What is a Copywriter? Much More Than You Might Think…

What is a copywriter? It’s the person who wrote this article. It’s the person who wrote that radio commercial that you hate. It’s the person who wrote that radio commercial that you love. It’s the people who write those little Google ads that you see all over the web (maybe even right next to this!). A considerable percentage of the “news articles” you read in your local paper are actually marketing messages – and yes, they were written by copywriters. The TV commercials that you’ve watched (or that you haven’t watched if you’re as quick with the remote as me) were written by copywriters. The gazillions of billboards that cling to our roadways like ticks to a dog – yep, mostly written by copywriters. All of those magazine ads packed into your favorite glossy – copywriters. The text on the packaging of most every product you buy, whether it’s your favorite brand of chips or your preferred type of toothpaste – copywriters. The text on the menus at your favorite restaurant – copywriters. The product slogans that become famous and stay in your head for a lifetime… · “Just Do It” · “Melts in Your Mouth; Not in Your Hands” · “A Little Dab’ll Do Ya” (you remember this one if you’re as old as me) · “Got Milk?” · “Don’t Fiddle With the Middle” · “EAT MOR CHIKIN” · “Eat Fresh” …all written by copywriters. Good copywriters! The person who SEO’d the web copy on your company’s website to help search engines find you was a copywriter (someone did do that, right?) Many of the speeches you’ve heard in your lifetime – copywriters. I could go on and on, but you get the idea. Most likely, you never get through a day without being exposed multiple times to the work of copywriters. And don’t think that the work of copywriters doesn’t work on you; it does. The massive amount of marketing copy that we’re all exposed to in our lifetimes affects each of us on some level, and influences us to some degree. That’s why copy is so critically important to each and every business. Great copy can help your business to soar; bad copy can be grievously damaging. What is a Copywriter? It’s You! Not only have you been exposed to the work of copywriters every day of your life, you’ve probably also been a copywriter on many occasions. Did you ever: · Compose any form of business correspondence? You were a copywriter. · Write a classified ad to place in the newspaper advertising a car, an old washing machine, a garage sale, or whatever? You were a copywriter. · Carefully craft a letter of introduction to accompany your resume when applying for a job? You were a copywriter. Marketing copy is most commonly thought of as the work of professional copywriters. But in reality, any form of communication in which words are written with the goal of persuading or encouraging a desired action could be considered copywriting. What is a Copywriter? It’s the Person Who’ll Have a Hand in Making or Breaking Your Business… The copy that your business presents to the world is the face of your company. If it’s good, your business will reap the rewards – and not only tangible rewards such as increased sales, but also intangibles such as goodwill and esteem. But if the ‘face’ your business presents to the world is drab and dull, lifeless and listless, then you can expect your prospective customers to respond with corresponding levels of enthusiasm. And if your copy is REALLY bad – and you know there’s lots of it out there, and you know how you’ve reacted to it – then “woe be unto ye.” So even if you’re not a ‘professional’ copywriter, if you write any of the copy for your business, you’d best be good at it!