You’ve written your copy. You’ve proofread it. You’re ready to send it off to the client…
…Or are you?
In this week’s episode of Build Your Copywriting Business, we’re walking you through the often skipped step that comes between “done writing” and “client ready.”
Think: a mini checklist—but not your typical copyediting or proofreading list.
We’re talking strategy and specific copy tweaks that will make your message stronger (and, ultimately, work better!).
These are the questions we run through every single time before handing off copy to a client—and after this episode, you’ll have them in your toolkit, too.
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Looking for closed captioning or a transcript? Watch the episode on YouTube!
A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[02:00] We’re gonna run through a checklist of sorts that take you through some high level things and some little more specific tactics that you can use to strengthen your copy. We’re not talking copy editing or proofreading here. We’re focused on making your copy better and stronger.
[03:20] What is the goal of the project and just as a whole? Has your copy met the goal of the project? What is your client trying to achieve with this project? You want to start trimming out information that may have snuck in during this process that just doesn’t relate to the goal.
[05:00] You wanna think about your audience. Often on our own portfolio sites, a lot of education tends to sneak in there. So you wanna keep that audience in mind of what do they need to know. and is this information all serving them in this moment?
[06:20] Get rid of the warmup copy. The extraneous copy at the beginning. As you’re looking at your copy, think very clearly about who is encountering this copy. What point in the customer journey are they?
[08:00] We have to hook them in because we don’t have the luxury of knowing that they’ll stay with any piece of copy really. If you don’t catch their attention within the first couple of seconds, then they’re going to move on.
[11:13] Be the first to know example. Maybe they sell out of their items and you want to be the first to know. But at that point, is it ‘Be the first to know’ or is it ‘Be the first to get access’ to our new collection. What is the best word? So going through, verbs are a great place to look.
[13:20] Get to an emotional point that people can relate to and say, yes, that’s what I want. That’s what I need.
[14:08] Number one, look for words that you may have used multiple times. It’s always a good idea to read it aloud. You will catch it. or Use ChatGPT.
[15:26] Use the Control F feature for two things. First negative words. Like, can’t, don’t, won’t, and look for those contractions. Shouldn’t, couldn’t, wouldn’t, and just make sure it’s intentional because sometimes those sneak in. It is a negative form of speech and so therefore you want to be intentional where you use it.
[17:00] Another Control F/ potentially ChatGPT to find for you are uses of I, we and me. If the copy sounds to seem like it’s all about you, is there a way for me to shift this back to the customer? So what are their needs, what are their goals and what’s the transformation they’re going to get from this?
[18:39] We wanna talk about the call to action and what is it? Is it clear? Do you have a clear next step? Do you know what you want the user to do? In every section have a multiple call to actions, whether it’s an email, there’s one main call to action.
[19:20] The hierarchy of the messaging as a whole. Even in something as concise as a banner ad, there’s still story that you are telling. You’re starting with your hook, your most compelling benefit, likely, and then you’re taking them through the next piece that they need to know.
[20:29] How scannable your copy is? Is it one big block of text? Are there places you could use bullets instead of a paragraph of text? Are there places where you could isolate a quote, if you’re quoting an expert on something.
[22:30] The headline needs to tell the story of the whole page, and each subhead needs to encapsulate the section that comes below it. Someone scan through, still get the key pieces of information, but then also know whether or not they want to stop and read something more.
[23:07] If all they need to know is the information we give them in the subheads and then they’re ready to take action. Great. Let’s not let the copy get in the way.
[23:31] It be clear over clever in particular with a call to action, but this goes with all the copy throughout. We wanna make it clear where they’re gonna go, because people don’t wanna go places that are unknown.
[27:20] We have to do the tough job of saying,’ Oh! this is so much fun, but it doesn’t meet the brief. It doesn’t make the copy more effective. It takes away from some of the effectiveness and we can’t pass it through to our client.’
Must-Hear Takeaways
As with every episode, we highly encourage you to listen to the entire conversation! But here are a few of the highlights:
“You don’t wanna review your copy in the editing stage.” – Nicki
“Acting on the call to action should feel almost inevitable based on the information that you have given them. The messaging should make sense, if it’s disjointed, you’re gonna lose somebody.” – Nicki
“In that hierarchy, make it easy to lead people so that they get as much of that information as possible and they retain as much of that information as possible.” – Kate
“As fabulous and compelling as our copy is. If people don’t need to read it in order to take that action, then fine. Let’s not let it get in the way.” – Nicki
“Think through that process and make sure (CTA) it’s clear over clever always. And then certainly infuse a personality and brand voice where you can and where it makes sense, but never at the expense of conveying the message.” – Kate
Mentioned in the Episode
- What Your Headlines Are Missing
- What’s a CTA or Call to Action?
- How to Write a Sales Page That’ll Make Your Client Ecstatic
- Where Content Belongs on Your Copywriting Portfolio Site
Related Links
- Ep. 74: Copywriting Checklist: 5 Things to Check Before Submitting Copy
- 4 Things Most Copywriters Get Wrong on Their Portfolio Websites
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 10+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Last Updated on August 25, 2025
