What does a copywriter do?

“So what sort of work do you do?”  - a time tested ice-breaker in social situations, when you are meeting new people.  Quite often I am met with a blank look when I say I write copy. 

I explain a little further…. “I write copy for websites, blogs and e-newsletters – that sort of thing.”  That usually helps and then people say, “Oh I need help with that.  I just don’t have the time and I am not a wordsmith.”

The thing about being a copywriter is that it is so much more than WRITING. 

What you are paying for:

• Writing
• Research
• Interviewing
• Editing
• Proofreading
• Project management
• Sourcing of images
• Planning and implementing marketing plans

If you are looking for a copywriter, you need someone who has a marketing head.  Being good with words is not enough.  Your client will have an agenda, usually to promote a product, educate, demonstrate expertise, tell a story.  Your writer needs to be able to put themselves in the customer’s shoes so that they can influence them to act.

My favourite clients are those that have a clear vision on their key messages. They know who they are as a brand and what problems they are solving!  Brand personality and a consistent tone of voice are golden tools for the copywriter. They are also key to you establishing your point of difference in a cluttered market place.

Copywriters have to be versatile and quick learners to keep their clients happy!  They also have to make edits that not only keep the client's marketing department happy, but their legal, sales and brand police happy too.

Words are what you will get in the end, but we spend a significant part of our time researching, interviewing, thinking, tweaking and formatting.  These are seemingly peripheral tasks that take TIME – and they are essential to achieving a quality result!

If you need help get in touch.

How to use a conversational tone of voice

Conversational writing is a bit of a buzz at the moment. It is a great way of connecting with your audience because it feels real and human. Of course, it is not always appropriate, for example it won’t work in a medical white paper. It will make you look like a complete goose and leave you with zero credibility. But in many instances it is a great tool. It is accessible to the average bear and this means more people are likely to read it and engage with your brand – and potentially decide they want to do business with you.

Use words people can understand. Don’t be an intellectual snob. Showing off with fancy, uncommon words mostly puts people off!  Use specific, technical words only when completely necessary.

Use ‘you’ and ‘I’. These words make people feel as if you are directly chatting to them. It brings you one-step closer to your audience than the traditional third person approach which is more formal.

Tell stories. We all love a good story. People hate being sold to. Stories are an indirect way of getting your message across. I have spoken in previous posts about why storytelling works. Weave your business solutions into a well told tale and you will keep the reader engaged for longer.

Use short sentences. A short sentence is easier to read. Long and convoluted ones can be tiring.  Your reader may lose the thread before they get to the end of it. ‘Too hard’ says the short attention span as they click off to the next thing.

Break the rules. A conversational style of writing means you can throw a lot of rules you learnt in school grammar out the window. Have fun with it. Write as if you are chatting to someone in the coffee shop!

Humour is good. We all love a good giggle. In the right context it can be very useful and anything funny tends to have a higher recall rate which is a plus if you want people to come back to you down the track.

*warning – be sure to keep your audience at top of mind.  If a conversational tone is not in alignment with your brand don’t use it.