Why Should You Hire a Copywriter? If you are running a small business or from home, it can be difficult to see the point in bringing in someone from outside. Why not cut costs by doing it yourself? After all, it’s just writing and everyone knows how to do that, right?
There are a lot of excuses you can make to avoid having to hire a freelance writer; you can do it yourself; no one else will be able to understand your business; you already have a marketing campaign that works; they are all familiar excuses. Most importantly, they are all garbage. The truth is, hiring a copywriter to polish your text and advertising campaigns is one of the most important things you can do to increase the success of a business.
There are hundreds of good reasons to hire a freelance copywriter to turn your business around, here are just a few:
- A copywriter has perspective – sometimes they can be too close to your business. As an outsider, a copywriter can see his business as his clients see it and can make sure that his copy says exactly what he needs to say to have the maximum impact on his target audience.
- Copywriters have experience: You may know your own business better than anyone, but by the same reasoning, a copywriter knows yours. The copywriter’s job is to connect with people and get them closer to your point of view, and those are techniques that work no matter what the product is.
- A copywriter can keep you updated: What worked last season may not necessarily work now. It’s part of the copywriter’s job to keep up with the latest trends and changes in consumer demand. Hiring a copywriter not only gives you great copywriting, but also access to this invaluable bank of knowledge.
- Copywriters can save you money: How often do you have to pay your staff to work overtime so they can work on your advertising? Hiring a professional copywriter will reduce costs, and since staff are free to return to their own jobs, productivity will also increase!
Many companies spend thousands of dollars on eye-catching designs for their websites and brochures, but they seem strangely reluctant to spend almost anything on the content that fills them up. And yet this is the most important part!
Your writing is the message you send to your clients. Design is important, but it’s the wording that determines how your prospects will see you, and you can’t afford to skimp on that. .
How to hire a copywriter
Hiring a freelance copywriter may seem like a daunting prospect if it’s your first time, but you should keep in mind that it is no different from hiring any other professional service. A good copywriter will be able to tell you in advance how much you will have to pay and what information you need to complete the job. Many writers charge an hourly or daily rate, although some prefer to agree to a fixed price for all work.
Regardless of how your copywriter chooses to work, the cost of the job should be clear up front and hidden fees are unlikely. However, just in case, have your copywriter sign a terms of service document for your project, which you can refer to in the event of a dispute.
Here are some other things to keep in mind when looking to hire a freelance copywriter:
- Plan Ahead – A good copywriter will tell you what information you need to complete a job, but you can save time and money if you think ahead and have everything ready when the copywriter starts the job. A little preparation can go a long way.
- Consult the Writer Beforehand – No matter how good a particular copywriter is, if you don’t like their writing style, there is no point in hiring them. So don’t just hire the first copywriter you find, take the time to shop around – get recommendations from friends who have hired freelancers in the past. When you have a list of potentials, compare them. Get writing samples and presentations sent to you, and narrow down the list until you’ve found the perfect writer for your project.
- Don’t worry if you’ve never written for your industry before – one of the most important parts of a copywriting job is research, and most copywriting skills can be applied equally to any industry. The copywriter’s skill is to connect with people and persuade them to take a specific course of action, whatever it may be.
- Make sure there is enough time to complete the job; Don’t bring in a copywriter in the final stages of a project and wait for a masterpiece to come up with. A writer needs to let the project unfold for a while before he can put it all together and produce his best work. While most copywriters will agree to working to a stricter deadline, if you want high-quality writing, it’s a good idea to give yours a little more time to get it right.
The gift that keeps giving
While the initial outlay to hire a freelance writer may seem high, it pays off many times over. It’s impossible to overstate the value that a clear, well-written copy can bring to a business, not to mention the marketing expertise that will attract clients long after the copywriter is gone. And that’s possibly the best reason of all to bite the bullet and land a copywriter!
See our article Design for your content [http://www.herdsofwords.co.uk/articles/design_for_content.html] to learn how to make sure your website design works to enhance, rather than overshadow, your message
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