Freelance Copywriting For Business

I have a blog which contains shed loads of articles about copywriting and its benefits. But for those of you who may be unfamiliar with the art of copywriting, this lens is going to focus on giving an introduction to the subject.

Every where you go people are trying to marketing products to you. You could be browsing the net, walking down the street, reading a magazine or waiting for a bus. Therefore the field of copywriting is vast.

What does the copywriter do?

Copywriting is all about putting a creative message in front of a consumer. It is based on three principles:

1. When you are writing to a customer, there has to be an involvement between the customer and the seller.
2. You must make sure you explain the rewards the customer will enjoy when buying a product.
3. The final piece is achievement and that is what you as the writer will be focusing on.

'Come on, anyone can write sales stuff, can't they?'

A lot of people think that's true, but if it was there wouldn't be copywriters. Writing copy that will persuade someone to take a particular action is not easy. If you don't believe me sit down and write an ad or piece of web copy to sell one of your products - don't forget you have to talk to the reader, build rapport, state the benefits, tell them what to do...It's not easy, is it?

Considering the number of adverts we see every day, consumers won't respond to yours unless it is something that specifically interests them. This is why it is more important than ever to have a clear focus when you are writing your copy so that you know which particular niche you're trying to hit.

There will always be a need for copywriters no matter whether the economy is in a recession or in a boom.

Get your own pocket copywriter

I work with many companies on short term copywriting projects however more and more companies are seeing the benefits of professional written copy (especially SEO website copywriting). Therefore if you have an ongoing need for copywriting services you may be interested in hiring my services by the day. A retainer can be until further notice or for a set period of months. But one thing is for certain, with you own 'pocket copywriter' you'll never have to waste your time again fighting with your sales copy.

Working as a freelance copywriter I receive a number of requests for quotes every week.

These projects can range from copy for a new website, content for a brochure or direct mail letters to newsletters, email marketing and case studies.

When you buy an appliance, DVD or book they are advertised a certain price. But copywritting isn't like that because no two projects are ever the same. So, when you want web copy there's no point emailing a copywriter and saying "can I have a quote for web copy for my new site" and expecting a simple answer.

There are a number of variables to take into account:

- how many pages are involved?
- how much research has to be done?
- do you know your customer?
- what tone/voice do you want to convey?
- what is your unique selling point?

And that's just for starters.

That's why to make sure I get all the information I need I use a pro-forma that asks a series of questions designed to extract as much information as possible from the client so I can put together a comprehensive proposal and quote.

Most clients are more than happy to complete the form. But now and then clients will just jot down the bare bones of what they're looking for assuming I'll be able to fill in the blanks.

I'm good, but I'm not that good.

Things you should tell your copywriter

A friend of mine once said to me "why would I need a copywriter? You couldn't possible know my business better than I do" and he was right, I couldn't - not only that, I would never suggest I did. But that's not what copywriting is about.

It's not about who knows your business the best, it's about who can write the strongest sales message.

When writing about your own business it's very easy to write about your achievements, your products and services from your point of view. But to write copy your reader wants to read, you have to stand back and see your company from their point of view. And that's were a professional copywriter comes into their own. Not only do they understand how to write powerful marketing copy, they can also view the company and its products/services from the customers' perspective.

But to do that they'll need as much information as possible about your company, its services and products, its ethos as well as the tone you want to convey.

Can't you just write it?

As I mentioned earlier most of my clients appreciate what they need to provide me with, but there's always the odd one that doesn't. They think they're doing my job for me by providing me with information - well, I don't have a crystal ball, I don't know your company intimately so I can't write fabulous copy just from your company name.

Not convinced? Well consider this for a moment. You've decided to build your own home, something you've dreamed of for years. So when you sit down with your builder to brief him do you say - "I want you to build me a house. Get on with it"?

I doubt it, and I doubt he'd say "OK" and start building.

He'll want to know:

- What style you want - detached, semi, bungalow
- How many bedrooms
- How big the rooms should be
- How many rooms you want
- How big is it going to be

You wouldn't consider doing that for one second so should you why expect your copywriter to write amazing SEO website copy from your instruction "I want you to write my website - get on with it".

Collaboration is the name of the game

The copywriter/client relationship is a very close one.

And it's this collaborative approach that creates strong working relationships and the best results. The more work your copywriter does for you, the better they get to know your company. They will be able to make suggestions and point out areas of your marketing that need strengthening, giving your income a much needed boost.

Investing in a great copywriter is a valuable asset for your company. It's their marketing expertise and word skills that will give your company the upper hand.