The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You, Why Should You Care?

The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You? Why Should You Care?The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You? Why Should You Care?

The Freelance CopywriterWhat Can He Do For You?

Why Should You Care?

By Justin P. Lambert

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http://www.justinplambert.net/category/copywriting/


IntroductionI'm really excited to be able to share this information with you, because I feel like my profession gets a bum rap sometimes.What I mean is, some people have a stereotypical view of the freelance writer:

• He's some kind of romantic drunk whiling away at the Great American Novel while someone else foots the bill

• Or he's a shark: looking to get rich quick and get out with as little work and effort as possible.

But the fact is, neither of these views come even close to the truth for most of us!Most freelance copywriters, myself included, are just regular people who had an overwhelming desire to take control of their careers and start trying to make money doing something they love: writing.So the questions I hope to answer in this special report are simple:




1. What can a freelance copywriter do for you? And...2. Why should you care?

I'm hoping that by answering these questions, not only will I clear up some common misconceptions about this great group of professionals, but even more importantly, I'll help you, the reader, see what valuable role they play in the success of your personal and business pursuits in 2010 and beyond!So, to get started, I'd like to lay a foundation by considering the deceptively simple question,

What is copywriting?




Five Things You Should Know About Copywriting

To fully understand copywriting, it's important to understand what it is:

Copywriting is salesmanship in print.

In other words, copywriting should accomplish the same purpose as a human salesperson whose income is dependent on making the sale. This dictates the information that needs to be presented, the form that information will take, and the length of the message that is necessary to accomplish the purpose.




It is also important to understand what it is not:

Copywriting is not advertising.

That is, the two terms are not interchangeable. Good copywriting is usually an integral part of good advertising, and bad

copywriting is often to blame for bad advertising.

But, far too much advertising as we know it is almost copywriting-free. Brand awareness

and a punchy image clouds or eliminates the sales message in most visual advertising, to

its detriment.




In addition, three points about copywriting have proven themselves true over the last more-than-a-century since modern copywriting began:

Long copy outsells short copy.

More often than not, as long as the media allows it (i.e. direct mail, advertorial, infomercial) the more space the copywriter has to lay out his argument, provide adequate evidence to support it, and fully explain the offer and the warranty, the better the chance it will result in a sale.




Benefits outsell features.

The famous adage is "Don't sell the steak, sell the sizzle."

In other words, people don't want to know that a new computer has 1.4 Gigantobytes of storage, they want

to know they can organize all their music, photos, videos and documents with room to spare.

They don't want to know that sports car they're looking at gets 32 mpg and comes with leather seats,

they want to know that it will make them sexier and richer than they are now.




Copywriting does not have to be grammatically perfect.

Getting the sale has far less to do with Strunk and White's Elements of Style, and far more to do with your audience relating to what you have to say. Without exception, a down-to-earth, conversational delivery, with common contractions (he's, you're), slang, jargon and humor will accomplish this far more than an ad that reads like a college English essay.




There are, of course, a thousand things you should know about copywriting, especially if you plan to earn any money marketing a product or service in 2010 and beyond. But before I barrage you with a list like that, maybe you've been wondering about something even more important...Like,

What is copywriting worth?




What is Copywriting Worth?

Interesting question, because there's no cut-and dry answer. The closest thing I can come up with for a blanket statement answer to the question is this:

Copywriting is worth the value of success.In other words, whatever success means to you and your business, whether it be increased recognition, improved brand awareness, more leads, higher conversion rate, more paying customers, better customer retention and loyalty, whatever... high quality copy can make that success a reality.Now, of course, this is based on the assumption that the other necessary factors for success are already in place: your product or service is top-notch, you're competitive in your marketplace, your customer service is stellar, and you're willing to invest in distributing the information a copywriter creates in an effective manner. As you can see, there are a lot of "ifs" in this equation.




But that's just how business is. Especially in a crazy and difficult economy like we're experiencing right now, any or all of these factors can be under the money crunch, and some factors might be slipping. Unfortunately, this kind of economy has one of two negative impacts on the perceived value of high quality copy and the writers who provide it:

1.First, many businesses look at their dwindling budgets and decide now is the time to huddle up and cut the marketing budget to save precious cash. When this happens, unfortunately, copywriters are often among the first "cuts" made. This is because of the misconception that "anyone can write" whatever needs to be

written, so the business owner, or some employee with a modicum of writing skill is tapped to take over and do the best they can for free.

2.Or, in other cases, a copywriter is still hired, but some of the other factors are hurt or even eliminated to save money, resulting eventually in poor results from the marketing efforts, which (for right or for wrong) gets blamed on the copy and the copywriter.

In both these instances, the business is missing a very important point about copywriting: a high-




quality professional copywriter can mean the difference between a marketing message that falls flat and a marketing message that reels in non-stop profit. But, in the end, he or she is only one small (albeit important) piece of the whole puzzle.Does the business profit by giving up on a copywriter in favor of handling the writing work themselves? Probably not. They may save themselves the cost of the copywriter's fee, but how much is it costing in the long-run to have copy that is less effective than it could be? Or how much are they spending in time by having another employee handle the writing when they should be doing other things, and will probably take longer to write the copy than a professional copywriter would? These questions are tough for them to answer, because it's usually difficult if not impossible to measure the results. A campaign could fail with the copywriter on board, so when it fails after the copywriter leaves, do they blame it on their decision? Probably not. But this brings us back to the question at hand: What is copywriting worth?It's tough to put a dollar figure on it. But mark my words: Good quality copywriting, and a professional copywriter who "gets it" quickly and efficiently, and can turn around


“...a high-quality professional copywriter can mean the

difference between a marketing message that falls

flat and a marketing message that reels in non-

stop profit.”



stellar copy within budget and by the deadline, is worth far more in revenue and peace-of-mind than any copywriter would ever charge you.I guarantee that if you experience the incredible effect high-quality copy can have on your business, you'll understand what I mean.So, maybe the next logical question is why?

Why Hire a Freelance Copywriter?




Five Reasons to Hire a Freelance Copywriter

Many companies and individuals aren't quite sure why someone like me is looking to help them out by writing copy. "I can write it myself," they think. "I know my business better than an outsider could," they think. "My in-house team does just fine," they think. Maybe they're right. The truth is, mediocre copy will get some results. If you've never had a chance to test better copy head-to-head with what you're using right now, you'll have no way of knowing how much better the results could be.But even taking old-fashioned A/B copy testing out of the picture for a moment, there are other reasons for hiring a freelance copywriter that you can see quickly and definitively.See what you think of these five reasons, and see what other practical ideas come to mind:




Writing Your Copy Yourself Hamstrings Your Marketing Efforts!

That's not to say that you, as a business owner, an entrepreneur, a communications manager, are doing a poor job writing brochure copy or website content.

Your writing may be top-notch, and it may be doing very well... so far. But consider this: What else could you be doing to improve your business and make it grow if you didn't have to spend your time writing copy?

And how much better could your marketing messages be if an expert were focusing on them exclusively?

How much faster could it get done?

How many more communications could you send out? How much more effective could it be?

By hiring a freelance copywriter, you will find out.




You May Know Your Business Better Than Anyone, But Can You Effectively Communicate That?

A freelance copywriter's job is to come in and learn the ins and outs of your business for

just that purpose.

You'll be amazed how quickly a talented writer will "get it" and be able turn that

understanding into clear and concise messages that speak to the heart of your

target audience.

And YOU are the source of that fantastic result, because it will be YOUR passion and knowledge and experience coming through

every word that copywriter writes.

You're losing nothing, and gaining everything.




Your In-house Team of Writers are a Dilbert Cartoon Waiting to Happen.

Believe me, I mean no disrespect in saying that, but it's simply the fact of the matter in many cases.

Full-time corporate marketing teams are often involved in promoting the same products and services for months or even years at a time. After a while, is it any wonder the messages start to feel a little stale?

A freelance copywriter can come in with a fresh view and a bright outlook that might not only improve the current project, but could also turn your in-house team around for projects in the future!




A Freelance Copywriter NEEDS Every Job to be Perfect!

Consider the economic predicament this writer finds himself in: he's spent time, effort and money to locate a client (you); then he's spent MORE time and effort learning your business, poring over the marketing messages you're currently using, researching your target audience and the climate of the industry; finally, he's submitted a product for your review.

If you don't absolutely love the results, all that investment has been made for the sake of one fee.

If you don't absolutely love this writer's work, you're not going to call him for your next job, you're not going to recommend him to your friends and colleagues, and you're not going to provide him a glowing testimonial to include in his own future marketing efforts.

Which is why this writer absolutely HAS TO do a spectacular job for you EVERY SINGLE TIME. Try and find a staff writer who feels THAT level of urgency and enthusiasm every time he works.




You're Only Paying For the Finished Product

• Not the medical insurance• Not the sick time• Not the overtime• Not the water cooler time• Not the goof-off time• Not the personal calls time• Not the "I need you to tell me

what my priority is right now" time...

You get the picture.

Results.

Pure and simple.




No matter how you look at it, hiring a talented freelance copywriter means high quality work at a price that pales in comparison to the value you realize. And THAT is the best reason of all.

So if you're starting to see where the value comes in, and you're considering how hiring a freelance copywriter may work out well for your business, the next thing you need to consider is...

How do you Choose a Freelance Copywriter?




How To Choose a Copywriter

There are literally thousands of freelance copywriters out there, each with their own personality, specialty and skill level. If you do a Google search, you'll find way too much information. And, unfortunately, unless you're looking for a copywriter to handle your SEO web content (which is a very valid specialty,) the first one on the list in Google is not necessarily the best one for you. Here are a few factors to consider when narrowing down the selection:




Geography

In all honesty, this is almost a null issue in 2010. With the ease and speed of communications, especially all the various forms of online connections possible in most

places, you should be able to work just as well with a copywriter from across the

globe as you can with someone just down the street.

But, there is a comfort level involved here as well. If you're truly more

comfortable dealing with professionals you can shake hands with across the

table, you'll want to narrow your search geographically.

If a copywriter's marketing material and website doesn't include a physical

address or some clue as to where he operates, chances are he prefers to work

exclusively via phone, fax and e-mail.




Specialty

Obviously, if you're looking to have your Annual Report written and you locate a copywriter who bills herself as “The Annual Report Queen”, you'll tend to give her a� second glance.Although most freelance copywriters are generalists at heart (that is to say, they'll take on nearly any project they're confident they can do well,) it's only practical to have one or two specialties: whether it be a particular subject, format or media.They will often be able to highlight specific success in these areas, and their experience should coincide with their claims. Now, that's not to say a copywriter who is not a specialist in the type of project you're looking for will do a bad job. As a matter of fact, you may find a writer coming into an area that's new to them brings in a fresh perspective the specialist may not possess.




PersonalityDon't ever underestimate the importance of getting along with this person you're considering partnering with on one or more projects. No matter how great a writer he or she is, if they're a jerk, it's not going to be a pleasant transaction. You can get a good feel for a copywriter's personality by reading through their marketing materials and website,

because (for obvious reasons) copywriters generally write their own. And, most freelancers realize that they really are their own brand. In other words, the only thing a freelance copywriter has to sell, really, is herself and her skill. So, hopefully, she's going to try to make both as appealing as possible.




ExperienceThis one's tough, because the tendency is to look at a huge portfolio as the be-all-end-all of a copywriter's ability. But the fact is, there are a lot of very talented, enthusiastic up-and-coming writers out there who would do an incredible job on your project, and likely at a lower fee than some of the heavy hitters. On the other hand, there really is no substitute for experience. One option to consider while you're searching: consider a copywriter's website and marketing materials as samples of their work. View them in that light, and you'll hopefully see a much thicker portfolio, even from a relatively green writer. Even though they didn't write those pieces to a client's specs, they were written for the same reason your project needs to be written: to convince a target audience to part with their hard-earned cash in exchange for a product or service they want or need, and to pick the writer over the competition. If you look at it that way, and realize that it's working on YOU, maybe you've found your writer.




So we've discussed what copywriting is and what it isn't. We've considered what copywriting is worth to you and your business.We've also considered why you might consider hiring a copywriter and how to go about doing so effectively.But, one more question comes up: If you're convinced that your business could use the skills of a professional copywriter, should you just hire a staff copywriter to work for you full time?

Why Hire a Freelancer?




Long Live the Independent Copywriter

To wrap things up, I'd like to get up on my soapbox a bit and explain why, in my estimation, you're better off hiring a freelancer as opposed to a staff copywriter.You see, many businesses have enough communications going around, both internally and externally, to consider the idea of hiring a full-time staff copywriter. If your business does not have that much work for a writer, then the answer is obvious: you need to hire an independent writer to take on the projects as they come up.But if you have enough work for a staff writer to stay busy, is there any reason to still consider a freelancer?Yes. As a matter of fact, there are at least four reasons I can think of:




Outsider's Perspective

The very nature of a successful freelancer's business means that she is going to be exposed to

many different businesses, many different products and services, and over time she will have

absorbed and learned from this melting pot of ideas.

You and your staff, on the other hand, are much more likely to be dealing almost exclusively with

your own products and services, and probably with the "way things have been done" for years.

Just imagine the breath of fresh air an outsider with that kind of breadth of knowledge and

experience can bring to your marketing: fresh ideas, fresh insights, possibly the impetus to take your marketing in a whole new, highly successful,

direction!




Independent Attitude

A successful freelancer got that way because he focused on marketing and promoting himself and his skills, including making sure each and every customer was completely satisfied with his work.

He HAS TO do that, because referrals and word-of-mouth advertising are the most important factors for his success.

He can't rely on someone else in the department picking up the slack if he feels like skating for a day or two. He can't expect the Big Machine to keep on running if he pulls his cog out for a day.

As a freelancer, he knows his constant push to be the best of the best is what's going to keep food on his table, so he goes into every job (including YOURS) with the attitude that it HAS TO BE THE BEST.




Interdependent Attitude

No, this isn't in conflict with point #2. While a freelancer has to be fiercely independent to push themselves to succeed, at the same time, the best of them know their strong

interdependence with each client will only enhance that effort.

In other words, a freelance copywriter is not going to come in, get their contract signed and

disappear, firing off a finished project and an invoice, to never be heard from again.

In order to accomplish what we discussed in point #2, it's imperative that the freelancer

develop strong working relationships with the client: work with them, converse, brainstorm,

tweak the copy as needed... in short, make sure the client is 110% satisfied THRILLED

with the finished product.

They become a valued part of the team rather than just a hired gun.




No Overhead Costs

I alluded to this before, but it bears repeating:Probably the most practical reason why an independent copywriter may be your best choice is the fact that when you're making out the check to pay her, you're paying strictly for her time in creating the finished product.You're not paying her sick time, or medical benefits, or dental coverage, or matching her 401K contributions, or covering her payroll taxes, or Social Security, or Disability, or... or... or...You get the picture. You don't have any of the hassles and expense of bringing on another employee dependent on you and the health of your company for survival. You're just bringing on a talented professional who can dramatically improve the health of your company by turning in top-notch copy at a reasonable price. So, let's hear it for "Independents' Day"! A freelance copywriter could be the best choice you ever make!




ConclusionYou can never underestimate the power of good copy.Words written well, with the target audience in mind, with a relaxed, conversational tone, and with a solid basis in the human nature psychology of the sale, will always be the cornerstone of any marketing campaign.In my opinion, all other factors being equal, your best bet for obtaining those well-written words is through the expertise of a freelance copywriter.Now that you know what copywriting is and what it is not, what it's worth, why you need a copywriter, why it should be a freelancer, and how to choose one, the next step is up to you.If you're ready to take the next step into a brighter future for your business, read on for some really exciting information that can get you there even faster!




About the AuthorMy name is Justin P Lambert, and I want to thank you personally for taking the time to read this special report. As a freelance copywriter, ghostwriter, speechwriter and blogger, I feel pretty strongly about the powerful effect a quality writer can have on your bottom line.As you might have guessed, I'd like to be that writer the next time you need copy that's crafted to sell on multiple levels. But I don't expect you to make such an important decision based on a few pages of good information.So if you liked what you read, I'd just like to ask a quick favor:Go to my website, Words That Begin With You, browse around at your leisure, and (if you haven't already) subscribe if you like what you read. I'd love to hear from you in the comments!After you've had a chance to get a really good idea of the kind of work I do, give me a call, tweet me, connect with me on LinkedIn, whatever you're most comfortable with.



http://twitter.com/justinplambert

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Let me know what you need written, and where you need it to take you.And when you're ready, here's a very special offer for being willing to take a chance on me:

25% OFF YOUR FIRST PROJECT!Up to a $10,000 value!

Just give me a shot, and you get

top-quality work at a cut-rate price!

So don't waste any time. Go check out my site, subscribe if you haven't already, view those archives as my extensive portfolio, then get a hold of me and take advantage of this incredible offer! (Be sure to mention Coupon Code: FreeCopy25) I can't wait to hear from you!

Thank you again,

Justin P Lambert





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The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You, Why Should You Care?

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