7 Ways a Copywriter Can Help Your Business Grow

When I tell people that I’m a copywriter, nine times out of ten they ask “What’s a copywriter?” Or they think my job has something to do with copyrighting. The truth is that I didn’t even realise I was a copywriter until many years into my marketing career. I was simply a marketing person who wrote a lot of persuasive words to sell products and services in the process of doing my job.

The words I write are called “copy” and this copy appears in:

I could go on, but I think you get the idea! My work crosses over from copywriting into content writing, which is a subtler, non-salesy way to talk to your target audience. I do both forms of writing. But that’s something to discuss in another blog post. Let’s just concentrate on copywriting for now!

Copywriting is the secret occupation that most people don’t know about. Simply put, it’s the art of writing words that sell a product or service. Copywriting is all around you: in TV commercials, on product packaging, the eNewsletters you get in your inbox, the junk mail you get in your letterbox and the ads that pop-up online. Even the words on this website and blog! If you have something to promote to a target audience then you may be in need of a copywriter.

Copy comes in all word lengths: from a one-liner in an ad to a catalogue with hundreds of words. Copy comes in all kinds of tones: from conversational to serious and authoritative. How I write depends on the audience and the brand voice of the business I’m writing for. The one thing that good copy has in common is that it needs to persuade and connect with its target market. It also needs to have a purpose — such as to get someone to make a purchase or an enquiry, give their email address, donate money etc.

So now that you know what a copywriter does, how can working with one help your business?

7 Ways a Copywriter Can Help Your Business Grow

1. When you have no time to write copy to promote your business.

Let’s face it, most business owners are time poor and too busy running the day-to-day essentials of their business to spend time on marketing it. You might have an outdated website that you need to write new content for, but you’re struggling to find the time to do this. You might have started off sending sales emails to your client database but, as your business has grown, your emails have stopped completely. Or you may have zero hours in the day to put together that advertising flyer about your new products or services. All business owners know that it’s essential to constantly market their business so it will grow. But it’s just so hard to find the time.

An experienced copywriter can help your business grow by writing content that speaks directly to your target market. A copywriter will even help you identify exactly who this audience is down to the individual, not just a broad demographic.You can outsource activities to a copywriter like brochure writing, writing ad copy, website content, product descriptions, your emails, sales letters – anything that is print or digital and needed to help market your business.

A copywriter acts as a ghostwriter by writing in the tone of voice of your business. We don’t get bylines or credit for the words we write. The final copy belongs to the person who hired us to do the job. If done right, no one will ever know that it’s not you writing the content.

2. When writing is NOT your jam!

Some people love writing and are great at churning out promotional copy for their business. Not everyone needs to have a marketing degree or qualifications in writing to do a great job. But you might fall into the category of people who struggle to put their thoughts down on paper in a persuasive, logical, informative and entertaining way. Maybe you know what you want to say, but you have no idea how to say it.

Don’t worry! An experienced copywriter can turn your jumbled thoughts into words that sell. They should have a great grasp of the English language and superior spelling and grammar skills. They should also have the ability to break down complex ideas into easily digestible words that speak to your target audience.

3. When you want your promotional material to look professional and stand-out from your competitors.

Just like a dentist is experienced at keeping your teeth in top condition and an accountant can help take the headache out of doing your tax, a copywriter is an expert at crafting words that sell. An experienced copywriter is skilled at writing persuasive copy that makes you and your business look professional.

Considering that so many leads come through your website, social media and ads, the words you use need to make people not only keep reading, but also be persuaded to take action. How many times have you done a google search and followed a link to a website riddled with confusing sentences and spelling and grammatical errors? If you’re anything like me, it’s enough to make you click right out of there and onto the next business.

You only get a few seconds to make a first impression on a potential customer. Therefore, the copy you use it vital. Carefully crafted copy that engages your target audience and brings you new business is a professional service worth paying for.

A copywriter who knows how to write SEO-friendly web pages can also help your business website appear in the top of Google’s rankings. There’s no use having great content on your website if people can’t find your website in the first place!

4. When you’re too close to your business.

So you’re an expert in your field of business, but is your audience? Using too much jargon and industry specific acronyms in your promotional copy can drive your audience away. This is completely fine if the audience you’re writing for understands your jargon. But what if you’re trying to explain a complex concept in layman’s terms and you’re struggling? Sometimes you’re too close to your business to be able to look at it through a customer’s eyes. Luckily, this is something a copywriter can help you with.

A copywriter can write content for your business that communicates effectively with your audience and eliminates any confusion. They should research your business, your target audience, your industry and your competitors. They should also find your unique selling proposition (USP). The USP is the point of difference that helps customers differentiate you from your competitors. It can be difficult for you to find this by yourself, but an experienced copywriter can definitely help!

5. When you want to sell the benefits, not the features of your business.

An experienced copywriter will thoroughly research your business and industry and not just write a list of features about your service or product. In addition, they will get into the mind of your target audience and tease out the benefits – the reasons why people buy a product or service. A benefit answers the question consumers ask without realising: “What’s in it for me?”

For example, you own a vet clinic that’s open 24/7. That’s a feature of your business as it’s a simple fact. To get to the benefit you would ask: “What’s in it for me?” Putting yourself in a customer’s shoes, a benefit would be peace of mind for a pet owner. They know that in the case of an emergency, there’s a vet they can go to any time of the day or night with their sick pet.

In short, an experienced copywriter will find the benefits of your business and write copy that addresses common customer questions and pain points. A frequently quoted line about copywriting is: “sell the benefits, not the features.”

6. When you need someone experienced to write about your business for different mediums.

Experienced copywriters know how to write for different mediums. Writing for print media is not the same as writing for the web. Different content requires different considerations. For example, people don’t read every word on a web page. Instead they scan the copy to find the information they need. Writing effective web content also requires knowledge of SEO.

When writing a bus ad, you only have a few seconds to catch someone’s attention as the bus drives past. You need to factor this into the copy you write. There are different tricks of the trade that can be applied to different mediums.

Sometimes the hardest thing to write is that one-liner for an ad or that engaging subject line for an email. Headlines have to be catchy enough to make people want to click through and read something. You also want to avoid that email spam folder! There are lots of tricks of the trade when it comes to writing different forms of content. You can definitely learn some through reading online or doing a short course, but sometimes it’s more convenient to pay a professional to do it for you.

7. When you want promotional material that gets you results!

There’s no point getting your customers excited about something, leading them to your website and then not letting them know what to do next. An experienced copywriter always finds the intention behind the copy. What is it that you want this promotional copy to achieve? An increase in sales? More subscribers to your eNewsletter? For potential customers to call and make an enquiry? Not sure? A copywriter can help you figure this out by crafting a call to action.

A call to action in marketing speak is an instruction to your target audience designed to prompt an immediate action. Examples include phrases like: “Call now”, “Register today”, “Join free for a month” “Subscribe now.” “Sign up to our newsletter.” It’s another important part of what a copywriter does that can help a business get more customers.

You can have the best copy in the world, but if your audience doesn’t know what to do next then you will lose them. An experienced copywriter can help you craft the perfect call to action for your business.

Speaking of calls to action… Do you want to find out more about how a copywriter can help your business grow? I’d love to chat with you.