This classy lady walks into a carpenter’s workshop.
She sais to the carpenter:
- “Make me an awesome table!”
- “Sure, what kind of a table?” The carpenter smiles.
- “The kind you sit at.”
- “Of course, but what do you do there?”
- “Work.”
- “I understand”, the carpenter, as a service provider, remains polite “so you want a
desk?”
- “No, I don’t need a desk in the kitchen.”
- “Ah, then you need a kitchen table?”
- “Yes, a big one.”
- “What do you mean by big?”
The lady shakes her head, “you ask too many questions”, and walks out.
The carpenter quietly returns to her wood-crafting.
It’s obvious the carpenter needs this information before she can even start planning the lady’s awesome table.
It’s the same with awesome content.
A writer needs to ask questions. Not because we don’t know how to write awesome content, but because we want to meet our clients’ expectations.
Clients don’t always know how to put their vision into words, or they don’t know which information we need to make that vision come alive. So it’s up to us to ask the right questions and make sure to get precise answers.
These are the main questions I will ask a new client before I sit down and start typing. I find it valuable to create a Q&A sheet for myself that I can go back to any time. It looks something like this:
1. Who is your target audience?
Size of business
☐ private
☐ small
☐ medium
☐ large
☐ enterprise Type of business
☐ internet
☐ B&M
☐ both
☐ international
☐ local (region?)
Industry (specify):
Level of prospect's knowledge about the subject:
☐ minimal
☐ some knowledge
☐ knowledgable 2. What is the main purpose of the content?
☐ Conversion (specify: make a call, send e-mail, sign up, etc.)
☐ Retention
☐ Build authority
☐ Reach
☐ SEO (specify keywords)
☐ Other (specify)
3. What should be the core message of the post? What’s the main take-away for the reader?
4. Any info that must be included / avoided/? (i.e. a specific tool, a specific feature, something about the company,.etc.)
include: avoid:
5. Any special requests?
Any great personal tips?
Any specific resources you want me to use?
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