bunch of corrections. You dig underneath the skin of the article or letter and dig into the meat. You suggest how to slant the piece so it markets with both barrels wide open, ready to hit the target audience,

They won’t see what’s coming, not even after the purchase or taking the desired action that gets results. Results is the bottom line… the only line. The writing can be great, but if nobody buys, the letter is toast on arrival.

So cheap people don’t want to pay. Even students want something for nothing. Where’s the value in that? How does good will get bread on the table or the kids in college? College and bread cost money. Good will isn’t going to pay for either.

Okay, maybe students or newbies to the biz can’t afford much. But they sure as heck can afford something. A few bucks or a barter… they can give something back to the kind gent or lady that critiqued, reviewed and consulted.

Critiquing consultations take time. Time is money or something else of equal value. Should the consultation be done for nothing? Are you asking the reviewer to work for free?

Are YOU, yes YOU willing to work for zip?

It would be like buying a home but telling the Realtor you can pay them their commission next year or you’ll only give your doctor half since you had to tell him what was wrong with you. Or maybe you want to “test” your auto mechanic and let him use repairing your car as an “on spec” assignment. Think it will work out?

So why insult someone whose living is words, especially when their tweaking saves thousands of dollars? There is much value in good words backed by good marketing sense.

So quit being cheap and realize just how valuable that critique in review is. Go ahead, pay for the consultation. Share some of the wealth and quit being a greedy gopher-gut who hogs all the cash. Or barter in exchange for the consultation.

Could YOU make a living off of good will and only working for free? I didn’t think so? So why expect the same of someone else?