Six Ways a Good Copywriter Will Help Your Business

Because copywriting isn’t just about words

The number of times I’ve been asked to help someone with law-related bits and pieces is incredible. Uh guys, I’m a copywriter, not a copyright-er. Yep, there’s a difference. A copywriter writes persuasive copy (advertising words) that makes a product or service seem out of this world and encourages consumers to buy it. A copyright-er … well, I don’t know if there is such a thing as a copyright-er. But I can tell you one thing: my job has nothing to do with writing copyrights.

So how hard can it be to string a few words along in a sentence and make people buy your product? Well, believe it or not, copywriting is a real art. Not everyone can do it. So why does your business need a professional copywriter? Because they know what they’re doing – and maybe you don’t. Here are a few reasons why a good copywriter will help your business.

A copywriter is particularly particular about the small things.

We all know at least one grammar Nazi who endlessly points out our spelling and grammar flaws. The thing is, as annoying as it is, this is an incredible skill. A copywriter pays attention to the small things, the things that you might not necessarily care about. Believe it or not, but there are millions of people out there who actually care about apostrophes and correct use of capitalisation. The most annoying thing in the world to this type of person is seeing a stray apostrophe or spelling mistake in printed advertising material. Pay a professional to do your copywriting, and prevent your business appearing as a blooper in Sideswipe or on Grammarly.

A copywriter will figure out exactly what you’re selling.

A product developer knows so much about their product that they could lead a spontaneous presentation about it, and come out on tops. They’re so close to their product that it becomes virtually engrained in their brain stem, which ironically could be a bad thing when it comes to advertising. A copywriter might not know as much about your product as you do, but their objectiveness lets them step back and impartially analyse the product to figure out exactly what it is you’re selling. And it’s not always just about the product. It’s also about what the product gives you emotionally. Look at Apple. Someone who already has an iPhone 5 probably doesn’t need a new iPhone 6, except they’re just about guaranteed to queue for three days waiting for their baby. Apple doesn’t sell iPhones; they sell memberships to an exclusive international club. Coke’s the same. They don’t sell fizzy drink; they sell happiness.

A copywriter will help you find your audience.

Advertising isn’t about your business, it’s about your audience. Therefore, a good copywriter will help you figure out who should be buying your product, then target your advertising to your audience in a way that works for them. Advertising guru David Ogilvy once said, “If you’re trying to persuade people to do something, or buy something, it seems to me you should use their language, the language they use every day, the language in which they think.” For example, if you’re launching a new men’s fragrance but use romantic feminine flowery language in your advertising, it probably won’t be as effective as using blokey language a guy might respond to. Lynx does this well, with their latest campaign about hair waxes.

A copywriter will keep your message simple.

A copywriter’s best skill is being able to cut the fluff. Once they figure out who their trying to win over, they’ll target the copy so it appeals to the audience – minus all that unnecessary jargon and bumble. If the end result is only nine words long – and it works – then it’s great copywriting. You need a novel to sell a product.

A copywriter is a chameleon.

A good copywriter wears many hats, often at the same time. They can write for web, mobile, print and social media. They can switch on their formal face just as quickly as they can have a bit of fun with their words. They need to be able to adapt quickly and switch tones just as quickly as they change their undies. Being able to meet tight deadlines is essential.

A copywriter does more than just write words.

Copywriting isn’t just about print anymore. With the widespread nature of the wonderful world of web, copywriting needs to consider other ways your message might be read or received. This includes print and email campaigns, web banners, and Facebook or television advertising.

Need a hand with your own copywriting? Talk to Auckland freelance copywriter, Lingo – they’ve got your next ad campaign covered.