Hi all, Quick question. I have just set up my own business and budget is tight at the moment and I am new to marketing etc but if the results and the price is right then I will hire a copywriter. I am looking to generate business on my website and through direct mail (snail mail) marketing campaigns. I want to ask whether hiring a copywriter is worth it? What effect did hiring a good copywriter have on your business and on sales? Or can I do it myself if I learn some basics (then with some of the profits hire a copywriter to improve it - also where can I learn the basics of writing good copy)? How much are the going rates for a decent copywriter and/or a top of the range copywriter? I am looking for some decent copy for my website and for sales letters/brochures that I send out to businesses in the mail. Thanks, Invicta
I suggest you hire a writer with SEO knowledge so the write ups and your site will be optimized at the same time.
Asking a bunch of copywriters if you should go it alone is like asking a hungry gator not to eat you. Both are going to tell you no. That said, copywriting and developing marketing materials is about so much more than the words that appear on the page. It's the more intangible qualities that a good copywriter brings to the table that you won't be able to take a crash course in. They can help you with strategies on how to approach the different personality types of your prospective customers. They can guide you in determining your true Unique Selling Proposition or developing one if you don't already have one. And, they can hopefully come up with something that gets people to pick up the phone or fill their online shopping carts. Money is always tight at the beginning of a new endeavor. More of my clients have presented me with existing materials to "spiff up" than have brought me in at the very beginning. Going it alone worked OK for some and was disastrous for others. Those who tried it on their own often moaned that they weren't doing as well as their competitor who had spent the money for professional materials. You only have one chance to make a first impression and only you can decide how much of a risk your new business can tolerate. Send out a direct mailer that is inadvertently insulting, misleading or confusing and your business might be over before it starts. A lot of the answer to your question depends upon the product or service you will be offering, how many established competitors are selling something similar, who the most likely customers will be and what information is typically required by customers to make their buying decisions. The tougher your offering is to sell, the less likely going it on your own is going to get you far. Hopefully, I've given you some food for thought. Good luck, whatever you decide.
I am looking for some decent copy for my website and for sales letters/brochures that I send out to businesses in the mail.