Published:
05/09/2011 03:11pm
What Customers Really Want & Why Finding the RIGHT Copywriter Matters
Let’s take a closer look at what savvy consumers want and respond to. Pay close attention to these emerging trends. These are trends I predicted in 2009 and they are rapidly changing the way we do business. You’ll want to adjust your marketing messages to keep up by incorporating authenticity and true voice.
Authenticity
It’s absolutely vital to be authentic and to keep it real. Although I believe the word “authentic” is being overused and by some marketers who really aren’t, this is still an important component to your overall message. Copywriters (the really good copywriters) and consumers alike demand truth. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to find quality, professional and reputable copywriters who engage in any questionable salesmanship in writing. (Note the reference to quality, professional and reputable –they’re the people you WANT to work with because they know the difference between the right approach and the wrong approach.)
An overall change in social focus and consciousness supports authenticity in all aspects of business. Think about this for a moment. How do you like to be treated by people you do business with? Doesn’t it make sense to extend that same courtesy? Now incorporate general decency and ethics into the mix and you’re starting to build solid relationships.
True Voice
As more and more busy, successful entrepreneurs outsource their copy to maximize time, they are losing their authentic voice because they are not taking the time to find the right copywriter. The right copywriter is the one who can convey your message as if you wrote it yourself.
This problem happens for a couple of reasons:
1. Hiring inexpensive and inexperienced writers to save money is easier than ever before. Anyone can log into one of the many “service provider” Web sites, and hire a copywriter to write a Web site for $35. In the end what may have seemed like a savings ultimately compromises quality and costs you clients in the long run.
2. Overlooking the importance of spending adequate time building copywriter/client relationships to ensure a good fit.
Let me ask you an important question. You wouldn’t have your secretary or virtual assistant close your biggest deal of the year just because he or she was available to talk on the phone would you? Never! So why would you outsource one of the most powerful pieces of communication you have to your target market, your copy, to someone with very little experience and who devalues what they do and therefore what you do so much that $5 an hour is an appropriate fee?
Outsourcing is a brilliant strategy as long as you find the right fit for you. If you cut corners and invest in a copywriter who is unable to capture your spirit, your consumers will notice especially if the tone and voice of your writing suddenly changes. This scenario occurred to an Internet marketer I know. The quality and voice of an otherwise powerful message was lost in translation thanks to an inexpensive ghostwriter. Coincidentally, (or not) loyal followers lost trust and unsubscribed from both blog feeds and electronic newsletter subscriptions. It was a hard and expensive lesson to learn. At the same time, hiring the right ghostwriter can work beautifully and help increase revenue.
Take a moment to review your marketing messages. Do they represent you and your business appropriately? Have you found the right copywriting to support you, your business goals and ultimately your message?
