The majority of freelance copywriters I know work remotely and you may only see them at an occasional meeting but in many cases, you may never see them in person at all. If you're new to working with off-site resources here are some tips to help you build and maintain an effective partnership with your freelance copywriter.  

1) Be clear about what marketing goals you want to achieve. Be prepared to discuss your short and long term sales goals. If they're unclear, the copywriter should ask meaningful questions that help you flesh them out.

2) Have a realistic time line and budget. Choose a copywriter comfortable managing projects. Preferably one with at least five years of  of project management experience. He or she should know how to track and measure results and help you understand how to do this so that you can constantly track your marketing project's performance.

3) Give your copywriter access to existing company marketing materials. Any current marketing collateral such as brochures, newsletters and case studies help the copywriter adapt the appropriate voice and tone as well as create marketing copy that will easily integrate into your current marketing program. A good copywriter will also be comfortable advising you on how to get the most mileage out of a marketing piece.

4) If something goes wrong or is not what you expect, communicate with your copywriter early on. This doesn't mean that you should micro-manage the project, but you should ensure the copywriter has a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. A professional copywriter will only benefit from giving you exceptional customer service. This includes informing you of any issues before you detect them and quickly applying an effective remedy.  

5) Determine how often you will communicate. If you require occasional on-site meetings, be sure the copywriter knows where meetings will be held, how long they will last, and what deliverable will be expected.

6) Pay all invoices on time. Agree on a billing cycle that is acceptable to you both and stick to your end of the agreement. Missing payments or paying late stalls the project and that could impact the effectiveness of your marketing campaign.

7) Be accessible. You or someone in your company should be a primary contact for the copywriter to ask questions and get appropriate sign-offs. In turn, your copywriter should be responsive to your questions or any feedback you provide. This means timely responses to emails and phone calls (24 hours or less is best). Make sure you exchange a cell phone number and fax number as back up.