As a B2B SaaS marketer, you know that compelling, high quality copywriting is essential for lead generation and sales. You also likely know that searching for a stellar SaaS writer can feel a bit like finding a needle in a haystack.
The good news is that finding, onboarding and working successfully with your next writer doesn’t have to be a headache.
Your SaaS writer roadmap: 6 steps for success
Follow this proven system to land your next superstar B2B SaaS writer. Skip the hand-holding and countless content revisions—and jump straight to clear, compelling copy that drives conversions and revenue.
1. When to use an external SaaS writer vs an in-house writer
2. Find your next rockstar SaaS writer
3. Nail the writer interview process
4. Onboard your new SaaS writer quickly and painlessly
5. Give your writer a clear and comprehensive content creation brief
6. Provide constructive feedback
1. When to use an external SaaS writer vs an in-house writer
In-house writers have the potential to develop strong knowledge of your company by osmosis. That said, dedicating time to writing projects with all of their other priorities will likely be a challenge.
External SaaS writers who have been honing their skills for years and can hop on projects when needed have plenty of benefits too. Outsourcing enables overworked marketing teams to delegate, which frees up their time—and it helps you avoid the cost of a new employee.
Find out when to outsource writing services and when to keep it in-house.
2. Find your next rockstar SaaS writer
By working with an external SaaS writer, you can save time AND your sanity when your to-do list is a mile long. Outsourcing to a SaaS writer can also be a cost-effective way to help your company produce quality marketing content.
At some point, you’ll likely need an extra set of hands to help you create case studies, ebooks and blog posts. But, how to find an external writer who will be a great fit for your team?
Check out these 4 places to find your next B2B content marketing writer.
3. Nail the writer interview process
We’ve interviewed over 50 SaaS writers in the past few years. This has allowed us to narrow in on the 19 questions you need to ask at your next interview. And all these questions apply whether you’re hiring an in-house writer, an agency or a freelancer.
Over the years, we’ve also found that reviewing a few writing samples just isn’t enough to give you a solid gauge on whether the writer will be a good fit. Find out the robust interview process we use here at Uplift Content. [Hint: it includes a writing exercise.]
Get the 19 questions you need to ask at your next interview.
4. Onboard your new SaaS writer quickly and painlessly
So, you’ve hired a SaaS writer. Congrats! Luckily, getting them up to speed doesn’t have to be a headache.
First, familiarize your writer with your company and your products by providing them with helpful background material. Next, give them your style guide and SEO terms, and ensure they understand your brand’s voice. As long as your writer has the information they need, they’ll be able to hit the ground running.
Learn the particulars on how to onboard a SaaS writer successfully.
5. Give your writer a clear and comprehensive content creation brief
It’s paramount to provide your SaaS writer with a content creation brief specific to each new project you assign them. A brief allows you to clearly outline your expectations for the content so that your writer can hit a home run the first time, making the review process smoother and landing you compelling content that converts.
The brief should include information on the purpose of the content and the target audience. It should also include housekeeping items like word count, deadline and sources for the piece. But if you really want to make your content shine, add some unexpected elements to your next brief as well.
Get our content brief template.
6. Provide constructive feedback
Now that you know how to provide useful feedback, learn how to deliver the feedback effectively with these feedback examples.
First, organize your feedback into themes. For example, if your writer has used incorrect punctuation more than once, make a single comment to address this rather than cluttering up the document and risking your writer missing an edit. Second, give positive and negative feedback separately to avoid confusion around what worked well and what didn’t. Finally, ask questions that lead your writer where you want them to go.
Get specific feedback examples plus tips on how to deliver feedback nicely.
Systematize onboarding for your SaaS writer
You don’t have to recreate the wheel to implement a writer onboarding process that works for you. Download our customizable onboarding tool and tailor it to your company so your writer has everything they need to create fantastic content.
Check out our SaaS writers
Are you looking to extend the reach of your marketing team? As a small but mighty SaaS content marketing agency, Uplift Content works with high-growth B2B SaaS companies to lift their voice and tell their story. We pride ourselves in fitting seamlessly into your workflow. Check out the profiles of our B2B SaaS content writers.
Originally published May 19, 2020. Updated Dec 14, 2021.
