Why hiring a copywriter can help grow your business – by Olivia Colville

Whether you own a small, medium or large business you’re probably always thinking of ways to grow it. You might have considered hiring more staff, developing a new product or expanding into a new market. All of these ideas usually involve a significant amount of time and money. And unfortunately, there’s no guarantee of success.

But something as simple as hiring a qualified copywriter can take your business to the next level without costing the earth. This is especially true for new businesses. Laying the groundwork for building a trusted brand starts with the way you present yourself to customers.

A good copywriter has skills that go beyond filling up the pages on your website. These are five ways a copywriter can improve your business:

 

  • They know what you’re really selling

While you’re familiar with every inch of your product or service, customers are more interested in the benefits. Does it make their lives easier? Give them confidence? Make them happier? A good copywriter looks beyond the obvious to connect with your customers on an emotional level.

  • They know how to speak to your audience

Perhaps you’ve already created a detailed profile of your target market. You know how old they are, where they live and how they spend their money. But copywriters know what motivates them, how they use language and how to tailor a message they’ll respond to.

  • They know what your story is

Every business has a story to tell—even law firms and plumbers. Copywriters are skilled at creating a narrative around your business and communicating it with your audience. Telling customers your story helps them connect to you on a personal level. It’s the first step in changing a business into a brand.

  • They know how to keep it simple

If you’ve ever tried writing your own copy, you’ll know how easy it is to get lost in the details. A copywriter knows how to keep the reader’s attention and avoid the clutter. They understand the power of a succinct and structured message

  • They know how to make people take action

The best way to grow your business is to increase sales. Investing in advertising may get your name out there, but the real challenge is getting potential customers to take the next step. Copywriters can get them to pick up the phone, click on that link or add that product to their basket.

 

Copywriters can add real value to a business in ways that you may not have imagined. They can help you reach more people, increase your sales and grow your business. Hiring a copywriter may be the best business decision you make.

 

 

Big jobs or small jobs for freelance copywriters?

Sometimes freelance copywriters have to manage up to 20 different clients in one month to get paid what they need. But other months turn out to be a breeze because three or four clients hand you such large projects that you don’t have time to take on anything else. So which is best?

I’d like to contend for the latter. Large jobs leave you with a lot less stress. You know that you have secured enough work for a large portion of the month. Applying for multiple small jobs can be very tiresome. I spend a good few hours writing thought-out proposals, researching clients and making sure I can do the job presented to me. If I could, I would gladly give up this time-consuming practice for consistent, large projects that actually PAY me for my time.

The secret to becoming successful at your freelance writing endeavour is to find yourself regular customers who need large projects done on a regular basis. For freelance copywriters in South Africa, this could be:

  • Marketing firms
  • Academic writing companies
  • Product review sites
  • Web development companies

All of these businesses need copywriting all the time. And chances are their projects are big ones. If you can, shift your attention to these kinds of jobs and gain more security in the freelance copywriting industry.

 

About the author: Copley Sutton is a Johannesburg based copywriter who writes for many local and international clients. At this point he is attempting to build up a team of freelance writers in South Africa and expand his copywriting service to new heights. 

What does your perfect customer look like?

The question, “Who is your perfect customer?” is an important one. At Leapfrog Media, we want to know what type of client you as a business manager want to target. We ask this question for five important reasons. Here they are.

 

  1. We want to know how you customers think

If we know who your customer is, we can better determine what they want. Ask yourself this question: “What thought process does my perfect customer go through before needing my product or service?”

Once you’ve answered this question, we can adjust your marketing campaigns to fit. For instance, if your perfect customer is a woman between the ages of 30 and 45, we can better establish how and why she would sign up for a ladies gym membership.

This is what direct marketing is all about. Benefits of this kind of strategy include:

  • Less money spent on futile advertising
  • A better return on investment
  • Higher customer acquisition
  • A more targeted marketing approach

 

  1. We need to establish where your customers ‘hang out’

If we’re going to target your customers, we want to know where to find them. Do they hang out at skate parks, or are they sitting in front of their computers most of the day?

If we know who they are, we must establish where they frequent. Can we use their ‘hang out’ spots as leverage to promote your brand? If there’s a way to do so, we’ll find it!

 

  1. We tweak your content and brand image accordingly

If we can successfully profile your perfect customer, it won’t take us long to tweak your company presence in a way that appeals to them. But how can Leapfrog Media be so confident in this claim?

Our team of experts are adept at fine-tuning all aspects of your online reputation. This includes:

  • Your social media profiles
  • Your company’s website presence
  • Your blogging habits
  • Your ad campaigns

All these aspects represent your company, and we want to make sure that each one portrays the RIGHT MESSAGE!

 

  1. We can establish the best social media platform for your business

We already touched on social media tweaking, but it’s worth looking into more deeply.

There’s much at stake when choosing the right social media platform for your brand. Don’t just default to the popular ones—go for the one that will do the most for you.

SEO experts are very aware of what respective benefits each social media platform offers. For example: Facebook wouldn’t be ideal for a business law firm, but may do well for a freelance photographer.

There are so many new social media platforms available now, and Leapfrog Media is familiar with the best ones. We use this knowledge to focus in on your unique demographic.

 

  1. We get to know your customers – They get to know YOU

Putting all of these points together, we can successfully answer the question first posed. We ask you who your perfect customer is because we want you to appeal to that perfect customer.

We work diligently behind the scenes to portray you correctly. Online reputation management is hard work, and we know you’re too busy giving great service to bother with it! That’s where we come in.

 

So, isn’t it time you opted for an online marketing firm that understands the uniqueness of your brand?

 

About the author: Copley Sutton is an international copywriter working from South Africa. Over the years, he has developed a reputation for being reliable, timely, diverse and accurate when it comes to copywriting projects.