Can I ask you something?
What’s the point in going to all the time and trouble of finding a great copywriter if you’re going to ignore everything she says or does?
There must have been a reason for looking for expert help.
Sadly, the life of a copywriter isn’t so glamorous that people are prepared to pay handsomely just to have one pop into their office now and then.
We don’t have hoards of fans chasing us through the aisles of Tesco (other supermarkets are available) just to take a selfie with us.
No. There has to be another reason why you made that call.
And it probably had something to do with a lack of skills within your company to write engaging, high quality content for your marketing strategy.
Too many writers spoil the copy
Prepare to be blown away by my next statement – copywriters get paid to write copy for a living.
Wow.
Who would have guessed?
That means they have a keen insight into how content should be written to make it engaging and powerful.
That means they have spent many years honing their skills to become experts.
That means they know what they’re talking about.
Which means you should trust their judgement.
But that doesn’t mean you give them a completely free reign. Let me explain.
Collaboration is powerful
The copywriter/client relationship is a very strong one.
The client needs the expertise of the copywriter and the copywriter needs the knowledge of the client.
It’s your role, as the client, to provide your writer with a detailed brief and all the information they need. After all, you are the subject matter expert because no one knows your business or your customers like you do.
The copywriter will then take that knowledge and research your market to find out what your customers need from a relationship with you. They unearth their pain points, buying objections, needs and wants and then create compelling copy that engages with them.
They will also get to know you and your business and develop a tone of voice that reflects your values.
They can also advise on keywords and how they should be used to maximum effect (N.B. if they utter the term ‘keyword density’ ask them to leave immediately).
The initial draft they present to you will be the result of a lot of thought, research and experience of what works.
There’s a reasonable chance it won’t be spot on and will need some shaping, but resist the urge to tell them their job because the quality of their work will only be as good as the brief and information you gave them.
Before you dive in with your criticisms remember:
- The copy won’t be about your company
- The copy will be focused on the needs of your customers
- It will be written in the 2nd person and conversational to drive engagement
There are many other things it will be, but these three are the tenets of powerful copy and must never be meddled with.
Some clients decide they’ll just write it themselves and give it to the copywriter to edit. Big mistake.
You’re paid by your company to do a specific job – not to write copy.
You see writing isn’t the same thing as copywriting. If it were, there wouldn’t be any copywriters in the world.
Writing to satisfy the needs of someone else in a persuasive and engaging way isn’t easy.
It would be like me hiring an interior designer to help me make the most of my new home only to disregard all her ideas and paint everything magnolia.
The end result would be dull.
What I’m trying to say is it’s all about trust – as a copywriter I trust my clients to provide me with accurate information and an in depth brief and my clients trust me to create powerful content that will resonate with their customers and achieve their business goals.
A copywriter isn’t just a writer – we’re experts in communication. Just as you would turn to an IFA for financial advice, or a solicitor for legal advice, make sure you find a great copywriter to make the most of your communications.