Getting feedback is not, by its nature, negative. Copywriters should all expect to get feedback other than “this is amazing, thank you!” We’re not in our clients heads. There may just be information they forgot to share or you didn’t think to ask—it’s a collaborative process!
But what happens when a client isn’t happy with the quality of the work or how the project turned out? Here’s how to handle negative copywriting feedback—without letting it ruin your day.
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A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[1:30] Getting feedback, is not necessarily negative. Copywriting is a collaborative process and you should expect to get honest and constructive feedback.
[2:35] So what should you do when you get negative feedback? How should you handle it if a client isn’t happy with the work or you totally missed the mark? First, set up time to talk it through so you can understand the next steps and find a resolution.
[4:45] This is also a good reminder to do a creative review with a client so you go into the job with all of the information you need to succeed and leave the client happy.
[6:30] Getting on a call after receiving feedback shows that you are a professional and want to fix the issue and have a good conversation.
[11:20] Clear communication is very very important, even if it seems like negative feedback. All it really is is feedback.
[15:00] If a client wants to change a part of your work you can very gently and professionally push back on it. Explain the benefit of the direction you want to go in, share your reasons for YOUR feedback. And don’t forget you need to pick you battles.
[19:55] The way you receive feedback can really differ based on the day or how you are feeling. Negative feedback can feel heavier on some days than others. Be sure to schedule a call to follow up right away, but then set it aside and move on with your day.
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you listen to the entire conversation! But, here are a few of the highlights:
“Getting feedback is not by its nature negative. You should expect to get feedback. You’re not in your clients’ heads, you can’t know everything that they have to tell you. There may be insight that they just didn’t think to share with you or you didn’t think to ask about. It’s a collaborative process. You should expect to get feedback and you should expect to get feedback other than just ‘this is amazing, thank you!'” – Nicki
“If you do get something back and it makes you feel like ‘oh my gosh, I clearly didn’t deliver what the client wanted…,’ set up some time to get on an actual call with whoever the stakeholders are in the situation. Talking it through is going to make you feel a lot better and it’s going to be a lot easier than trying to do anything via email.” – Kate
“The way that you receive feedback can also really differ depending on the day and depending on the mood you’re in. The same piece of feedback that you think ‘Eh OK,’ when you’re in a good mood may devastate you if you’re already in a crummy mood or tired. So, keep that in mind.” – Nicki
Related Links:
- How to Give Copywriting Feedback
- How to Deal With Rejection from Copywriting Clients
- Why Copywriters Must Embrace Feedback
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Last Updated on November 15, 2023
