Andy's Articles
WHY HIRE A PROFESSIONAL COPYWRITER?
Because, they will write better than you. That's why. Much better, in fact.
In contemporary direct marketing these days, the letter is vitally important. In direct mail for example, it is a proven fact that 'the letter sells, the brochure tells'
It's all about words; they do the selling job - not the creative, or the offer. What makes a sale is the way you sell it.
It's a jungle out there. Very competitive and full of sceptical people, who just don't believe what you're saying or just don't care.
So, your message has to be good to get through all the flak and the hype. That takes knowledge and skill in the art of contemporary copywriting. No matter how clever you might think you are, you certainly won't be good enough in this area, believe me.
Here's an example of what I mean. We're now in the computer age. Everyone is pretty 'savvy' with computers. But, just because someone has a computer mouse in their hands, just because they think they understand the technology, just because they can make images and pictures on their computer, doesn't mean they have the eye, creativity, intuition and ability to convey something to an audience, the same way a professional designer does.
And, it's same thing with words: We all use them. We consider ourselves literate. We can all speak and write. But that does not mean we can all convey a selling message to a particular audience, in an effective way.
The so-called intellectuals are the worst. They tend to write as an intellectual thinks.
The result is copy that does not connect. Copy that will not sell. The best copy tends to be emotional, have clarity, be benefit laden and it has to connect with the reader.
There is no room or time for intellectual subtlety or claptrap.
The professional knows this and will produce copy that contains:
- News Of Benefits
- A Relevance To The Reader
- A Strong Sell
- An Easy Call To Action
The real professionals study words. They study phrases too, know the right ones to use and how they impact on an audience. They also know how to write with 'pizazz'.
Gene Schwartz was a very successful copywriter of the sixties. He was, like most of the best writers, a real enthusiast in the business.
He believed the four most important characteristics of a copywriter were indefatigability, clarity, craziness and humility. Indefatigability he reckoned was essential for the research; clear writing is recognised as an essential element of successful writing; craziness comes from the fact that copywriters look at things from a very open perspective; humility is based on the fact that the customer comes first, the product second and the writing last.
Andy Owen is Managing Director of Andy Owen & Associates, a Strategic Marketing Consultancy, with offices in Birmingham, Dubai, Paris, New York & Los Angeles. He personally visits Dubai every four weeks to work with clients in the area. He can be contacted on 0044 121 778 6640, or by email at andyowen@aol.com en.co.uk