“A big reason so many businesses compete on price is that they can’t prove what value they offer, so they’re stuck with the one selling point that’s a breeze to communicate: cheapness.” – Mish Slade.
Competing on price isn’t a solid or long-term business strategy. Because you’ll reach a point where you can’t reduce the price anymore.
So what else can you compete on, which is impossible for your competitor to copy?
It’s the value you provide.
Don’t quite know how to put it into the right words? You’re not alone.
The tricky thing about value is that it’s not easy to pinpoint it in your business and say, ‘There! That’s the reason why clients keep coming back to me.’
As business owners, we’re often in the dark about why people buy from us, unable to see our special qualities or ‘special sauce’ as Americans call it. We do it on auto-pilot, not realising just how much our customer values it.
That’s where a copywriter can help.
You may have come across a copywriter on Instagram or LinkedIn. You might wonder exactly what we do (hint: while we’re awesome at writing about other businesses, we sometimes suck at writing about ours!).
As you checked out this person’s profile you might have wondered: Is hiring a copywriter worth it? The short answer is yes. The long answer is below, so keep on reading.
What is value in business?
Value is the assessed worth of a product or service. It’s why a clothespin at Tiffany’s costs AUD 965 and $5 for 20 at IKEA!
Value can’t be competed against. It’s what helps one corner store thrive, and two others on the same street shut down. It’s why you have a favourite coffee shop.
Value is what helps you stand out from the competition, gain loyal customers, and build brand loyalty.
Good copy helps communicate it to your audience – from the words on your website to product descriptions to the copy on your checkout page and packaging.
Copywriters are pros at identifying value. They do this by getting to know your customers’ fears and desires and communicating the benefits of your product/service in helping your customers achieve their dreams or goals.
A. Benefit = What’s in it for the customer. (This is separate from a product feature).
B. Customer’s pain point —- How the product/service transforms the customer’s life.
C. Problem = migraine
Value = pain relief that works in 10 minutes or less allowing them to get on with their busy day.
What makes good copy?
Research forms a huge part of my work for clients because good copy can’t be written without understanding the bigger picture.
My research includes:
• what drives people to buy (pain points)
• what makes them click the buy button (consumer psychology)
• how your product is the solution to their problems
• how to create the right tone of voice for your business
• how to make your brand stand out by communicating value
• how to make your website rank for certain keywords and phrases on Google
• story-worthy angles for content
• what people are saying about your product/service across the interwebs.
A lot of work and thought goes into writing a piece of copy that produces good results for your business or ROI.
Content writer vs copywriter
A copywriter writes words that are used to persuade and sell your product/service to your audience, so they perform a certain action.
A content writer writes words that are used to educate or inform the audience. It’s not sales-focused content.
Many copywriters are also content writers, but not all content writers are copywriters.
How much should you pay a copywriter?
Every copywriter charges differently, some writers charge hourly rates, and other writers charge project fees.
Here are two guides to help you know how much to pay a copywriter or content writer:
- Recommended copywriter rates by The Clever Copywriting School
- Pay rates by Rachel’s List
Hiring a copywriter frees you from the constant stress and overwhelm of thinking and writing. If you don’t enjoy writing or aren’t good at it, you get valuable time back to invest in skills or personal development, all of which can be used to create more income for your business.
While it can feel daunting to have someone else write the content in your voice (which a good copywriter can do), ultimately it can help drive the right clicks online, increase sales and bookings and your visibility.
Need a copywriter for your business? Book a no-obligation 20-minute call to discuss your copywriting needs.
