4 reasons why you shouldn't write your own copy

It's an easy trap to fall into. Thinking that the best person to do your copywriting is you. You know your business better than anyone. It'll take you twice as long to explain to someone else what you want than just doing it yourself. Right?

There are two types of people in this world. The first call the plumber when a pipe starts to leak. The second attempts to fix it themselves makes the situation worse and then reluctantly calls a plumber paying far more than they would have done.

The same goes for copywriting. 

There's a reason why people specialise in copywriting. So there are reasons why you should make the most of their expertise. 

Here are just 4 reasons!

Too close to it 

Your business is your baby. You know everything about it. But sometimes that's dangerous. When you write about yourself or your business, you focus on what you think your customer wants to know. That's not how copywriting should work. You want to talk to your customer about their needs and how you solve them. 

An experienced copywriter will be able to look at your business, your objective and through asking key questions will help draw out the quirks, benefits and USPs that make your business special.

Time 

Running a business is hard work. There's always something that needs doing. Sometimes there just aren't enough hours in the day to get everything done. If you're trying to squeeze your copywriting into a tiny window, you can tell. Great copy takes time to research and write, those things can't be shoehorned between tasks.  

When you're grabbing five minutes here and there to rewrite your website, for example, your head isn't in it. You're distracted and in a rush to get through the job a quickly as possible. This isn't the headspace to be writing great copy. There comes a point in running a business where you need to realise that you can't do everything yourself. Copywriting is easy to outsource and an area where you'll see the benefit! 

Originality

If you wrote your copy the first time it can be hard to update it properly. You want your content to sound original and fresh. Not just a few words changed here and there. Getting a fresh pair of eyes on your copy can really lift it. They'll spot things that you don't and have a new take on it.

We're overwhelmed with content these days. Living with a constant stream of social media, blogs, adverts, websites, articles, vlogs - the list goes on. You need to stand out from your competitors and grab attention. The only way to do that is to be original. Not through click-bait headlines but through value-added content that your audience wants to engage with. Getting an expert to craft your copy helps you achieve this.

Experience

Using an experienced copywriter gives you the benefit of all their other work. It might be they've worked with others in your industry or, even better, your target audience. That will give them a unique understanding of what you should be talking about. Even without specific industry knowledge, a copywriter knows their craft. They know how to use words to their advantage, your business will benefit as a direct result. There are many things that you could do but choose to outsource to an expert. Plumbing, hairdressing, maintenance of your car. Copywriting shouldn't be any different to this!

That's not to say you should outsource all copywriting for your business. It might be something that you're really passionate about or want to improve and need to practice. When it really counts, when you need to make that critical first impression or convert that enquiry, then it's time to bring in the big guns and outsource your copywriting to an expert.

If you need help with your copywriting, drop me a message and let's have a chat about how we can work together.