What is a copywriter?

Spoiler alert! It has nothing to do with copyright laws!

Yes, I have actually been asked if I patent things. I don’t. So, what is a copywriter then? Well, a copywriter is a skilled wordsmith, able to keep visitors on your website longer or increase email open rates and sales conversions. They achieve this through the mystical art of blending the right words and phrases to bridge the gap between what the business wants to say and what the audience will listen to. And, yes, there is often a disparity there. You see, people get so involved with the minutiae of their business, the features and jargon, that they forget they are talking to an audience with no interest whatsoever in those bits. All any reader wants to know is what’s in it for me? What do I get out of it? A copywriter’s job is to understand the business; what makes it different, what problems it solves and who for, and what it’s trying to achieve to translate its message into one the target audience will notice, listen to and take action on.

If you have a website built, you don’t want to know about the code behind the process. You just want to know what the finished site will look like. This applies to most businesses, certainly on first impression anyway. Sell the transformation, not the process.

Why would I need a copywriter?

If you run a business, you probably want to sell your services or products, so you’ll need to persuade people to buy from you. This is most effectively done by demonstrating that you are a knowledgeable, trustworthy and reliable business with a high-quality offering that will somehow improve the life of the purchaser and provide value for money.

But how do you do that? I’ll give you a clue…. NOT by bombarding people with spammy, sales-y messages, NOT by having a shoddy, poorly written website, NOT with boring feature-heavy product or service descriptions and absolutely NOT by droning on and on and on in a repetitive 30-minute read sales page.

Humans are delicate and emotional creatures. Our attention span is super short, and we are busy and often frazzled. So we want to know why we should buy your product, how it will improve our lives and what makes you the expert… oh, and you have about 5 seconds to compel us to read far enough to discover this stuff.

This is where a copywriter comes in. The most compelling copy is often the shortest bits, and copywriters are skilled in crafting the perfect hook to inspire action or keep them reading. If you have a website with a high bounce rate, a low open rate on your emails, a lead magnet nobody wants, or a blog that’s gone stale and… well, you get the picture. There’s a host of reasons you might want to outsource some writing to a copywriter, and you’ll likely be pretty pleased with the return on investment.

Can I just write my own copy?

Yes, but you may feel like a dog trying to work a laptop!

You could, yes. But copywriting isn’t just about putting words on paper (or screen). Instead, it incorporates buying psychology and specialist skills. Any copywriter worth their weight will have undertaken specialist training and keep themselves up-to-date on the latest techniques.

Without this knowledge, you may fall into some copywriting traps, such as using phrases that did work but are now overused and considered spammy. There are words to use, words to avoid, layout techniques, and myriad ways to craft the perfect copy for numerous mediums.

Have you got time to learn all that? Do you even want to?

Most business owners are far better off working on tasks that give a better return on their time investment and delegating the writing to a copywriter. They will have the skills and knowledge to craft persuasive and effective copy (words) for your business, create a consistent tone and message, build trust and authority and provide value, making purchasing an easy decision.

What can a copywriter write?

Anything with words… pretty much.

Like any profession, there will be those that niche in certain mediums, especially if they require specialist knowledge or understanding. In general, though, any of the following should be well within any copywriter’s remit:

·         Website Copy

·         Emails – sales and nurture

·         Newsletters

·         Adverts – print and digital

·         Sales Pages

·         Sales Funnels

·         Product Descriptions

·         Sales Letters

·         Video scripts

·         Landing Page

·         Press Release

·         Blog Posts and Articles

·         Social Media Posts

·         eBooks

If you need something written that isn’t listed, it’s worth asking a copywriter if they can do it. If they are reputable, they’ll tell you if it’s beyond their ability and probably point you in the direction of someone who can help. For more specific requests, you may need to find someone who specialises in it, but it will be worth the extra effort to find them.

Do I need to have a large company to work with a copywriter?

No! Businesses of all sizes can utilise a copywriter’s skills. For the solopreneur, a copywriter can provide much-needed support, someone to bounce ideas off and take on the time-consuming task of writing for the business, freeing up valuable time and improving conversions.

Larger companies already know the benefits of using copywriters and would never ask Tina from accounts or Amit from HR to write their copy. So it might be wise for smaller businesses to follow this example if they are hoping to succeed.

Hopefully, you now fully understand what a copywriter is, what they write, who uses them and perhaps most importantly, why you should use one too. If you want to learn more about working with me and how I might help you increase sales, get in touch today.