Let’s face it: most of us think we can write.
But not many of us know how to write effectively for a target audience.
Because often we only get one chance to make the right impression on our customer therefore it’s paramount that we get it right first time.
That’s where hiring a quality professional copywriter is critical to your business.
Whether it’s writing your weekly newsletter or blog, producing the content for your website or an advert on social media, every piece of written communication needs to be of the highest standard, and above all, needs to work for your business.
Here we will look at how to choose the best copywriter for your business in five easy steps:
1) Find a copywriter that meets your needs
It’s obvious, but you need a copywriter that understands you and your business.
A good starting point is to look for a copywriter who is a specialist in your industry and who has extensive experience of writing about the key issues.
To do so ask for samples of similar work they have done for clients to get an idea of their depth of knowledge and expertise.
Above all, they must understand who your target audience is and why your product or service is important to them.
They must also understand what your company’s values are and the tone and voice of your brand.
2) Find a copywriter that you will work well with
They may have all the skills you are looking for, but you also need to find a copywriter that you can work well with and trust.
As with most working relationships, if you are going to hire someone it’s best to meet them face to face first so you have a better idea of who you are dealing with and how they operate.
At the very least you need to have a phone conversation to get a sense of who they are and how much they understand your company.
Ask yourself these three key questions:
Do you feel they have listened to you intimately, asked the right questions and fully understand your requirements?
Do they seem genuinely interested in your business and enthused about the project?
Do you feel they would be the best person for the job?
3) Do your homework
Just as you would expect the copywriter you are hiring to have done their research on your company, you need to do your homework on them.
Ask people you trust to recommend a copywriter and scour the internet for possible leads.
Look at their website to get an idea of their writing style and breadth of knowledge and read customer reviews online or ask them for references.
If you are going to be working with a big agency find out who is going to be doing the writing and their particular knowledge and expertise as it may not be the person you dealt with initially.
Look at their track record to see what they have achieved with similar projects.
Research their professional background to see what qualities they will bring to the work.
Former journalists make particularly good copywriters because they know how to tell a story and get your message across in a succinct yet engaging way.
Finally read their terms and conditions to understand exactly what you are getting into.
If you have already got to that stage, look at their pitch to see how clear and convincing it is and whether they can do the same with your content.
4) Make sure their quote is within your budget
The old adage that you need to pay for quality always rings true.
But if you have a strict budget to stick to you need to make sure that you find the copywriter who will provide the best service for you at that price.
When you have a defined budget it’s even more important to make sure that there are no unexpected costs.
Be aware that some writers charge for every round of changes and others don’t.
Know exactly what you are getting for the fee: very low quotes that seem too good to be true often are just that.
5) Test them out
The best way to see whether a copywriter is the right one for you is to ask them to do a smaller piece of work to see how they get on.
See if they produce the expected level of quality on time and to budget and how flexible they are if you need to ask them to make changes to it.
It can be a tough process to find the right fit but provided you get the desired end result you will be glad you invested the time and effort.
Make the right choice and then sit back and watch your copywriter bring your vision to life through a first class service and quality content.
Get in touch
- To find out how I can help with your writing, editing or research needs give me a call on +44 (0)7949 590213 or email alex@alexwrightjournalist.com
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