By Cory Fossum
Principal, Fossum Creative
Your marketing communications are vital to the success of your company. They are the link to your customers and the most powerful way that you can communicate with them. But while you may understand your business better than anyone, you may not necessarily know how to convey that message in a manner that creates desire and drives your customers to take action.
This is why copywriters are such an integral part of your team. And why hiring a copywriting agency to craft and deliver your marketing communications needs could be one of the most important investments you make.
Whether you’re in a marketing department or a design firm, the right copywriting agency can take your complex message and boil it down into a language that
consumers can understand. They can bring a fresh and creative perspective to your business and the presentation of your products. And this message can then be used across your marketing media to drive your customers to take action.
But as with any investment, you want to know that your goals are being met and that you’re seeing positive returns. You also want to make sure that anyone who works with your team is a good match for the unique dynamics involved. Fortunately, finding the right experienced and results driven copywriter doesn’t have to be hard if you keep these five key factors in mind:
• Key Factor #1: Do you click?
The ability to click with your copywriter both personally and creatively is imperative to the success of every project. You will be working closely together in a deadlinedriven environment, so you need to make sure you’re both on the same page when it comes to expectations. You must be able to create an environment and relationship where you feel comfortable expressing your ideas, goals, and feedback.
• Key Factor #2: Do expertise and style meet your needs?
The best copywriters specialize in either a style of marketing copy, a specific industry, or a combination of both. Some may focus only on direct mail, websites, print, or email for a variety of industries, while others may have an industry-specific expertise and the ability to write all kinds of copy for it.
To find out if the copywriter in question meets your needs, ask to see their portfolio and then gauge their writing style. An experienced copywriter should be able to write in your company voice—or help you develop one. Find out what types of industries they have written for in the past. And be sure to ask is if the copywriter is experienced in targeting consumers (B2C) or business customers (B2B).
• Key Factor #3: Is there a reputable track record?
You need to know what level the copywriting agency is playing at. The quickest way to find this out is to take a look at their client list and ask about the results they’ve delivered and success they’ve had in the past. Contact previous clients and get feedback. Research the companies on the list if you don’t recognize them by name too see if there are similarities to your own. The more direct experience your team has, the more efficiently your project will run and the better your results will be.
• Key Factor #4: Can they demonstrate results?
Remember, advertising that doesn’t sell is called art. So while it can be entertaining, make sure your copywriting agency never confuses marketing for entertainment. This is not about satisfying creative egos. Copywriting is about producing measurable results for your marketing campaign.
Ask the copywriting agency in question to explain a specific project and the type of results it generated. What was the final outcome? Did it achieve the client’s intended results?
Then find out how they define a successful project. If the answer involves a measurable ROI, keep talking. If it only involves the creation of a really funny ad or clever wordplay, turn the other way and run.
• Key Factor #5: Can They Take the Heat?
Deadlines and difficult clients are second nature to copywriters. They come with the territory. The best copywriters don’t think much about them, they just focus on the project at hand. Still, they are the true test for a professional and enthusiastic copywriter.
So ask your writer to talk about a challenging project or difficult client. How did the person deal with this? Where they able to adapt? You can tell a lot about a person by the way they respond. You can also determine if the copywriter is able to accept feedback or work well in a constantly changing set of deadlines.
Remember, working with an experienced marketing copywriter to promote your business is one of the most important investments you can make. Be sure to do your homework to ensure that your investment pays off and the copywriting agency you choose is the best one for your team.
© 2008 Cory Fossum. All rights reserved.
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