If you have a business, it’s important to get your message out there to generate leads and sales, and you can only do that with good copy. It should be as clear and precise as it can be. Delivering an ambiguous message will get you nowhere, which is why it’s important to hire the right person for the job.
When preparing your marketing materials, it should clearly state what your product or service is about. Your clients should not have to second guess what you are trying to offer them. The content of the marketing material should be clear enough to explain what your brand is about. You can do all these with the help of a professional copywriter.
If you’re just starting up, you don’t have to worry too much about budget because there are contractors out there who offer quality yet affordable copywriting services. You simply have to find a reliable one you can work with.
Before looking into copywriting service providers, here are five important things you need to know:
What are the signs that you need to hire one?
Firstly, you hate writing. If you don’t have the passion for it, you won’t come up with a good copy no matter how hard you try. If simply thinking about writing makes you nauseous, then don’t even try to start.
Second, you don’t know the basics. Written English has a long list of rules that you need to follow to come up with a good sentence or statement. The same goes for copy, but even more complex because there are also rules set by Google (although unspoken) to make sure your content is the best out there.
And last but not the least, you just don’t have the time. Running a business requires a ton of time, and admit it or not, you can’t just do it all. You have to do the planning and goal setting, you have to find the right office or build a site, you have to hire the right people, and so on. Getting help for your copy will help you save time.
What are the types of content they write?
To find the right person for the job, you need to identify the project they would be working on. Some copywriters only specialize in a certain type of content while others show versatility. If you have a goal set, finding the right one is easy.
The types of content these professionals write are blog articles, direct mail, email newsletters, landing pages, online and offline advertisements (such as brochures and flyers), press releases, product descriptions, sales letters, social media content, website content, and white papers.
What are the things you need to consider when hiring?
One thing to consider is budget. You have to set this up firsthand before starting your search because you don’t want to overspend, especially if you’re on a tight leash. The rates will differ but if you feel you’re getting what you deserve, then go and invest your money on it. This will cost you in the beginning, but in the long run, you’ll realize how this investment helped you gain more sales.
Next thing to consider is the quality of their work. The first thing you can go to is their website. By simply looking at its content, you’ll have an idea of the quality they will deliver, in case you decide to work with them. You can also check out their social media pages to know more. Also check out their portfolios to read their samples and discover their writing style and decide if it’s the quality you’re looking for.
Their availability is another important thing you need to consider. If you don’t ask about this, you might end up waiting for months. Many copywriters work on several projects and these have deadlines too. If you’ve chosen a contractor, find out their availability and turn around time to make sure your deadlines are met.
You can do a trial order.
If in any case, your research wasn’t enough to help you assess a contractor or an agency’s quality of work, you can do a trial order. They should be able to provide sample work for you at a trial rate. Remember not to commit if they’re asking for a large amount of money. You can always find another service provider.
Some contractors or agencies don’t provide samples of their work on their websites because of privacy policies and to protect their clients. This is why sometimes information won’t be enough even after doing a thorough research.
Charging a fixed fee, by the hour or by the word.
These are three options you will encounter on how copywriters charge.
Charging a fixed fee is probably the best one because writers try to finish their work as soon as possible, however some don’t create the quality their clients are looking for. But if you’ve screened the right contractor, you don’t have to worry about this.
Charging by the hour is not a top choice because contractors are observed to work at a slow pace simply because they could earn more.
Charging by the word is also not a popular choice because some writers overpopulate to content just to earn more.