Client: Flexport, Toaster

Project: Website refresh

Capabilities: Stakeholder Interviewing and Presentations, Process Creation, Content Strategy, Wireframing, Copywriting

I worked alongside the talented and enjoyable Toaster team to refresh Flexport's design and messaging across their website. Shortly after the work was completed, Flexport announced a $935M Series E raise.

My role was to help them define the objectives for their pages, create a rough wireframe/content model, hand it off to a designer, and then write all of the copy. Along the way, I would present directly to the clients and collect/respond to feedback and edits.

This project presented several unique challenges. First, freight forwarding is a very complex industry, with a lot of industry-specific vocabulary. Second, the pages I’d be working on were all high-profile pages and Flexport was already a high-profile company receiving a lot of press due to the supply chain challenges.

Content Model

As I’ve written about before on the Balsamiq blog, a content model is a hybrid between a copy outline and a wireframe. I like to start with this step if the project is more complex or if there are multiple stakeholders involved. The content model can quickly solicit and incorporate a lot of good feedback without added design time.

Click on the thumbnails below to expand and view the four content models: Careers, About, Newsroom, and Customers.

Write, Review, Edit, Review, Edit, Handoff

It can be a challenge to nail the tone when talking about something like press kits or to summarize a company’s entire vision in a single headline. This calls for patience, humility, and multiple rounds of review.

Thankfully, everyone bought in on the process and gave it the necessary time and attention. Overall, a great project.

Click on the images below to browse the finished pages. Also, if you haven’t already, see this special look into the animation we created for the About page.

In Summary

• This was my first time working with the Toaster team and it was an absolute pleasure. We’ve since gotten to work together on several other things.

• I consider the work on the About page to be one of my more significant professional accomplishments. I recall when I was working with the Cisco team to redo their About page and struggling to find good comps. Now, I’m privileged to say I have several great comps in my own portfolio.

• I continue to beat the drum on the importance of process. How does a deliverable go from idea to creation, moving between teams and disciplines, receiving feedback, and improving all along the way, while still finishing on time and hitting all of the key objectives? Process matters and your creative projects (plus team morale) will suffer from poor process.

LOOKING FOR A STRATEGIC COPYWRITER TO ASSIST YOUR TEAM?

My name is Derek and I write all kinds of things for businesses of all sizes in many different industries. Do you have a writing or strategy need? This is what I love to do.

• Send me an email: derek@plain.run