What is a Copywriter and Why Would I Need One?
When I was searching for my first job out of college, I kept running into listings for “copywriters”. I remember thinking, “How on earth did I make it through an English degree without learning what a copywriter does?!”
It’s not a term that gets thrown around a lot in the liberal arts, and probably not in the coaching world either. Nevertheless, copywriting is a skill and a service that absolutely every business can benefit from, which is why I wanted to take some time to explain it today.
What is copy?
Let’s start at the beginning.
Copy is text. It’s a collection of words that fill up space on a page (like the one you're reading right now). But it’s not just any page.
Copywriting usually shows up in marketing materials, advertisements, blogs, periodicals, and social media. The term is used to distinguish these types of writing from other forms like literary, creative, research or academic.
And one thing all copywriting has in common is that it’s persuasive. It’s written with a purpose – to get you to care about it and (usually) to do or buy something.
For this reason, copywriting can often have a sleazy, sales-y connotation – but its persuasiveness is also what makes it so valuable.
Strong copy is what compels people to take action. It’s what turns your audience into a client base. Without it, you’re just a person with a website.
What makes good copywriting?
Strong copywriting is persuasive without being pushy. It tells a story and includes the reader in the action. It has a beginning, middle and end, and it leaves the reader motivated to take the next step.
Writing it requires skills in sales and marketing, but more importantly, it requires emotional intelligence. It demands a deep understanding of your intended audience since its goal is to ultimately create an emotional connection strong enough to inspire an action – leaving a comment, clicking to a sales page, registering, purchasing, etc.
Good copywriters spend plenty of time up front getting to know you, your offerings and your audience. They observe and they do market research to understand the context around what you do. They’re good listeners.
Why would I need a copywriter?
Are you using a website or social media to find clients online? Then copywriting is something you’ll need somewhere along the line. It will show up on every page of your website, on the materials you give your clients, on your promotional emails, and of course, on your sales pages.
But you might not need to hire someone to create it. It’s a wonderful skill to have in your back pocket and it’s definitely something that can be learned. (My Message Clarity Workbook can be really helpful here. It’s free!)
But it’s also possible that you:
don’t have the time to write your own copy.
don’t have the creative energy to come up with what to say.
can’t seem to write your story the way you hear it in your head.
If any of these are the case, hiring a copywriter could be a huge help! Consider partnering with someone who understands the world of online marketing and can help you craft your offering into a story that will resonate with your readers.
Your relationship with your copywriter is an important one – not all copywriters are skilled in the same areas, so finding someone who understands what you do and who is familiar with your audience can be a great asset.
It’s also, of course, an important investment, so you want to be sure you and your copywriter are on the same page (pardon the pun).
This is why I have a discovery call with every potential client. I want to be positive that we both have the same goals and that we understand and appreciate the other’s skill areas.
If you’re reading this thinking “Yep, that’s exactly what I need,” then step right this way! I’d love to talk to you about where your business is headed and how I can help you craft the right story.
Feeling inspired to get to work on your own copy? That’s great! This blog post will help.