Before embarking on any copywriting project it's important to roll up your sleeves and do some good old fashioned research. Start by getting on the internet and reading as much information as you can for the topic you're writing on and your client.

No matter what industry you are writing for, research is something that may need to be done several times before you've completed the project; so be prepared to dig in.

Ideally you will want to begin researching your topic BEFORE you meet with your client or department head to prepare you for the meeting. If you've done your homework ahead of time, you will have a better idea of what is going on in the industry, and are more likely to understand complicated topics.

So how do you begin your research? Here are some tips to note:

• Find background information on the topic you are writing on before your first meeting


• On a broad scale, try to learn what's going on in the industry


• Check to see if there is anything in the news lately on this topic


• Has your client or their competitors been in the news lately

Here's a bonus tip: Go to Google and click on "news" above the top menu. This will take you to the Google news main page. Type in the topic you'll be writing about and recent news articles will come up.

Doing this before your initial interview with your client will quickly get you up-to-date on current trends in their industry. And it may also give you some insight into what they've been up to. Look at what the press has already said about the topic, what's changed (why they've hired you) and what their competitors are saying or doing on the topic.

I recommend you jot down notes on the key words you use to save time. Later, as you begin writing, you may come up with new words to research and you'll save yourself tons of time by having a list of what you've already done. You'll also need to do some specific research on the competition. To read more about how to analyze your competition, check out Analyzing Your Competition.