Congratulations! You’ve decided to take the plunge and hire a copywriter.
For sure you’ve made a great decision but how do you ensure you’re happy with the results?
Read this blog and discover 5 simple strategies. Use them and you’ll help your copywriter create outstanding “salesmanship in print” for your business.
1. Timetable some detailed fact-finding conversations
Hiring is just the start. Next you’ll need to spend quality time discussing your business, products and services with your copywriter. In fact they’ll want lots of information and will probably arrived armed with a detailed briefing document or a bank of probing questions.
These fact finding conversations are critical. Your copywriter will probe, question, listen, think, cast fresh eyes, stand in your customers’ shoes and pinpoint the little gems that make the difference.
And the result? – The foundations of copy that will appeal to your target market and sell your product.
What’s more your copywriter will:
- Agree your tone of voice – specifically that’s how you’ll come across to your customers (for example friendly, authoritative, down-to-earth, luxurious etc).
- Clarify your Unique Selling Point. Ideally your USP will clearly differentiate you from your competitors and make your product / service worth a look.
- Identify benefits – because benefits, not features appeal to customers.
- Pinpoint your target market – you’ve got to write for someone and not everyone so you’ll need to get clear on who your ideal customer is.
2. Dig-out useful facts, figures and information
Copywriters love information. Support your fact-finding conversations with testimonials, statistics, leaflets, brochures, press releases etc. Testimonials provide invaluable insights through the words of real customers, and existing marketing opens discussion about what worked, what didn’t and what’s the future.
3. Include an offer in your copy
Do you want your copy to result in a customer response? If so enhance the appeal of your copy by incorporating an offer. The most effective are enticing and appeal to your target market so give some serious thought to what will motivate customers to pick up their phone or click your link. Don’t dismiss “freebies” like fact sheets or information booklets, and wherever possible give your offer a monetary value.
4. Don’t view the first draft as a final version
Whilst it is possible to nail copy at the first attempt, it’s far more likely the first draft will be a foundation. Use it to initiate further discussion, identify missing facts and check the detail. And because revisions are an integral part of creating copy that sells, a good copywriter will expect to carry out reasonable amendments.
5. Finally. Remember, quality writing takes time…
and you get what you pay for!
Whilst copywriters will operate in your deadline (if it’s realistic), good does copy takes time.
So beware. If words have been spilled onto paper with little thought or revision, it’s unlikely they’ll do your business justice.
In comparison outstanding copy evolves and matures.
- It’s informed by solid research
- Then distilled through careful editing and proofreading.
Indeed it’s good practice for a copywriter to sleep on a version before mailing it to a client.
That’s because fresh eyes are intensely effective at refining sentences, honing phrases and polishing content.
So when you get your quote, remember the polished final version you’ll publish masks a realm of discarded thoughts, scribbled ideas and unused concepts.
In short you’re paying for the creative concepts and the research as well as the actual words.
Copywriters are an invaluable asset for your business.
Ensure you get the best results from your investment, and apply these five tips when you’re working together. What tips do you have for working with a copywriter? Leave your ideas in the comments section below.
This is the fourth instalment in a series of posts called Hire a Professional Copywriter and get rid of ineffective sales copy once and for all.
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