Everyone can write, right? I’m guessing you’ve been doing it since you were about 5 years old. I’m also guessing you’ve already written quite a lot today – emails, social media, business plans, proposals, quotes, etc. So why would you need anyone to write your marketing copy for you?
I’ve lost count of the number of people I’ve met who have said that they’d love to blog more or post more new content on their website, but they just don’t have the time. Many of these same people happily outsource their accounts, social media, and IT and they have a VA. They know the value of subcontracting to people who have the right skills and resources, or those who can take on the tasks that they don’t want to do themselves. So why not outsource their copywriting?
I have a sneaking suspicion it’s because they believe they should be able to do it themselves, that they don’t like to think they can’t handle the occasional bit of marketing copy. After all, they know their business inside and out so should be able to write about it well enough and often enough.
Don’t get me wrong, most entrepreneurs I meet have a great many talents, but many times they think they can do it all. The problem is that such a mindset can stifle business growth. By outsourcing some of the day to day work – and there’s no reason why copywriting can’t be classed this way – they are freeing themselves up to focus on generating revenue for their businesses.
So what business value can you create by using a professional copywriter?
“Marketing is not about the stuff you make, but the stories you tell” – Seth Godin
The problem is that the value you’ll get from using a copywriter is hard to pin down until you see it in action. Professionals like accountants and VAs usually charge by the hour or day, or for a set number of tasks, so it’s relatively easy to gauge the ROI on the expenditure.
But a professional copywriter’s value is less tangible and lies in the difference to the way your business is perceived by your target audience. A good copywriter knows how to tell a compelling story, is creative, adaptive and versatile, has excellent research skills, is resourceful and collaborative, educated and insightful.
And a good copywriter can be the difference between good marketing content and great marketing content. Between a prospective customer being merely aware of your brand and trusting your brand. Between seeing what you do and believing what you do.
Here are my six core reasons to use a professional copywriter to help grow your business.
1. Saving you time
Who doesn’t want more time? It’s not just the actual writing of new website content that uses up precious hours in your day, but also the research, the editing, proof-reading, and the creation of a compelling story that’s good enough to boost your search engine page rankings. Added together whole days can go by and you’ve achieved little else. A professional copywriter’s job is to write – seems obvious? But this means we are experts at all of the above and practice our craft day in, day out. So we can execute your copy and do all your thinking for you, freeing up your diary and brain space.
2. Providing a new perspective on your business
You know your business inside and out but that’s not always a good thing when it comes to objectivity. There is such a thing as being too close. A professional copywriter will look at your business, your products and your target markets with a new pair of eyes and help you see things in new, exciting ways.
3. Refreshing your marketing message
When was the last time you reviewed your core marketing message? Not just the headline or latest offer, but really thought about how your proposition comes across to your target market? A professional copywriter will take your marketing story to the next level, probably in ways that haven’t occurred to you. We can get your customers to sit up and pay attention, especially if we’re already trained or had previous experience in your industry or market.
4. Keeping your content optimised
A good, professional SEO copywriter on your virtual team will be informed about all the latest Google changes and will be able to make sure your online content keeps up. An SEO copywriter knows how websites work, and about topics like structure, readability, metatags and keywords. We know how Google finds web pages and can create online content that generates organic traffic and keeps you up in the page rankings.
5. Providing expertly written material
Not everyone can write accurately. A professional copywriter can help you avoid those “facepalm” moments when even a simple oversight in your spelling or grammar can send your online content viral – for all the wrong reasons. Yes, you can edit after you’ve gone live, but remember: a screenshot is forever (as certain high-profile public figures have found, to their cost). A copywriter will spell and grammar check, proof-read and edit their work before you even get to see the first draft. As well as averting PR disasters, accurately written content is good for SEO too: Google will not rank your site if there are obvious errors in it.
6. Diversifying your content into new areas
Professional copywriters actually spend large portions of their days reading. Most of it is for research purposes, but part of our skill lies in reviewing the “noise” that’s happening in and around your industry, not just your part in it. Our job is to make you the go-to expert in your field, a strategy that sets you apart from the competition and creates new business opportunities. We have the tools and the skills to hunt down the trending topics and create new and original marketing content that develops your online presence and increases your brand recognition.
So the next time you’re staring at a blank screen wondering what to say about your business that’s new, exciting and powerful, do yourself a favour and hire an expert copywriter. Your diary, bank balance and blood pressure will thank you.
About the author
Helen Say is the co-owner of CBL Copywriting & SEO. She is different to many copywriters for two main reasons: (1) she has had a long career in direct marketing so has spent most of her waking hours thinking about words that persuade people to do things, and (2) she is a Chartered Google SEO Marketer. This means she can not only create great marketing copy, she can also make sure search engines sit up and pay attention too.
