Entries Tagged 'copywriter' ↓

Why did you hire your copywriter?

It’s a fairly safe bet that your answer includes one or two of these reasons:

• You needed someone with experience
• You needed an expert in their field
• You don’t have time to do it yourself
• You don’t have the right skill set to create effective copy
• You wanted to make sure your copy worked

Basically, what it comes down to is that you’re serious about making your business a success and the best way to do that is to surround yourself with experts who can make it happen for you.

What does your copywriter do?

Have you ever asked that question?

Not many people (other than copywriters) understand what it takes to create amazing copy. So, what happens after you’ve briefed them?

Well, they will spend a lot of time getting to know:

• You
• Your company
• Your style
• Your products/services
• Your target market and their needs
• Your brand

Then they’ll research your competitors and what’s happening in your market. If necessary, they’ll make suggestions about how to tweak your original brief to ensure optimum results.

Once all the background has been done, they’ll use their experience and expertise to create your copy, using tried and tested techniques to get the most out of the words.

They’ll  go to great pains to make sure the writing is firmly focused on the reader, providing them with everything they need to counter any objection they may have and to reach a buying decision.

The writing will then be shaped and laid out for optimum effect.

I’m sure you’ll agree that’s a lot of value.

The first draft arrives

You receive your first draft and, in light of all that I’ve said above, why oh why do you turn round and say…

“Oh, I think it would be better like this…”

…and promptly make changes to the layout, wording and, worse of all, fill it with ‘we’ and ‘me’?

Granted, there may be a few things that need amending, but you hired a professional writer because they understand how copy works, and how to use it to convince your readers to buy.

To illustrate this point, let’s say you were about to have some plastic surgery done. After your consultation, during which time your surgeon outlines the procedure that will take place and how the surgery will be performed, would you say…

“Actually, don’t you think it would be better if you did…?”

No, you wouldn’t because they are an expert in their field and you trust their judgement.

Finding the right copywriter for you

Make sure you do your homework first.

Rather than leaving your search for a copywriter until the eleventh hour, plan ahead and look around.

Have a search through Google and see who you can find; ask for referrals from trusted local businesses.

Make a short list of people you think you could work with, and then phone them for a chat. If you get on, invite them in for a meeting so you talk over your project face to face. Ask for samples of their work – and don’t be put off if they don’t have anything to show identical to what you need. They don’t need to be experts in your industry – that’s your job. Their job is to create copy that sells.

As you are going to be working closely together it’s essential you ‘click’.

As for their fee – let’s put it this way, if they’ll do all that you ask for the price of a tea bag, you’re looking in the wrong place.

Good copywriting isn’t cheap, but it is an investment that will continue to work for your business for as long as it’s ‘out there’.

As with everything in life, you get what you pay for.

So, when you next need expert copywriting help make sure you find the right person for you and trust them – they know what they’re doing.

Writing copy might sound easy, but it’s a lot harder than you would think.

I’m sure, at some point, rather than using a copywriter you’ve sat down to write a piece of marketing copy for your business.

Distancing yourself from your business to write something that’s focused on your reader isn’t easy.

How to you make sure it flows?

How do you keep it clear and uncluttered?

7 Ways to keep you copywriting uncluttered

These 7 tips (for copywriters and non-copywriters) will help your writing flow and keep it crystal clear.

1. Focus

Don’t try to complicate your copy by addressing more than one idea. Keep your writing focused on one main aspect to keep it clean and uncluttered.

2. Clarity

It’s very tempting to start using great long words in an attempt to make yourself look highly educated.

Don’t.

The best copy uses simple, plain language that is accessible to everyone.

3. Plan

Always work out what you want to say before you start writing.

Your writing should follow a structure with a beginning, middle and end – just like you were taught at school.

By creating a plan, your writing will flow and follow a logical structure.

4. Layout

The layout can be as important as the content. Use it to clarify meaning by using headings and sub headings to signpost information. Bulleted lists and bold type can be used to highlight key points and benefits.

5. Be familiar

If you are writing about something complex, try to link it to something in everyday life that your reader will understand – using similes in this way can help make complex ideas simple.

6. Don’t be clever

It’s very tempting to add in a pun or two, but remember not everyone is going to find it funny. As a rule, it’s best to keep humour out of your copywriting.

7. Start with the most important

The most important part of your copy are the benefits, so make sure you get them in first in your heading and first paragraph. The rest of your copy should back them up with features and a strong call to action.

By following these simple ideas your copy will flow and get your message across clearly. Give it a try and then come back and tell us how you got on.

Let’s clear one thing up straight away, yes, I am a copywriter and of course I’m going to say you need someone like me to write your website copy for you.

But, as you read on, I hope you’ll begin to understand exactly why it’s essential you use a website copywriter to get the most out of your online marketing strategy.

OK, so you’ve just spent a small fortune on your website’s design. It looks really cool, but it’s full of Lorem Ipsum so you now have to start thinking about content. Your web designer is champing at the bit to push your site live, but you’re dragging your feet because you have no idea what to write.

That’s when the suggestion is made…”why don’t you hire a professional copywriter to create your text for you?”

So, to explore the possibility you start getting quotes and then nearly fall of your chair when they start talking in the thousands of pounds (by the way, this fictional website is quite big).

Finally, you decide the only thing for it is to go it alone and get one of your office juniors to write it for you. The problem is they have no experience in writing for the web.

When your website is finally published, absolutely nothing happens – next to no traffic, no leads, nada, zero, zilch.

Why you need a website copywriter

Once you’ve paid for your new website, why let it go to waste by filling it with sub-standard copy?

Good copywriting doesn’t come cheap, but because you will be paying for a professional writer’s experience and expertise, it will be worth it.

You will save yourself a lot of time and a lot of frustration because the copy will actually work.

Why?

Simply because a copywriter will be able to produce copy that is:

• Written from a unique perspective (i.e. they can distance themselves from your company and put themselves in your customers’ shoes to make sure it offers the information they want to know)
• Written for your customers
• Benefits driven rather than all about your achievements as a company
• Visible to the search engines
• Compelling and persuades the reader to take action
• Designed to sell not inform
• Professional and reflective of your business and your brand
• Simple and unambiguous

Above all, it will provide you with a great return on investment because it will draw targeted traffic to your website and convert those visitors into sales.

If you’re expecting to pay a few pounds per page, forget it.

Good copywriters have been honing their craft for years. They know what works and what doesn’t work. They understand how search works and how to get the most from a page of copy. They have invested a lot in the knowledge they possess.

If you want to portray an image of professionalism online make sure you hire the best people – designers, photographers and copywriters.

It’s your image at stake – think about it.

Writing sales and marketing copy isn’t as easy as it sounds.

Granted, you know your business and product/service inside out and every which way, but that is often the problem.

To write great copy you have to put yourself in the shoes of your customers. But when you’re writing about your own products and services that can be really tough.

That’s why it really pays to get an expert in and hire a good copywriter.

In an instant you will have access to a wealth of experience and expertise. Someone who knows how to position your product/service, which buttons to press to make people buy, and how to get the most out of your sales materials.

So how can you be sure you’re hiring the right copywriter for you?

Well, let’s look at it this way, if you were looking for a builder to build an extension to your house you’d probably ask for personal recommendations from friends and colleagues, you’d ask to see what other work they’d done, you’d want to make sure you paid a competitive rate – because you only get what you pay for – and you’ll take time to talk with them to see what they’re really like.

The same goes for finding a great copywriter.

The dos and don’ts

1. Avoid job boards

Great copywriters won’t be trawling job boards for work. If they’re good they will have people knocking down their door for their expertise and won’t be traipsing the streets trying to find their next job.

The best place to look is Google. Your copywriter doesn’t have to be local to you (I’ve worked with companies as far afield as Trinidad and Tobago) so make an extensive search to ensure you get the right person for you.

2. Samples

Don’t be afraid to ask to see samples of their work. But don’t be put off if their portfolio doesn’t show anything exactly like you’re looking for or an example from your industry.

News flash – a good copywriter doesn’t need experience in a particular field to write about it. You are the expert in your company; your copywriter is the expert in getting that information across to your reader.

3. Pay competitive rates

It’s true – you only get what you pay for.

Plus, don’t expect to pay by the hour.

If you hired your gardener to mow your lawn and tend to your flower beds you would pay them for that work. If you paid them for 2 hours work, they may not get through everything so you wouldn’t get what you wanted.

Most copywriters will provide you with a fixed fee based on the nature of your project.

If you want an excellent job you’re going to have to pay for it – but that’s why you hired in an expert, isn’t it?

4. Talk to them

Pick up the phone and have a chat with them. Suss them out and see if they are the type of person you could work with.

5. Agreement

Once you’ve made your choice, get a written agreement that clearly states what they will do for you and what you will provide for them. That way everyone knows where they stand.

Don’t forget, when hiring a copywriter you are not paying for their time. You are paying for their experience and expertise.

How to make your copy stand out

We are surrounded by marketing messages every day.

You can’t hide from them. Whether it’s the TV, magazines, radio, buses, taxis, billboards etc. everywhere you look, everywhere you go, someone is trying to sell you something.

So, if you’re one of those companies, how do you get your message to stand out from everyone else’s?

Well, it has a lot to do with your information presentation.

As a copywriter, my focus is always on the message, but I am well aware that colour, graphics and layout play a big part in the way an advert or message is received (even though, ultimately, it’s the words that will do the convincing and selling).

When it comes down to it, if you want your message to be seen, think about how it is presented.

Information presentation

There are 5 very simple things you can do to make sure your message isn’t ignored. I’m sure there are other things too (if you can think of any, leave a comment and share them with us), but these are my top 5.

1. Verb

Don’t worry, I’m not about to launch into a grammar lesson. But starting your heading with a verb instead of a noun will help it pack more of a punch.

A verb is a ‘doing word’ making it active, and if it’s talking about something you like doing, you’ll be more inclined to read on.

2. Short and sweet

Nope, I’m not about to dive in to the ‘long copy verses short copy’ argument. In this case, short and sweet refers to your sentence structure. Keeping them short will aid readability. They get across ideas succinctly. They keep your reader interested.

3. Another short and sweet

Your paragraphs should also be – you guessed it – short and sweet.

A page with lots of white space and short chunks of text will look far more attractive than a page with solid text.

Psychologically, it makes the reader think the information will be easy to read.

4. Loud

Once you’ve written your copy, do you ever read it out loud?

If you don’t, you should. Reading out loud will give you a whole new perspective on it. Plus, it will help you spot areas that sound clumsy or repetitive.

5. Check-list

After writing and refining your copy, check to make sure it is:

•    Concise (think short sentences and paragraphs)
•    Informative (and relevant)
•    Attractive (lots of white space, readable font etc.)

If you can tick all 3, you’re well on your way to making your message stand out from the crowd.

Over to you

Can you think of any other ways to make sure your message stands out?

Leave a comment below and share them.