What Do Copywriters Do?

When people ask what I do, and I tell them I am a copywriter, I get *a look.*

It’s the same look my very competitive and self-confident 7-year-old son gave me when I tried to explain what it means to be humble. 

So what do copywriters do?

A copywriter’s goal is to get their reader to take action. Often it’s to buy something, but it could also be to sign up for something, or even give to a particular cause. 

Think about when you decide to buy something after visiting a website or reading an email, or driving down the street and seeing a billboard. This is copywriting.

We are trained to write the words that motivate our readers to take action. We do this by highlighting the benefits your readers experience when buying your product or by highlighting the problems you solve.

Simply put, we help you sell.

Good copywriting isn’t about tricking people or playing psychological tricks to get them to buy (although there is a lot of icky stuff out there),

It’s about understanding the very special problem a company solves and writing words that communicate them as a solution to their readers.

People are out to buy things that solve problems. We all have a primal desire to survive and thrive, to be accepted, find love, achieve, and find our tribe.

As copywriters, we uncover how your business fits into the survive and thrive, draw out the problem you solve, and help others discover your business as the solution to their problem.

Examples of where you can use copywriting

• Websites

• Emails

• Advertisements

• Headlines

• Product descriptions

• Brochures and fliers

• Investment Guides

Think of it like this. Anytime you want your customer to take action after reading– buy, visit your website, sign up for your emails, volunteer, etc– this is where you want a copywriter’s help.

So, who needs a copywriter? 

Business owners, brands, non-profits, schools, universities, areas of government, political campaigns, churches, etc. 

– any business or organization whose motive is to get people to take action through the words on their website, emails, articles, billboards, etc. 

Then comes the question, 

Why hire a copywriter or why use a copywriter? 

Can’t I write it myself?

The answer– you can! But, here’s the thing. Your copywriting will be so much more effective if you have some training first. If you have the time and energy to learn the skill, you can absolutely write your own copy.

When should you hire a copywriter? 

Say you’re a small business owner and you aren’t a good writer, and you have no desire to learn how to be a better writer.

You should hire a copywriter.

or you would rather scrub toilets, shovel snow, give birth, or donate a kidney than write–

You should hire a copywriter.

Or, you don’t have the time, 

Or your zone of genius is running your company, painting a masterpiece, creating a life-changing course, baking something delicious, managing your department, or selling property– and that’s what you want to spend your time doing.

You should hire a copywriter.

So, what camp do you fall in? Ready to hire?

If so, I’d love to chat!