I’m writing this email from the notes app on my phone, directly outside the entrance to my apartment complex.

And why am I not writing it from upstairs in my office, you ask?

Well, I would blame Nega-David again. But I already used that excuse yesterday.

The truth is … it’s because I’m locked out of my own complex.

See, this morning, I tried unlocking the mail room while my wife was ordering us drinks from the cafe downstairs.

But my key fob didn’t work.

Weird, right?

*Nods head in agreement*

Right.

Then I tried the side door. Nothing.

Finally, I ran AROUND the block and tried the back door. Nope.

So now, we’re both just sitting here, locked out, waiting whi—

*key jingle*














*BEEP!*












Nevermind, we’re in!

Turns out one of my neighbors (who also works at the cafe) just *happened* to walk by while we were outside trying to get in touch with maintenance.

He buzzed us in, crisis averted.

But now, I’m essentially stuck in my apartment complex until maintenance comes and fixes my fob.

Reminds me of another type of “lockout” — the one where you write copy for a new client, then deliver it without any explanation.

One thing I figured out in my last few copywriting jobs is that clients want to understand why you chose to write something the way that you did.

I chalk it up to the old adage, “things have always been done this way.”

But I also get that you’re coming into a (hopefully) established business and changing something about the way they work.

And that can be kinda jarring.

So I’ve developed a super easy “tactic” that almost always eases my clients fears, avoids ridiculous revisions and pointless edits, and gets new clients or managers to like me and my work way faster.

It’s called …

The Comments Feature on Google Docs™

(lol)

I’m totally serious though.

Whenever I start off with a new client — and sometimes even when I’m writing for a new, high-stakes campaign with an existing client — I comment on sections of the copy and explain my strategy to them.

It helps them understand that I can be trusted and that I know what I’m talking about.

(And sometimes it even helps me check my own logic.)

Every single client and manager I’ve worked with goes bananas over this. They love it.

And in my experience, it has the bonus effect of reducing the amount of edits clients ask for, too.

So you can just focus on the writing … and not on some irrelevant sTaKeHoLdEr’s uninformed opinion.

Alright. Now get to commenting, kid.

If you have questions I’ll be in the same place for a while, so …

David Patrick