The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You, Why Should You Care?

The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You? Why Should You Care?

The Freelance Copywriter
What Can He Do For You?
Why Should You Care?

By Justin P. Lambert

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Introduction
I'm really excited to be able to share this information with you, because I feel like my
profession gets a bum rap sometimes.
What I mean is, some people have a stereotypical view of the freelance writer:
• He's some kind of romantic drunk
whiling away at the Great American
Novel while someone else foots the bill
• Or he's a shark: looking to get rich
quick and get out with as little work
and effort as possible.
But the fact is, neither of these views come
even close to the truth for most of us!
Most freelance copywriters, myself included,
are just regular people who had an
overwhelming desire to take control of their
careers and start trying to make money
doing something they love: writing.
So the questions I hope to answer in this special report are simple:



1. What can a freelance copywriter do for you? And...
2. Why should you care?
I'm hoping that by answering these questions, not only will I clear up some common
misconceptions about this great group of professionals, but even more importantly, I'll
help you, the reader, see what valuable role they play in the success of your personal
and business pursuits in 2010 and beyond!
So, to get started, I'd like to lay a foundation by considering the deceptively simple
question,
What is copywriting?



Five Things You Should Know About Copywriting

To fully understand copywriting, it's important to understand
what it is:

Copywriting is salesmanship in print.

In other words, copywriting should accomplish the same
purpose as a human salesperson whose income is dependent
on making the sale.
This dictates the information that needs to be presented, the
form that information will take, and the length of the message
that is necessary to accomplish the purpose.



It is also important to understand what it is not:

Copywriting is not advertising.

That is, the two terms are not
interchangeable. Good copywriting is usually
an integral part of good advertising, and bad
copywriting is often to blame for bad
advertising.
But, far too much advertising as we know it is
almost copywriting-free. Brand awareness
and a punchy image clouds or eliminates the
sales message in most visual advertising, to
its detriment.



In addition, three points about copywriting have proven themselves true over the last
more-than-a-century since modern copywriting began:

Long copy outsells short
copy.

More often than not, as long as the media
allows it (i.e. direct mail, advertorial,
infomercial) the more space the copywriter
has to lay out his argument, provide
adequate evidence to support it, and fully
explain the offer and the warranty, the
better the chance it will result in a sale.



Benefits outsell features.

The famous adage is "Don't sell the steak, sell the
sizzle."
In other words, people don't want to know that a new
computer has 1.4 Gigantobytes of storage, they want
to know they can organize all their music, photos,
videos and documents with room to spare.
They don't want to know that sports car they're
looking at gets 32 mpg and comes with leather seats,
they want to know that it will make them sexier and
richer than they are now.



Copywriting does not have to be grammatically perfect.

Getting the sale has far less to do with
Strunk and White's Elements of Style, and
far more to do with your audience relating
to what you have to say.
Without exception, a down-to-earth,
conversational delivery, with common
contractions (he's, you're), slang, jargon
and humor will accomplish this far more
than an ad that reads like a college English
essay.



There are, of course, a thousand things you should know about copywriting, especially if
you plan to earn any money marketing a product or service in 2010 and beyond.
But before I barrage you with a list like that, maybe you've been wondering about
something even more important...
Like,

What is copywriting worth?



What is Copywriting Worth?

Interesting question, because there's no cut-and dry answer. The closest thing I can
come up with for a blanket statement answer to the question is this:
Copywriting is worth the value of success.
In other words, whatever success means to you and your business, whether it be
increased recognition, improved brand awareness,
more leads, higher conversion rate, more paying
customers, better customer retention and loyalty,
whatever... high quality copy can make that success a
reality.
Now, of course, this is based on the assumption that
the other necessary factors for success are already in
place: your product or service is top-notch, you're
competitive in your marketplace, your customer service
is stellar, and you're willing to invest in distributing the
information a copywriter creates in an effective manner.
As you can see, there are a lot of "ifs" in this equation.



But that's just how business is. Especially in a crazy and difficult economy like we're
experiencing right now, any or all of these factors can be under the money crunch, and
some factors might be slipping. Unfortunately, this kind of economy has one of two
negative impacts on the perceived value of high quality copy and the writers who
provide it:
1.First, many businesses look at their dwindling budgets and decide now is the time
to huddle up and cut the marketing budget to save precious cash. When this
happens, unfortunately, copywriters are often among the first "cuts" made. This is
because of the misconception that "anyone can write" whatever needs to be
written, so the business owner, or some
employee with a modicum of writing skill is
tapped to take over and do the best they can
for free.
2.Or, in other cases, a copywriter is still hired, but
some of the other factors are hurt or even
eliminated to save money, resulting eventually
in poor results from the marketing efforts,
which (for right or for wrong) gets blamed on
the copy and the copywriter.
In both these instances, the business is missing a
very important point about copywriting: a high-



quality professional copywriter can mean the difference between a marketing message
that falls flat and a marketing message that reels in non-stop profit. But, in the end, he
or she is only one small (albeit important) piece of the whole puzzle.
Does the business profit by giving up on a copywriter in favor of handling the writing
work themselves? Probably not. They may save themselves the cost of the copywriter's
fee, but how much is it costing in the long-run to have copy that is less effective than it
could be? Or how much are they spending in time by having another employee handle
the writing when they should be doing other things,
and will probably take longer to write the copy than a “...a high-quality professional
professional copywriter would?
copywriter can mean the
These questions are tough for them to answer, difference between a
because it's usually difficult if not impossible to
marketing message that falls
measure the results. A campaign could fail with the
copywriter on board, so when it fails after the flat and a marketing
copywriter leaves, do they blame it on their decision? message that reels in non-
Probably not. stop profit.”
But this brings us back to the question at hand: What
is copywriting worth?
It's tough to put a dollar figure on it. But mark my words: Good quality copywriting,
and a professional copywriter who "gets it" quickly and efficiently, and can turn around



stellar copy within budget and by the deadline, is worth far more in revenue and peace-
of-mind than any copywriter would ever charge you.
I guarantee that if you experience the incredible effect high-quality copy can have on
your business, you'll understand what I mean.
So, maybe the next logical question is why?

Why Hire a Freelance Copywriter?



Five Reasons to Hire a Freelance Copywriter

Many companies and individuals aren't quite sure why someone like me is looking to
help them out by writing copy. "I can write it myself," they think. "I know my business
better than an outsider could," they think. "My in-house team does just fine," they
think.
Maybe they're right.
The truth is, mediocre copy will get some results. If you've never had a chance to test
better copy head-to-head with what you're using right now, you'll have no way of
knowing how much better the results could be.
But even taking old-fashioned A/B copy testing out of the picture for a moment, there
are other reasons for hiring a freelance copywriter that you can see quickly and
definitively.
See what you think of these five reasons, and see what other practical ideas come to
mind:



Writing Your Copy Yourself Hamstrings Your Marketing Efforts!

That's not to say that you, as a business owner, an entrepreneur, a communications
manager, are doing a poor job writing brochure copy or website content.

Your writing may be top-notch, and it may be
doing very well... so far. But consider this:
What else could you be doing to improve your
business and make it grow if you didn't have to
spend your time writing copy?

And how much better could your marketing
messages be if an expert were focusing on them
exclusively?

How much faster could it get done?

How many more communications could you send
out? How much more effective could it be?

By hiring a freelance copywriter, you will find out.



You May Know Your Business Better Than Anyone, But Can You Effectively
Communicate That?

A freelance copywriter's job is to come in and
learn the ins and outs of your business for
just that purpose.

You'll be amazed how quickly a talented writer
will "get it" and be able turn that
understanding into clear and concise
messages that speak to the heart of your
target audience.

And YOU are the source of that fantastic
result, because it will be YOUR passion and
knowledge and experience coming through
every word that copywriter writes.

You're losing nothing, and gaining everything.



Your In-house Team of Writers are a Dilbert Cartoon Waiting to Happen.

Believe me, I mean no disrespect in saying that, but it's simply the fact of the matter in
many cases.

Full-time corporate marketing teams are often involved
in promoting the same products and services for
months or even years at a time. After a while, is it any
wonder the messages start to feel a little stale?

A freelance copywriter can come in with a fresh view
and a bright outlook that might not only improve the
current project, but could also turn your in-house
team around for projects in the future!



A Freelance Copywriter NEEDS Every Job to be Perfect!

Consider the economic predicament this writer
finds himself in: he's spent time, effort and money
to locate a client (you); then he's spent MORE
time and effort learning your business, poring over
the marketing messages you're currently using,
researching your target audience and the climate
of the industry; finally, he's submitted a product
for your review.

If you don't absolutely love the results, all that
investment has been made for the sake of one fee.
If you don't absolutely love this writer's work, you're not going to call him for your next
job, you're not going to recommend him to your friends and colleagues, and you're not
going to provide him a glowing testimonial to include in his own future marketing
efforts.

Which is why this writer absolutely HAS TO do a spectacular job for you EVERY SINGLE
TIME. Try and find a staff writer who feels THAT level of urgency and enthusiasm
every time he works.



You're Only Paying For the Finished Product

• Not the medical insurance
• Not the sick time
• Not the overtime
• Not the water cooler time
• Not the goof-off time
• Not the personal calls time
• Not the "I need you to tell me
what my priority is right now"
time...
You get the picture.

Results.

Pure and simple.



No matter how you look at it, hiring a talented freelance copywriter means high quality
work at a price that pales in comparison to the value you realize. And THAT is the best
reason of all.

So if you're starting to see where the value comes in, and you're considering how hiring
a freelance copywriter may work out well for your business, the next thing you need to
consider is...
How do you Choose a Freelance Copywriter?



How To Choose a Copywriter

There are literally thousands of freelance copywriters
out there, each with their own personality, specialty
and skill level. If you do a Google search, you'll find
way too much information. And, unfortunately,
unless you're looking for a copywriter to handle your
SEO web content (which is a very valid specialty,)
the first one on the list in Google is not necessarily
the best one for you.
Here are a few factors to consider when narrowing
down the selection:



Geography

In all honesty, this is almost a null issue in 2010. With the ease and speed of
communications, especially all the various forms of online connections possible in most
places, you should be able to work just
as well with a copywriter from across the
globe as you can with someone just
down the street.
But, there is a comfort level involved
here as well. If you're truly more
comfortable dealing with professionals
you can shake hands with across the
table, you'll want to narrow your search
geographically.
If a copywriter's marketing material and
website doesn't include a physical
address or some clue as to where he
operates, chances are he prefers to work
exclusively via phone, fax and e-mail.



Specialty

Obviously, if you're looking to have your Annual Report
written and you locate a copywriter who bills herself as

“The Annual Report Queen”, you'll tend to give her a
second glance.
Although most freelance copywriters are generalists at
heart (that is to say, they'll take on nearly any project
they're confident they can do well,) it's only practical to
have one or two specialties: whether it be a particular
subject, format or media.
They will often be able to highlight specific success in
these areas, and their experience should coincide with
their claims.
Now, that's not to say a copywriter who is not a specialist in the type of project you're
looking for will do a bad job. As a matter of fact, you may find a writer coming into an
area that's new to them brings in a fresh perspective the specialist may not possess.



Personality
Don't ever underestimate the importance of getting along
with this person you're considering partnering with on
one or more projects.
No matter how great a writer he or she is, if they're a
jerk, it's not going to be a pleasant transaction.
You can get a good feel for a copywriter's personality by
reading through their marketing materials and website,
because (for obvious reasons) copywriters generally write their own.
And, most freelancers realize that they really are their own brand. In other words, the
only thing a freelance copywriter has to sell, really, is herself and her skill.
So, hopefully, she's going to try to make both as appealing as possible.



Experience
This one's tough, because the tendency is to look at a huge
portfolio as the be-all-end-all of a copywriter's ability. But the
fact is, there are a lot of very talented, enthusiastic up-and-
coming writers out there who would do an incredible job on
your project, and likely at a lower fee than some of the heavy
hitters.
On the other hand, there really is no substitute for experience.
One option to consider while you're searching: consider a
copywriter's website and marketing materials as samples of
their work. View them in that light, and you'll hopefully see a
much thicker portfolio, even from a relatively green writer.
Even though they didn't write those pieces to a client's specs, they were written for the
same reason your project needs to be written: to convince a target audience to part
with their hard-earned cash in exchange for a product or service they want or need, and
to pick the writer over the competition.
If you look at it that way, and realize that it's working on YOU, maybe you've found your
writer.



So we've discussed what copywriting is and what it isn't.
We've considered what copywriting is worth to you and your business.
We've also considered why you might consider hiring a copywriter and how to go about
doing so effectively.
But, one more question comes up: If you're convinced that your business could use the
skills of a professional copywriter, should you just hire a staff copywriter to work for you
full time?

Why Hire a Freelancer?



Long Live the Independent
Copywriter

To wrap things up, I'd like to get up on my
soapbox a bit and explain why, in my
estimation, you're better off hiring a freelancer
as opposed to a staff copywriter.
You see, many businesses have enough
communications going around, both internally
and externally, to consider the idea of hiring a
full-time staff copywriter. If your business does
not have that much work for a writer, then the
answer is obvious: you need to hire an
independent writer to take on the projects as
they come up.
But if you have enough work for a staff writer
to stay busy, is there any reason to still consider a freelancer?
Yes. As a matter of fact, there are at least four reasons I can think of:



Outsider's Perspective

The very nature of a successful freelancer's
business means that she is going to be exposed to
many different businesses, many different
products and services, and over time she will have
absorbed and learned from this melting pot of
ideas.

You and your staff, on the other hand, are much
more likely to be dealing almost exclusively with
your own products and services, and probably with
the "way things have been done" for years.

Just imagine the breath of fresh air an outsider
with that kind of breadth of knowledge and
experience can bring to your marketing: fresh
ideas, fresh insights, possibly the impetus to take
your marketing in a whole new, highly successful,
direction!



Independent Attitude

A successful freelancer got that way because he focused
on marketing and promoting himself and his skills,
including making sure each and every customer was
completely satisfied with his work.

He HAS TO do that, because referrals and word-of-
mouth advertising are the most important factors for his
success.

He can't rely on someone else in the department picking
up the slack if he feels like skating for a day or two. He
can't expect the Big Machine to keep on running if he
pulls his cog out for a day.

As a freelancer, he knows his constant push to be the
best of the best is what's going to keep food on his
table, so he goes into every job (including YOURS) with
the attitude that it HAS TO BE THE BEST.



Interdependent Attitude

No, this isn't in conflict with point #2. While a freelancer has to be fiercely independent
to push themselves to succeed, at the same time, the best of them know their strong
interdependence with each client will only enhance that effort.

In other words, a freelance copywriter is not
going to come in, get their contract signed and
disappear, firing off a finished project and an
invoice, to never be heard from again.

In order to accomplish what we discussed in
point #2, it's imperative that the freelancer
develop strong working relationships with the
client: work with them, converse, brainstorm,
tweak the copy as needed... in short, make
sure the client is 110% satisfied THRILLED
with the finished product.

They become a valued part of the team rather
than just a hired gun.



No Overhead Costs

I alluded to this before, but it bears repeating:
Probably the most practical reason why an independent copywriter may be your best
choice is the fact that when you're making out the check to pay her, you're paying
strictly for her time in creating the finished
product.
You're not paying her sick time, or medical
benefits, or dental coverage, or matching her
401K contributions, or covering her payroll taxes,
or Social Security, or Disability, or... or... or...
You get the picture.
You don't have any of the hassles and expense of
bringing on another employee dependent on you
and the health of your company for survival.
You're just bringing on a talented professional who can dramatically improve the health
of your company by turning in top-notch copy at a reasonable price.
So, let's hear it for "Independents' Day"! A freelance copywriter could be the best choice you ever
make!



Conclusion
You can never underestimate the power of good copy.
Words written well, with the target audience in mind, with a relaxed, conversational
tone, and with a solid basis in the human nature psychology of the sale, will always be
the cornerstone of any marketing campaign.
In my opinion, all other factors being equal, your best bet for obtaining those well-
written words is through the expertise of a freelance copywriter.
Now that you know what copywriting is and what it is not, what it's worth, why you
need a copywriter, why it should be a freelancer, and how to choose one, the next step
is up to you.
If you're ready to take the next step into a brighter future for your business, read on for
some really exciting information that can get you there even faster!



About the Author
My name is Justin P Lambert, and I want to thank you
personally for taking the time to read this special report.
As a freelance copywriter, ghostwriter, speechwriter and
blogger, I feel pretty strongly about the powerful effect a
quality writer can have on your bottom line.
As you might have guessed, I'd like to be that writer the next
time you need copy that's crafted to sell on multiple levels.
But I don't expect you to make such an important decision
based on a few pages of good information.
So if you liked what you read, I'd just like to ask a quick
favor:
Go to my website, Words That Begin With You, browse
around at your leisure, and (if you haven't already) subscribe
if you like what you read. I'd love to hear from you in the
comments!
After you've had a chance to get a really good idea of the kind of work I do, give me a
call, tweet me, connect with me on LinkedIn, whatever you're most comfortable with.



Let me know what you need written, and where you need it to take you.
And when you're ready, here's a very special offer for being willing to take a chance on
me:

25% OFF YOUR FIRST PROJECT!
Up to a $10,000 value!
Just give me a shot, and you get
top-quality work at a cut-rate price!

So don't waste any time. Go check out my site, subscribe if you haven't already, view
those archives as my extensive portfolio, then get a hold of me and take advantage of
this incredible offer! (Be sure to mention Coupon Code: FreeCopy25)
I can't wait to hear from you!
Thank you again,
Justin P Lambert



This special report has been brought to you by

Words That Begin With You
A Holistic Approach to Building Your Personal Empire

the daily blog of

Copywriter, Ghostwriter, Speechwriter, Author and Consultant

Justin P Lambert
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Photo Credits: Question Mark Dude, courtesy of SMJJP; For Sale, courtesy of hahatango; Burgers, courtesy of trekkyandy; Tied Hand, courtesy
of pumpkinmook; Dilbert, courtesy of Ol.v!er; Boss Mug, courtesy of Kumar Appaiah; Crowd courtesy of Loozrboy; Handshake, courtesy of
AndyRob; all other photos provided courtesy of Morguefile.com


The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You, Why Should You Care?

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The Freelance Copywriter: What Can He Do For You, Why Should You Care?