I’m often asked, what is a copywriter and why hire one?
As The Parenting Copywriter, I'll take you through
the basics of what a copywriter does and why more
businesses than you might think, would hire one!
I'll also tell you a bit about my process, from the first
enquiry, to the finished piece.
What does a copywriter do?
A copywriter provides written content for websites, landing pages, advertisements, press release statements, blog posts, newsletters and more. Businesses can hire a copywriter for anything that involves writing.
Hiring a copywriter, will ensure that the written information on your website looks professional and gets the information across to potential clients effectively. A company can choose to engage a copywriter for one off projects, or for all of their ongoing content needs.
Why would someone hire a copywriter?
Copywriting is about much more than just writing. A skilled copywriter has great communication skills, marketing knowledge & the ability to write strong, accurate and professional copy.
Copywriters working in a specific niche, also have a more in-depth knowledge of a particular customer base, eg. the housing, parenting or jobs market. This information and experience can prove to be of great value to a client.
In addition to these benefits, some business owners may lack confidence in their own English skills, or feel that the message which they’ve been putting across hasn’t had the desired or expected impact. They may be great at explaining the benefits of their product or service verbally, but struggle to convey that in print. Many business owners prefer to delegate content writing, leaving themselves time to focus on other aspects of their business.
My copywriting process
When a potential client contacts me to book a call, I do some background research, to get a feel for the business. I’ll look at their current website, if they have one and also at any of their social media pages.
The phone call is an essential element of my process. It can last anything from half an hour to over an hour. It’s an informal chat, where I encourage the business owner to reflect on things like their personal strengths, motivation and unique selling points. It’s during this part of the process, that I get to know the person behind the business, as well as their product or service details. People buy from people, so it’s essential that my copy is authentic and represents the voice, vision and values of the business owner. I take lots of notes throughout the call, to refer back to when drafting the copy.
I will then give my client a quote for the whole project and request a deposit, with the balance payable on completion. I don’t work to an hourly rate or a daily rate, as with a firm quote to start with, the client is clear on cost.
Next, I use all of the information that I’ve gathered, through research and the call, to write the content. With this process, I can ensure that my copy fully reflects the business and engages clients.
At this point, I send the first draft to my client and they have the option to request any tweaks or revisions before the balance invoice goes out.
Why do I call myself ‘The Parenting Copywriter’?
I work in this niche, as I’m an experienced primary school teacher,
a mum and an author of a book for parents.
As a teacher, I'm used to writing a variety of documents for parents; including letters, leaflets and policies. I’ve been a class teacher of pupils in all age groups from Year 1-Year 6 and I’ve spent some time working in Nursery and Reception classes too.
I’m also the parent of a 12-year-old son and the author of a book called ‘Baby Daze,’ which was recommended in ‘Mother & Baby’ magazine’s ‘3 of the best funny books’ feature and has sold over 1,100 copies. I’ve been involved in actively marketing and publicising my book. I’ve sold 680 copies to an award-winning pregnancy company for their subscription boxes, written parenting articles, done live BBC radio interviews and had coverage in 2 national women’s magazines. I’ve also delivered talks at events at Mamas & Papas, Mothercare and at the launch event of Baby Week Leeds.
Baby Week Leeds 2019 Mothercare
My background of writing for a parent audience in a variety of settings, from pregnancy through to parents of 11 year-olds, along with my marketing experience, benefits my clients considerably. I understand the parent market.
Who are my clients?
My clients mainly come from the UK. Some of my previous clients have included; a forest school owner, a tutoring centre, an app developer, baby product producers, parenting coaches and baby sleep consultants.
I love working with business owners, who are passionate about the service or product that they provide for parents and children.
Although my niche is working with people whose ideal clients are parents, I've also written copy for an event planner, a financial adviser and a feather hat pin designer. I work with many coaches too.
If you’d like to book a chat to discuss your copy needs, please get in touch.
Comentários