It’s the real thing. The future’s Orange. Every little helps. Shoulda gone to … Behind all these famous slogans is a great copywriter. But copywriters do more than come up with catchy taglines. So if you think you might need a copywriter but you’re not quite sure what they do, please read on.
Put simply, a copywriter writes copy (aka content, aka the words). And boy, how we write … Here are just a few things you might find us working on:
- Blog posts
- Website and landing page copy
- Brochures
- Press releases
- Reports
- E-books
- Linkedin profiles
- Email campaigns
- Social media posts
- White papers
- Newsletters
- Bios
How to spot a copywriter in a crowd
You won’t find us sitting at a desk writing all day. A good copywriter needs to be a jack-of-all-trades: writing, researching, interviewing, editing, proofreading and managing projects.
But to do all these well we need the right qualities:
1. The listener
Our job is to coax that story out of you. Not the mundane, everyday stuff but the gems – what makes you tick, why your business offers the magical solution, the funky fact that will get people talking. We need to be great listeners and delight in getting our clients to open up to us.
2. The analyst
It’s not enough just to hear your story. We need to get to know your product, your company, your industry. Research is a key part of our work and we need to analyse and interpret our findings and turn it into a cohesive story.
3. The psychologist
We need to understand your audience’s motivations: how do they feel about you or your product? What will make them take action? A big part of that process is empathising with your audience. Putting ourselves in their shoes. Seeing the world through their eyes.
4. The chameleon
Our job is to blend into your surroundings. Our egos take a back seat and we adapt our writing style depending on your company’s tone of voice and who we are speaking to.
5. The storyteller
Whether it’s a snappy one liner or a company brochure, we need to tell your story in a creative way. And nowhere more so than online – your customers are bombarded with content online with little time to read it. Your story needs to grab them from the first line.
6. The persuader
Every successful piece of business writing has a clear desired outcome, usually persuading your reader to act in some way. We don’t lose sight of that at any point.
7. The impatient one
Impatience is a great skill to have as a copywriter because we cut through the fluff to the really important message and deliver it as concisely as possible. Which is good, because your target audience are impatient, too.
So whether you need three words or 3,000, one unforgettable line or a sparkling report that makes a complex subject shine, you probably need a copywriter. And if you want someone who can fulfil all seven roles above, do get in touch with us at Editing Edge.
