Being a copywriter is a lot like being an annoying child.
I have a favourite word – why?
I ask it a lot, mainly when speaking with my clients.
Why do they do what they do?
Why did they make it that way?
Why do their customers buy from them?
Why does it make a positive difference in their lives?
Far from being annoying, it’s an excellent way of getting to understand not only why my clients do what they do, but why their customers need their product or service
Why?
When I tell people I’m a copywriter they often ask whether I copy stuff for clients.
Err, no. That’s called plagiarism.
After explaining how copywriting helps business and organisations they think a) it’s kinda cool there’s a job like that, and b) want to know how I can write for companies that are new to me.
Well, on top of being a professional wordsmith, I am also:
- A master salesperson
- A persuasive orator
- A great writer
But that doesn’t mean I am an expert in every industry sector in the known universe.
Why?
It’s an advantage that I don’t know everything there is to know about everything, and I make that clear to your clients from the outset.
I’ve lost count of the number of enquiries I’ve had from people convinced they need a copywriter with experience in their industry.
OK, that may have a few advantages, but it’s mainly a bad thing.
Why?
Well, if I come into an industry that I know nothing about, the standard type of marketing spiel that’s used does not blinker me.
I will come to the project with an open mind and fresh ideas that will get your business noticed. You see, in the client/copywriter relationship, the client is the expert in their industry, but the copywriter is the expert in selling their clients’ products and services to their marketplace.
So long as neither party crosses those lines, the relationship will be harmonious.
Why?
As a client of mine, you’ll get used to being asked ‘why?’
I will keep asking until I get the answers I need.
That’s because you know your business like the back of your hand and therefore will have the tendency to talk in jargon only understood by your colleagues.
My job is to break through that jargon to understand the product or service in layman’s terms. After all, if I don’t fully understand it, how am I going to be able to write about it and make your readers understand?
Far from being annoying, it demonstrates my interest in your business and my determination to produce compelling and persuasive copy that will grab the attention of potential new customers.
I can’t write about something I don’t fully understand, so I’ll keep asking ‘why’ until I get to the real nitty-gritty.
Sally Ormond is the master of ‘why?’ Working as an international copywriter for over a decade, she has helped many brands connect with their customers through writing. Cyclist, mum, gym fanatic and Pinot Grigio lover.