|
Rules for choosing and using copywriters
Rule One: Be wary of copywriters who unconditionally promise to boost sales and profits. Even the smartest, most  gifted writer can't make the stock market go up, or send the consumer confidence index to the moon. Yes, bad copywriting can hurt, and good writing can be a godsend. But even Gatsby-level prose--come to think of it, F. Scott Fitzgerald did work briefly as a copywriter--can't guarantee success.
Rule Two: Use the best single way to evaluate a copywriter. See how well this person can write up Product Number One--himself or herself. Just a so-so job? Then don't count on stellar results for you. Those now-brilliant work samples may have undergone full rewrites by several people.
Rule Three: Keep your advertising and the rest of your business honest. This actually could be Rule One. The more complex your product, the more need for credibility. Don't let the customer catch you tripping up on the small details that everyone can understand. Fire the copywriter if he or she won't let the facts get in the way.
Rule Four: Similarly work with the copywriter to keep the words, sounds and images in synch with your market-related goals. Are you selling retirement homes to millionaires and near millionaires? Then avoid loud, jarring music. Commonsense. But a Washington-area business actually made a similar mistake. Your tastes don't count as much as those of your customers.
Rule Five: Work with the copywriter and others to build a bridge between bricks and clicks.
If the copy is for a Web site, don't neglect the Real World. Online forms are fine for those wanting them, but give your phone number, too, ideally at the top of the home page. You actually might be better off if your customers pick up the phone and get to know you rather than just filling out a form.
In the other direction, bricks to clicks, make your Web address a part of your print ads, radio commercials and paper newsletter. The Web is long past the geek-only stage. Many and perhaps most of the best prospects from the Real World will visit your site for the details.
Also allude to the information on the Web when you're talking to prospects in person or on the phone. Of course, you can also rely on sales literature on paper.
Mix new and old media might even be the most effective approach.
Rule Six: Yes, see if the copywriting gets results, but remember Rule One--the fact that general business conditions can also matter. Also talk to actual customers to see if they like the approached used. Give the copywriter a chance to be responsive, and if he or she won't try, then move on to another writer.
|
Getting people to see or hear your message is just the start. They won't buy if they don't know the "why"--the benefits: money, love, sex, health, freedom, power, more time, tastier chocolate.
Quick-fix copywriters will now say, "Okay, just tell 'em the benefits and that's it."
But that won't always work, especially when you're selling complex products and services. People will want to know why your "why" is more truthful and meaningful than the competition's. What's your real advantage?
That's where David can help you. He'll interview you, then put himself in the shoes of your customers and ask, "Why should I buy from this guy rather than Joe or Joan across the street?"
Mozart and the Nasdaq
Whether the medium is radio, television or print copy, David will focus on your particular marketing requirements. Consider the radio commercials that David created for Rothstein Investment Advisory Services. Rothstein went after several niches, but was especially keen on persuading do-it-yourselfers to let pros manage their money.
David brainstormed to meet Rothstein's exact needs. A Rothman-conceived spot challenged upscale listeners to tell the difference between Mozart as performed by a famous orchestra and the same composition as recorded by more obscure musicians. And then it compared music appreciation to nuances of stocks-picking. The result was...
"The best radio commercial I ever heard"
The "why," the reason for using a financial pro, came through in the most powerful and elegant way. The spot itself suggested a subtler, classier approach than the typical investment advisor was using. David is not a Marshall McLuhan fan, but in this case the medium truly was the message.
"The best radio commercial I ever heard," Jack Rothstein said on the air.
How David will work with you
Below are some of the copywriting-related services that David can offer--first things first:
- Evaluating your business and your market in a copywriting context. David will need to know why customers buy and how you're different from your competition.
- Deciding which medium or media to use, and which particular outlets. He'll obtain media kits, learn the demographics and work with you on the nuances. A radio station or newspaper could be wonderful for reaching well-off younger people but include just a small number of retired people among its listeners--a fact of interest if, say, you're selling financial services to prospects in their 50s and above. Of course it's possible that David will suggest that you avoid radio in the start and do a precisely focused direct-marketing campaign. Radio is terrific but can come later when you've done test mailings and know who the best prospects are. The advantage of using David is that with just one person you can blend in placement issues with the actual copywriting. In some cases David may work with others in ascertaining the best home for your message, but the general marketing philosophy will still be his. No committees!
- Writing the actual copy, following the rules above. David will run the copy past you and perhaps even try it on customers if this is part of the arrangement with you. Far more than a writer, he'll also act as a business consultant. Great prose, although helpful, isn't the true goal here. It's sales and earnings.
- Discuss the results with you and if need be revise. This is one reason why David loves the idea of using direct mail. He can team up with you to experiment for optimal results, taking smaller risks than if you were using more expensive media.
Costs
David typically will charge $50-$75 an hour and up for copywriting-related services. This will exclude the costs of designers, mailing list and other expenses, but he will work to keep these expenses down. What's more, David will not accept possible placement fees from media outlets. Instead he'll ask for a lower price.
|
