If You Think You Should Write All Your Sales Copy Yourself…
…Then Step AWAY From The Keyboard!
The most successful businesses and entrepreneurs generate sales easily and consistently. They know to speak the secret language of their prospects – calling them out on their deepest core desires, and making them feel heard and understood.
Many times businesses owners think they can do it all themselves without an expert copywriter. They believe they can do a better job than anyone else because they “know their customers” better than anyone else.
But should they?
As an entrepreneur or business owner, you’ve spent countless hours nurturing your brand, watching it grow, and pouring blood, sweat and tears into your business.
You’ve busted your butt building this thing and you know it better than anyone, don’t you?
But that doesn’t mean you should be writing your own sales copy.
You’re too close to it.
It’s too hard to be objective.
You’re so deeply immersed in the nuances of the evolution of your business that sometimes it’s impossible to see the blatant website or copy issues that could be costing you profitable conversions.
Besides… you can’t work ON your business if you’re working IN your business – right?
Here’s a great example:
If you had a problem with the pipes in your kitchen or bathroom, you could probably figure it out if you spent enough hours tinkering around and making a mess.
But wouldn’t you rather have an experienced plumber come in fix the problem quickly so you can relax and avoid sticking your head in the toilet?
Of course, you wouldn’t hire just ANYBODY. No – you’d hire an experienced and vetted expert with plenty of successful projects under their belt.
It’s common sense, right?
It’s just good business to hire a professional with a proven track record who has plenty of referrals and previously successful projects to back them up.
To get this far as a business owner and marketer, you’re obviously talented, resourceful and clever…
… but do you know how to elicit a deep emotional response from potential customers in 10 seconds or less before they click away?
Do you know how to get new prospects begging to buy your latest product or service?
While you’re great at running your business, providing exceptional service to your customers, and building a successful brand – you can’t be an expert at everything!
Letting an experienced copywriter with a proven track record capture the attention of your readers and push them towards taking a specific action makes sense – and is just smart business.
And I’m not talking about hiring any ole’ scribbler.
These days, it seems like anyone who once got high marks on an essay at school can slap up a website and call themselves a copywriter. But if you’ve ever worked with an experienced, professional sales copywriter, then you know there’s a huge difference.
Sales copy is different than general content creation (which is what most marketing writers actually do).
Copywriting involves enticing people to take immediate action – and in addition to phenomenal writing ability so readers are interested and engaged – also requires a deep understanding of buyer psychology and persuasion strategy.
A content writer’s job is to get people interested and engaged with your content.
A copywriter’s job is to get people engaged, believing that they need what you’re offering, AND persuade them to take action to get it as soon as possible.
Doing all of this well involves years of study, research, testing, and training.
Not only that, but great copywriting that actually works – copy that sells obscene amounts of products and services – that takes A LOT of hours of research, writing, editing and polishing.
Many successful copywriters charge thousands – even tens of thousands – of dollars per sales page. That’s because they KNOW their copy will get people to buy, and make an unbelievable ROI for their clients.
They know that those countless hours of study, testing, research and agonizing over the words on the page are worth it – because they’ll create a money-making machine…. With sales and response just rolling in on autopilot. They know they’ll be able to increase conversions exponentially.
But how do you hire the RIGHT type of writer who will help you see a massive return on your marketing investment? Here’s what to look for when searching for the perfect sales copywriter for your business:
Here’s What To Look For When Hiring A Professional Copywriter
Big Picture Strategy
Look for a writer with years of well-rounded, real-world business experience in many aspects of digital marketing – not just copywriting. They should focus on great copy that converts as a priority, but will also keep a mind towards traffic generation and making sure your content works in tandem with your other online marketing strategies.
Exceptional Customer Service
Your writer should go above and beyond to make sure you’re treated with respect and courtesy and professionalism. While it’s important to respect each other’s boundaries related to time and work schedule, they should respond to emails quickly and make communication a priority. This let’s you sit back while they handle the writing so you can stay focused on what you do best — running your business and providing great service to your customers.
Proven Record of Creating Engaging Copy That Converts
Look for a writer who can show you case studies and testimonials that prove the performance of their sales copy. For example, I’ve worked with multi-million dollar SaaS companies, created and flipped several income-producing affiliate websites, generated 6-figure sales from landing pages, and have hundreds of satisfied clients. I wouldn’t expect my clients to trust my expertise unless I already had these results to prove my performance.
Strict Adherence to Deadlines
Time is money. It shouldn’t even be a question that your copywriter can meet deadlines you’ve both agreed upon. If there’s an issue, they should let you know far in advance, but deadlines are gold to professional copywriters.
Commitment to Partnership
Your copywriter should believe in partnership, and will work together with you as one of your team. They should makes sure their communication is in line with your goals and business culture. No snobbery or “maybe I’ll deem you worthy to work with nonsense.” You are both professionals working in partnership toward a common goal and they should appreciate your business and respect your time and investment.
Transparency and Integrity
Maybe I’m biased because these are two of my immutable laws – but no matter the reason, your copywriter should never mislead you or try and fool you with fancy marketing speak or confusing jargon. They should communicate in straightforward manner, and be up front about what they can do for you. Look for someone who will answer any of your questions and make sure you get any information you need to make a smart decision. If there’s a mistake, they should do whatever is necessary to make it right.
Revision, Testing and Adjustment
Your writer should stick with you to make sure your direct sales copywriting has the greatest chance for success. This involves adjusting headlines, the sales message, and CTAs after testing to see which versions your audience respond best to.
Flexibility and Adaptability
Look for someone who has written copy for multiple niches and can quickly understand your business model to put themselves in the shoes of your customer and speak their language. It’s also helpful to find someone who can work remotely so they’re able to move faster than traditional ‘office-based’ copywriters or agencies.
Continual Improvement
Finally, look for a professional who is an avid student of direct response copywriting and what works today in online marketing. They should be committed to continually developing their skills and knowledge through reading industry-relevant blogs and articles, studying the great copywriters of the world, and regularly taking relevant courses and bootcamps to keep their skills honed sharp.