What is a copywriter and why do I need one?
Posted on 17th March 2023
Many of us write every day. It’s easy. We know what we want to say and we write it in a letter, an email, or on our website perhaps. So why would you need a copywriter?
It’s a good question. Let’s start by seeing how you answer this little quiz.
Presented with a blank sheet of paper and a pen do you:
a) stay just as blank as the piece of paper
b) write your name and the date on it and then draw doodle on one corner
c) think ‘Great! I’ll write a story’ and feel sad when both sides are full.
Copywriters will certainly answer ‘c’ – they love words. They like making them work in different ways and changing them around for different purposes. It makes them happy and that’s really clear in their writing.
Most people are ‘a’ and ‘b’ and write for a just few reasons from a ‘to do’ list to a research report – mostly for specific purposes. Usually that’s just fine.
However, if you need to persuade someone new to read something and respond positively, choosing the right words and putting them together in the right way can be a challenge. It can be a long way outside of your ‘comfort zone’.
Of course, you can do it, if you have enough time to write several drafts, test what works with the people you want to write for. Then you can reshape it to work for brochures, an email, your website and social media.
So, here are some reasons why you might need a copywriter.
Reason 1 – you can’t really spare the time from your expert field to do something that can be very time-consuming. It will much faster and more cost-effective for your copywriter to do it. Copywriters are professionals, so they practice every day and are up to date with trends and the latest ways of delivering your messages to the right people.
Reason 2 – you probably have a style of writing you have developed over the years that is well suited to what you do every day. Copywriters are trained and experienced in writing for all sorts of different people and formats. They are experts in everything from those tricky questions of grammar and punctuation to getting the right style of language. They will create the right content to meet the your needs and to engage your audience.
Reason 3 – well-written copy delivers business objectives. Direct marketers know that different approaches will have different effects and are very skilled at tailoring their content. This is true whether you want someone to respond to a marketing letter or email, choose your business proposal or buy your new product.
Reason 4 – you are an expert, but you might be too well informed to pick out the things other people need to know. Copywriters can give you another perspective. One of their greatest skills is to listen and question from the viewpoint of the people you are writing for.
If you’re still not sure whether a copywriter to could provide a valuable service for you, then try the ‘blank sheet of paper’ test for real and see whether you are an ‘a’, ‘b’ or ‘c’.
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