There’s no doubt that great copywriting has the power to make or break a brand. If you find someone who uses the right words to target your ideal client, convey the uniqueness of your business and brand, and persuade your audience to take action, you’re in for the win – especially if it’s used alongside great design.

Even with ChatGPT at your fingertips, copywriting isn’t an easy thing to do well. That’s why the skillset is, and always will be, in high demand. On that note, I know for a fact that using a skilled human to create your copy is much better than letting a robot do it. Robots can’t develop fresh ideas, build connections between concepts, or find unique ways to promote your brand and business. Only humans excel at that!

AI is a great tool and even (most) copywriters love it. But when it comes to copy that works, it can’t replace the creative human. An all-round copywriter has a varied skillset and can create different types of copy, from long-form content (such as articles, publications and white papers) to short copy like product descriptions, captions for social media and advertising taglines.

Ideally, they also understand the nuances of writing for the web and know how to write in a way that pleases both Google and your website visitors. They may do their work based on their own research and knowledge and the info you provide, or they may use AI to assist them.

Even with all that, there’s a difference between good and great. There are plenty of copywriters out there that can’t quite deliver the originality and quality you need. So how do you find the copywriter that’s right for you and your business?

Look for relevant skills and experience

Someone who is just starting out as a copywriter can be talented, of course. No doubt about that. But it takes experience to become great at it. Being good at English in school doesn’t mean you can structure text efficiently, write copy that hits the right note with the right people, or understand what’s required for SEO.

A great copywriter is a creative with diverse skills. He or she can recognise and adapt to changing market trends and consumer behaviour, understands different industries and audiences, and can work with a whole range of different personalities. That doesn’t happen overnight.

A degree or relevant work experience in journalism, communications or marketing is also helpful. While working with other writers and contractors for Sweet Orange over the years, I found that it trumps qualifications in English or teaching.

Explore some of their previous work

You’d want to see some of the work they’ve done for others before you hire a copywriter to work for you. You may think they should have direct experience in your industry, but that’s not the case. However, a diverse portfolio is a bonus. It shows their experience and their ability to research audience needs.

While working across multiple industries, you’ll learn how to draw on a wide range of ideas and concepts, and that often leads to more creative solutions. It also highlights an ability to shift style, tone and approach to suit the client’s needs.

Personally, I’ve written about effluent pumps, deep sea fishing, injectable cosmetics, pest control and civil engineering all in one week. The truth is, I know nothing practical about either of those topics, but the clients were 100% happy with the words I produced for them.

 Consider how responsive they are

Creatives are notorious for not getting back to clients on time to answer their questions. Excuses are that interruptions or distractions can disrupt their flow, or they may be juggling multiple projects or deadlines and feel overwhelmed, making it harder for them to stay on top of communication. Some creatives really struggle with time management, leading to missed messages or delayed responses as they prioritise their creative processes.

Being responsive and timely is a huge point of difference at Sweet Orange. If it means I have to get up at 4.30am to get a project over the line without distractions, I’m happy to do it. When you call, I’ll pick up the phone (or call you right back). When you text or email me, you don’t have to wait 24 hours for a reply.

I do ask that my clients respect reasonable business hours because I have a life outside work, too. Texting me after 9.00pm to talk shop is not okay, unless it’s urgent. My creativity flows better early in the day, which is why I like making an early start on the creative work and do the admin and all that later in the day.  However, if there’s a crisis and you need a fix right now, I will be there to help.

Ask about their rates and process

Once you’ve found a copywriter you’d like to work with, make sure you understand their pricing structure and the delivery process before you start. You should also discuss the turnaround times, payment terms, and any other relevant details such as edits. If you work with me, I’ll send you a detailed proposal and my Terms of Trade. No surprises there.

As with anything, you’ll get what you pay for. If you go for cheap, that’s what you’ll get. In that case, you might as well just use ChatGPT. Your cheap “copywriter” has probably copy/pasted from it, or taken the text from a website from a business that’s similar to yours.

Pay a copywriter what they’re worth and you’ll be rewarded with a seamless process and text that’s written to speak directly into the pains and gains of your ideal client with imagination, intuition, and a unique perspective.

If the job is urgent, you can expect to be charged a little more. If your copywriter needs to drop another project to get yours over the line or work deep into the night to get it done, it’s likely to come at a price.

Be clear about what you want

An experienced copywriter can run with a good brief or brain dump, and they will ask you additional questions if anything isn’t clear. Personally, I love working with clients who know exactly what they need and are crystal clear on what they want to achieve. If you’re not at that stage but still need copy, don’t worry. A good conversation with me at the start of your project will clear all that up.

In all honestly, I have said “no” in the past to new business owners who I thought were just a little too early still in their business journey. Enthusiasm is a great foundation, but if you don’t exactly know what it is you do and who you do it for, or if you haven’t identified what problem you solve with your product or service, you should figure that out before you move ahead.  Because if you can’t articulate what your business does and why that’s important, how can you expect people to invest in what you’re selling?

 

A writing agency or a freelancer?

It doesn’t really matter if you let an experienced freelancer or an agency write your copy. Agencies often have dedicated project managers who handle client communication, timelines and revisions, which streamlines the process but that also costs more.

With a freelancer or one-person-band, you’ll have a more personal relationship. They may also understand your goals and purpose better. Agencies often outsource their copy work to freelancers and contractors, too. I work for a few different ones and it’s great. Love a good collab!

Also, it doesn’t really matter if your copywriter uses AI to assist them or not, as long as they are  open and honest about it if they do. As you can read here, I’ve used ChatGPT for a while now. It’s a great tool and I use it for research, to test ideas, to put lists in alphabetical order and sometimes to get some feedback on the structure of a first draft. However, I do NOT use AI to write copy. While knowledgeable up to its last update, ChatGPT lacks the ability to access real-time information and understand nuances in complex subject matters.

Work with me!

I love working with clients who appreciate and understand the power of words, and I love working with clients that are a good fit (a bit more about that here). If you run a creative agency that needs a good copywriter who consistently delivers quality content for your clients in a short timeframe, or if you are a businessowner who needs a writer for a specific project, I want to hear from you. Thanks so much for taking the time to read this and if it resonates, call me for a chat on (+64) 021 492 040. An email to start off with would be totally fine as well.

 

~ Martine Pierhagen, Senior Copywriter, content strategist, and founder of Sweet Orange Ltd