Business Blog Writing Series 2: Working with The Landscape Writer
FAQ: What can you expect when you work with The Landscape Writer?
Answer: At The Landscape Writer, you’ll work with a professional content creator with over 11 years of experience working with landscaping business owners and digital marketing companies. When you work with me, well-written blogs, landing pages, and other digital content will attract more people to your landscaping and lawn care business.
In this blog post, you’ll learn the following when working with The Landscape Writer:
- Let’s get to know each other
- Avoiding content creation catastrophes
- How does the blogging relationship work?
Working with a writer takes some time because I need to learn about you and your pain points, as well as your customers’ pain points.
Let’s Get to Know Each Other
Over the past 11 years in business, I’ve worked with some fascinating folks and look forward to working with you.
But I’ve learned that not everyone has worked with a content writer—or they have unrealistic expectations.
So when you schedule a free consultation with me, I’ll ask questions to get to know you, your customers, and your expectations when working with me.
I’m hoping that by educating you, my sales prospect, you’ll come into the relationship knowing where my expertise lies and where it ends.
You’ll also learn that working with a content copywriter who is a subject matter expert means I’m strong in some areas but not the entire commercial green industry. For example, I specialize in the landscape industry niche, writing about turfgrass health, landscape design, and hardscaping.
Here’s where my subject matter expertise lies:
- Plants, including turf and plant health
- Soil health and how it determines turfgrass health
- Residential lawn care and landscaping
- Commercial lawn care and landscaping,
- Landscaping, including curb appeal, yard drainage, landscape design, and tree/shrub care
- Marketing and customer service topics
- Human relations and hiring topics
- Local SEO and other digital marketing tools to get your landscaping company noticed.
I don’t write about
- Landscape contracting – In my experience, this is a different bird from general landscaping and lawn care clients.
- Financial or money management
- Hard sales skills or KPIs.
Avoiding Content Creation Catastrophes
To avoid mishaps and misunderstandings, I’ve created an intake form I review with all sales prospects. I need to know what you’re thinking and what you need. I also need to ensure I’ll fit with your content writing goals.
It’s all about serving and helping you have the best digital content experience that brings the right people to your virtual or brick-and-mortar company.
Here is a sampling of questions that I ask all of my prospects during their free consultation on Zoom:
- Have you worked with a content writer before? If not, please tell me what your expectations are.
I’ve found that some customers hadn’t worked with a digital content copywriter before they met me and don’t understand the writing process.
If you haven’t worked with a writer, no worries—allow me to show you the process so you can make an informed decision about working with me.
For instance, a successful writing partnership means that you’ll be a willing participant in the process. I need your input and want a friendly working relationship with you. If you have too many plates in the air, it may not be a good time to start a writing project.
- How detailed-oriented are you? I’m asking this question to see where you fall on the DISC behavior scale.
High D’s, for example, don’t like details and don’t want to bother with them.
However, high D’s can get frustrated when I can’t read their minds. So, I need to ensure you can hang in there with me if you’re a D or I as we get all the details for your writing project.
For full disclosure, I’m a C/S. My C demonstrates a love of detail, conscientiousness, and a desire to do the job right the first time.
The S part of me is the steady Eddie. I’m loyal and dependable, but I don’t work in a rush when I have big writing projects.
Where do you land on the DISC? Do you want to work with a writer who has a C/S personality?
- Who will be my primary contact for this project? If you and a partner are putting this project together, you must assign one person to lead the project.
You know the old saying, “Too many cooks in the kitchen spoil the broth.” So, you need to assign one spokesperson to decide what to include in your digital content.
Talk to each other and agree on what needs to be said. Then, trust the spokesperson to communicate that information to me.
- How much will you work with The Landscape Writer to develop content for your web copy, editorial calendar, or landing page?
While I’m independent, I still need your input for your copy. Can you spend the time necessary to get the job done well?
- How do you feel about the editing process? Where do you need to go? Do you need to go a few rounds to get the information correct?
Editing is a big issue! Some clients react strongly to the editing process … yet it’s a vital part of my writing program. Excellent writing comes from great editing. Most writers embrace that their first or second drafts won’t be perfect.
For longer content writing projects: The editing process will typically take longer than expected if your project requires extra details.
Also, editing isn’t rewriting. It’s tightening and clarifying. If we communicate well during the writing project, a paragraph might need a rewrite, but not the entire web page.
As you can see, this writing and editing process takes a partnership between you and me.
How Does the Blogging Relationship Work?
The relationship is a bit different when you hire me to write blogs for your landscape company’s website. You’ll still get the intake form, but through my B2C questionnaire, we’ll discuss your customers’ pain points and how you’re the right landscaping company for the job.
Plus, I require a content calendar consultation that assigns a topic for each month and any specific keywords. Then, you and I know what to expect. Plus, the content calendar includes common landscaping topics, such as
- Aeration and overseeding
- Cool or warm season turf care
- How to incorporate edibles into your landscape
- Creating an outdoor destination with an outdoor kitchen, a fire pit, and additional patio space
- How to hire employees who’ll commit to your company
- Fall is the time to close your in-ground sprinkler systems.
Please note that I use expert articles to verify details. These sources will be noted at the bottom of the blog so people can do their research. These resources also build your credibility as an expert.
What’s the Next Step for You?
Do you want to reach out to your sales prospects? Do you want to share your expertise? You can do that through blogging, newsletters, and other content creation.
Consider working with The Landscape Writer.
I take the time to get to know you and your company’s unique selling points. Together, we’ll create website content that will draw your customers to your virtual door.
Contact me at wendy@landscapewriter.com or fill out my free consultation form to take the next step.
