So You Want To Hire A Copywriting Agency…

Companies hire a copywriting agency (like Lyons Creative!) for a wide range of reasons. Sometimes it’s to augment the in-house copywriting staff or fill in while an in-house resource is on vacation or out on family leave. Some companies have no in-house copy support and instead reach out to an agency whenever a specific need arises. Still others count on an agency like ours when they need specialty support. For example, at Lyons Creative we have a knack for branding work, so many of our clients are companies that need expertise (and an outsider’s perspective) when it’s time for a rebranding.

No matter your reason for hiring copywriting talent, it can feel like a daunting task to find the right people, especially if you yourself don’t work in a marketing or creative role. Here are five attributes you should always look for when hiring a copywriting agency:

1. Responsive

A great copywriting agency takes all leads seriously. Whether your project is big or small, you should expect a representative from the agency to get back to you within a day or two to set up a time to chat and learn more about the project.

And it goes beyond the initial conversation, too. A great agency will assign you a key point of contact who is easy to get ahold of during your working hours. And speaking of working hours: There are a lot of wonderful freelancers who are “moonlighting”--meaning they pursue copywriting as their side hustle on nights and weekends, around their 9-to-5 job. While the hustle is admirable (heck, that’s how I started freelancing many, many moons ago), if your project requires meetings, real-time collaboration, or quick-turn edits, you may want to prioritize finding an agency made up of full-timers.

2. Professional

A successful copywriting agency has crossed all their t’s and dotted all their i’s. That means you should get proposals in writing, contracts and SOWs are always completed, and a formal timeline is proposed and agreed upon.

Communication is the key to a successful agency-client relationship, so a good agency will, if anything, over-communicate the project requirements, timelines, and deliverables. Then, they’ll keep in touch throughout the duration of the project, asking questions as they go and raising the alarm if they hit any roadblocks along the way.

3. Inquisitive

I often say that copywriting is 80% research and 20% writing. Copywriters are curious problem-solvers by nature, and we enjoy the process of untangling knots and filling in gaps. Whenever we start working with a new client, I tell them to expect a lot of questions–and I mean a LOT.

Even if you’ve provided a world-class creative brief, we always ask questions to dig a little deeper: What do we know about the customer’s mindset when they are receiving this email? How long does the average user stay on this page of your website? What are the current misconceptions about your brand? What are other brands that you think are doing this well?

Simply put, if you hire a copywriter, deliver a brief, and they simply say “got it,” that’s probably a red flag. So please put up with our litany of questions–they lead to more creative and more strategic finished products!

4. Portfolio

Browse the agency’s website and get a feel for who they’ve worked with. Most agencies are happy to rattle off a laundry list of the companies they’ve written for. If you can’t easily find work samples on their site, ask for some. It’s also completely fine to ask for referrals or testimonials from recent or current clients.

As you browse an agency’s portfolio or client list, note if they’ve worked in your industry before. For example, if you’re in a specialized field like healthcare, hiring an agency with experience in that industry is a huge plus, as the team already has valuable working knowledge. Outside of industry, it’s also important to keep an eye out for portfolio work that’s a similar-type project. For example, if you’re hiring for a social media project, the agency should be able to show off some pretty sweet Instagram campaigns (maybe even TikTok videos?)

5. Culture Fit

As silly as it sounds, there’s also something to be said for having a similar working style. Our most productive (and fun!) client relationships are those where we feel like we’re generally on the same page. When you interview an agency, it’s usually good advice to go with your gut. If you feel like you and the agency team members communicate well and understand each other’s goals, you’re off to a great start. Having a few laughs together never hurts, either.

There are a lot of great copywriting agencies out there, but we hope you’ll take the Lyons Creative team for a spin. We pride ourselves on building long-term, productive working relationships with our clients and going above and beyond what you expect.