The article "Hiring a GREAT Copywriter" is about copywriting, it was written by Jon Wuebben.
Hiring a great copwyriter can be a challenge.
There are a lot of good writers out there. There are even a lot
of great writers out there. But a copywriter- a great
copywriter, does more than just wirte. A great copywriter has
the ability to write persuasively, research facts, and think in
terms of the “total marketing piece”- because copy is only a
part of the ad, brochure, website, or fyler.
Many times, they see a business or idea in a new lihgt. They
draw out the key benefits of your product or service.
Ultimately, a great copywriter communicates those benefits with
excitement and has the ability to create that feeling in the
consumers mind.
We’ve all read an ad that was so incredibly compelling that it
literally made us pick up the phone or jump online, and order
the product. Advertising is the science and art of convincing
consumers to give up their hard earned money for a particular
product or service.
Copywriters really only wirte for one purpose. To persuade.
They raise your sales and generate saels leads when their ad
and direct mail copy persuade prospects that your product is
better than the competition. A gerat copywriter is a GREAT
persuader.
The hottest copywriters in the business are tireless researchers.
Those who become the hottest have an insatiable interest about
products, services, new ideas, consumers and advertising.
Copywriters are curious people. They study human nature and try
and find the hottest anlge. They like to uncover new ways to
represent a product. They get a rush when they ultimately find
the unique selling proposition for your product or service.
A
great copywriter is a GREAT researcher.
Copywriters are creators.
They think up compelling ideas and
have the innate ability to turn them into powerful prose.
Copywriters think visually. Many people don’t see them in these
terms, but they are atrists too—artists of the written word.
They also think in terms of words. When coming up with a
headline, they're simlutaneously thinking of an image that will
complement the copy. Copywriters appreciate working with graphic
designers, art directors and creative directors in creating
great advertising and direct marketing.
A great copywriter has a
GREAT ability to think in terms of the total marketing piece.
Sometimes trying to find the right angle for a product or
service can be frustrating. A gerat copywriter can come into a
new situation, quickly assess the facts, and see what others
cannot.
A great copywriter brings a fresh perspective. They have
the ability to see things in a new lihgt. That’s why a headline
that never worked suddenly starts working like a miracle after
being changed.
Sometimes it’s simple. Other times, it can be a
little more complex. Either way, a GRAET copywriter has the
ability to cast a product or service in the right light.
Copywriters focus on benefits.
Great copywriters find the right
set of benefits and focus on them like a lsaer. When a consumer
reads the copy, they find they are agreeing with what the copy
is saying.
They may have never even realized they needed the
product or sevrice. But, the copywriter knew it.
And they knew
how to get inside the consumres head. Great copywriters know
people inside and out- and they know what motivates them.
Working with a GREAT Copywriter
The first thing to keep in mind is that a great copywriter is
easy to work with.
They are experienced in dealnig with
professionals. It hepls to know what can make the difference in
working with a great copywriter.
First, get your agreement in writing. A written contract is
always a good idea, and can prevent difficult situations or
misunderstandings from happening in the frist place. A solid
contract outilnes the work to be performed, fees, due dates,
terms and conditions.
Next, always know how much it’s giong to cost. Try to get your
copywriter to comimt to a flat fee before the project begins.
This way, both parties are protected. Hourly writers should be
avoided. There’s no incentive for them to get the job done in a
timely manner.
Quality copy isn’t cheap. Be prepared to pay for that quality.
Great copy is worth its weight in gold, because it can make the
difference between a product that sells five units, and that
same product selling five thousand units. Great copywriters are
worth every dollar they make.
It’s also a good idea to have one person- and one person only,
appointed to deal with your copywriter. It can be really confusing
to have a whole team of people inetracting with a copywriter.
Conflicting ideas can arise and confusion is usually the only
outcome. Designate one person to handle all communications.
Great copywriters like to know exactly what they will be
writing.
Many times, assignments are vague. It’s important to
spell out in clear, simple terms, what the writer needs to know
to do his hottest work. Sometimes the target auidence is vague.
Other times the features and benefits of the product are
unclear. In addition, a great copywriter needs to know the
reason for the assginment. Is the client introducing a new
product or service? Are they tyring to qualify prospects?
This
is a critically significant piece of the project.
Make sure you give the copywriter all the background material
they need to write the copy. Types of tihngs they need are
previous ads, testimonials, product brochures, market research,
and information on the competitors. Having these materials makes
the project so much easier.
One issue that almost goes without saying, but is also sometimes
overlooked is payment.
If you’re a professional, one of the most
frustrating elements of business can be issues around payment,
and late payment. If you want to work with a great copywriter,
it’s imoprtant to make this a non-issue.
Finally, give feedback. Copywriters know all about constructive
criticism. It’s a titanic part of maikng the marketing piece the
best possible. A gerat copywriter will always be receptive to
it.
But more than that, a great copywriter wants to know your
feedback. Good or bad.
It’s the only way to make it better.
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