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Copy Confidential: What I Wish Clients Knew About Copywriting Tests

April 27, 2023
Author: Evelyn Creekmore
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Evelyn Creekmore has been writing since, well, she could write. Her poet grandmother taught her how to count beats with her little fingers as a grade schooler and typed up her poems to submit to contests. An early win was third place for “Plants.” Fast forward a decade or two, and we find Evelyn copywriting away at a New York ad agency. She went on to serve in content director roles for Home Shopping Network, WebMD, and FootSmart. For the last seven years, Evelyn has provided freelance content strategy and copywriting services to major global brands in just about every industry. Specialties include health, tech, finance, retail, and CPG.

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The Wripple on-demand talent platform matches top brands with agency-experienced, cross-discipline marketing freelancers to create high-caliber work that gets results. It all starts with the right fit and evolves through the power of relationships. Evelyn Creekmore, a freelance copywriter on Wripple, shares what she’s learned along the adventure in the blog series, Copy Confidential: Insider Tips for Freelance Copywriters and the Clients We Serve. Up this week, What I Wish Clients Knew About Copywriting Tests.

What I Wish Clients Knew About Copywriting Tests

Almost every time I’ve taken a copywriting test, I’ve gotten the project. But then something bad happens. Internal client rifts disrupt the work. Roles unravel. My dog dies.    

Different writers feel differently about writing tests. To me, they’ve become a red flag. They indicate an underlying problem with the fit that will surface after I begin and would be best avoided.

I understand why clients ask writers to take tests.  And I would absolutely agree that you can’t tell with total certainty how a writer will perform until you see them in action.

The problem is that asking writers to take a test can feel like:

  • My time isn’t worth anything.
  • My education is meaningless.
  • My resume, portfolio, and interview should be enough.

If a writer takes a test and doesn’t get the project, it’s even worse for them—and the experience they just had with your brand.

I’ve not only been asked to take writing tests, but also to give them. Before I embraced freelancing full time, I held content director roles, with managers who asked me to test writers before hiring them, even freelancers.

I pushed back every time.

I had great managers.

They let me try a different way that worked better for me, the writers involved, and the company.

Once writer candidates were narrowed to the two or three best fits, I gave each one a small freelance writing project. This approach gave me more information about their skills, and they were compensated for time that they could have spent on something else.

Clients don’t need a big budget to try this approach. Even a few hours is enough. It’s always paid off for me in great hires, high-performing teams, and exceptional work for brands. 


Read more in Evelyn Creekmore's Copy Confidential Series: 

Hard-Won Wisdom for Freelance Copywriters

3 Red Flags a Copywriter and Client Aren’t a Fit

What I Wish Clients Knew–Why Copywriters Can’t Quit You

When to Be–and Not be–a Brutal Editor

What I Wish Clients Knew–Some Copywriters Are Really Sensitive 
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Brian Deloach
Search Engine Optimization
Zebbie Gillispie
Creative Direction & Designer
Andrew Golubock
Engagement Manager
Evelyn Creekmore
Content Strategy & Writer
Angie Vaughn
Marketing & Email Strategy

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Author: Evelyn Creekmore
Evelyn C. has been writing since, well, she could write. Her poet grandmother taught her how to count beats with her little fingers as a grade-schooler and typed up her poems to submit to contests. An early win was third place for “Plants.” Fast forward a decade or two, and we find Evelyn copywriting away at a New York ad agency. She went on to serve in content director roles for Home Shopping Network, WebMD, and FootSmart. For the last seven years, Evelyn has provided freelance content strategy and copywriting services to major global brands in just about every industry. Specialties include health, tech, finance, retail, and CPG.
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