How to find the right copywriter for your business

It’s easy to take copywriting for granted because it’s literally everywhere. But there’s a bit more to it than simply being able to string some words together, and a real skill to great copywriting.

So how do you find a great copywriter, and more importantly, the right one for your business? I may be a copywriter myself, but I’ve also hired them.

Let’s start at the beginning.

What is copywriting?

‘Copywriting’ is producing the ‘copy’ (or text) you see all around you:

magazine and newspaper articles (online and in print)
product packaging and product descriptions
webpages
leaflets
blog posts
promotional emails
books and ebooks
social media captions
advertising: online, print, billboards etc

All of those words used in all of these things are chosen, put together and edited by, well, people like me!

Why is copywriting important?

Well, all of the words used in the examples above aren’t just there for fun. They all have an important purpose in representing your business and helping you achieve your aims, for example to:

get you found on search engines
convey your ‘brand voice’
get people’s attention
entertain
educate and position you as an expert
buy from you
buy more than they originally planned to!
evoke emotion

What makes great copywriting?

Great copywriting needs to start with a clear brief. If you’re unsure what you need, an experienced copywriter will ask all the right questions to make sure that the finished writing delivers.

When your goals are clear – who you’re targeting, what you want them to think/do after reading, how you want to come across, etc – it’s easier to tell if your finished copywriting hits the mark.

Now as readers and consumers, we all have different turn-ons and turn-offs. Sometimes, what we like and dislike depends on the context and our own prejudices. We might enjoy the informal, bantery copy from a new fashion start-up on social media and excuse the odd typo. We might feel reassured by the more formal tone and grammatical accuracy of a firm of solicitor’s website.

A great copywriter will tune in to how you want to be perceived, how the voice of your marketing aligns with your overall brand and offer – and will know how to write to resonate with your audience.

They will also bring clarity to your marketing: who you are, what you do, who you do it for and why they should pick you.

What to look for in a copywriter

Outsourcing your copywriting – whether on a retainer or for ad-hoc projects – is a great idea if lack the specialist skills in-house or don’t want to commit to a long-term employee commitment.

Specialisms

Many copywriters specialise, either in specific areas of writing (eg email marketing, ads or blogging) or in subject areas (eg lifestyle, technology or finance). Some will be more generalist. Your brief will help you identify which is best for your business.

Experience and background

Whatever work you have lined up for your copywriter, it’s reassuring to know that they’re bringing some experience to the table. Testimonials from past clients or examples are of course always valuable. Do they have a background in sales or marketing or journalism? Which skills fit best with what you’re asking them to do?

Style

Many copywriters will adapt their style to suit the client. Some will be known for writing in a certain way.

Spelling, punctuation and grammar

Your copywriter doesn’t have to be a professor in English, but they should be at least a little nerdy when it comes to spelling, punctuation and grammar. It’s fine for your copy to be written in an informal, colloquial way if that’s your brand voice – but typos are never a good look for your business.

Budget

Your choice of copywriter may be limited by your budget. However, the old adage “buy cheap, buy twice” often applies. Cheaper is not always better, and great copywriting is worth the investment. In a modern world seemingly dominated by images and video, it’s easy to overlook the power of copywriting. But often it’s the words that seal the deal, even if it was an image that initially got your attention. And what good is your whizzy new website, if no one finds it on Google, or they don’t hang around on it long enough to become a lead or a customer?

Copywriting at Makeover Marketing

I’d always loved writing since childhood but first fell in love with copywriting when working in PR and as a Press Officer. I loved being able to take complex or – dare I say it – dull stories and make them compelling enough to be featured in magazines and newspapers.

While working in PR, I took a Journalism qualification to fine-tune my writing and found it to be among the most impactful training I’ve done in my career.

Over the years I’ve written about everything from makeup to industrial cabling; new buildings to studying PhDs; online dating to accountancy; food allergies to recruitment.

I love the variety of writing about different topics and tuning in to different audiences.

I also love taking complex subjects and making them easy for readers to understand.

So if you need copywriting services, look no further! Get in touch for help with: