Do you find yourself pacing over all of the pieces of content that need to be written for your business and not enough hours in the day to get it done?
Or you find yourself saying, “Man, I could realllly use a writer right about now!” in your head (or you scream it into a pillow)?
It doesn’t matter what brought you here.
The point is you’ve reached a point in your business where you feel ready to take the leap and to work with a copywriter.
It can feel utterly overwhelming to outsource a piece of your business — we’ve all been there. Know that you’re about to make one of the best possible decisions for both you and your company as a whole.
Whether you’re a solopreneur or a small business owner that’s ready to expand your reach, you need to understand the unbelievable value of working with a copywriter. And if you don’t, check out this blog where I lay out all the time-saving benefits you’re missing out on by not working with a writer sooner.
OK, are you ready to dive into the nitty-gritty of how to find the best copywriter for your business?
Before you sign on with your next copywriter, ask yourself these questions:
What to look for when hiring a copywriter
Do they bring a unique perspective?
This sounds like it should be blatantly obvious, but sometimes you just don’t know until it’s too late. When you’re working on a creative project, the last thing you wanna do is bring someone on board that lacks creativity.
During your initial discovery call, ask your copywriter questions about their writing style.
How well can they put themselves in the shoe’s of your ideal customers? What about if they aren’t personally familiar with them?
Can they convincingly write in your brand’s voice and tone?
If you’re skimming this article and you have only one takeaway, let it be this:
The difference between good copy and impeccable copy is the writer’s ability to match your customer’s thoughts and emotions. In fact, they match it so well that your customers feel an instant sense of "you get me."
And how are they supposed to know what your ideal audience is tossing and turning over?
By asking questions!
That’s exactly how they get to know your audience on a much deeper level.
They ask questions like:
Who is your target audience? Be really specific! (age, gender, occupation, geographic location, etc.)
What keeps them awake at night?
What are their pain points?
What are they afraid of?
How do they think?
What type of language do they use?
I’m sure you’re already thinking of other potential q’s to narrow down on your brand voice. The list above is a great place to start to get your copywriter thinking like the people you’re trying to sell to.
Are they well versed in your industry?
When you’re looking to hire someone for a specific job, which candidate are you more likely to hire?:
Candidate A: Has a little bit of experience in your feld, and a little bit of experience in a dozen other industries?
OR
Candidate B: Has been working in your field for their entire career, moved up the ladder, and is an expert?
Seems like a no brainer, amirite? But for some bizarre reason when people look for writers, they tend to work with the jack-of-all-trades instead of the expert.
I understand that this decision will be completely personal to your business needs. Yet, when possible, I recommend you work with a copywriter that has experience in your niche.
Why??
Because their familiarity within your niche gives them the upper hand to truly understanding your clients' pain points.
Seriously, it’ll save you countless hours of helping someone try to understand your brand voice and tone.
Do they understand the scope of your project?
When you work with a copywriter, you’re not trading words for dollars. You’re getting thoroughly researched, organized material that (when done right) has the potential to make your business a lot of money.
Yeah, the money part sounds great. Who wouldn't want more money?
But before you sign that contract, make sure both parties understand exactly what's included in the project.
Are you...
Rewriting your website?
Looking for an email welcome sequence for your new subscribers?
Wanting to analyze your website’s current SEO?
Writing a sales page for your next launch?
Each type of project needs different research and time spent on it — so it’s crucial that you’re both on the same page from the very beginning.
What about meeting and keeping deadlines?
Sure, creativity can spark at rather random times (I get my best ideas walking in the woods). But that’s not an excuse to let a project linger and linger.
And not to mention, not being able to meet deadlines looks kindddd of unprofessional. Or really unprofessional. And when you’re a small business — your business is YOU.
Meaning whatever reputation your business establishes, you are right there with it.
When you’re looking to outsource to a copywriter, ask them about their ability to anticipate timelines based on project size. It might seem a little awkward to bring up at first, but you’ll find that sigh of relief once you get the conversation going.
Above all…
It’s important to remember that when you’re hiring a copywriter, you’re working with them. They are not working for you. This is a team-driven effort.
That being said, take plenty of time when looking through potential candidates. This is a process that you don’t wanna rush — or you could run into some trouble later down the road.
Wanna know more about how to tell if a copywriter is the right fit for you? Send me an email, with the subject line “COPY INFO” and ask any questions you have. :)