4 Signs of an Expert Copywriter

Finding and hiring an expert copywriter can be the key to the success of an online marketing venture. But if you’ve never hired a copywriter before, or you’ve hired a string of bad ones and you can’t seem to figure out why, this article will serve as a guide to help you choose a good one. The following four signs can be used as general indicators of whether or not the copywriters you’re assessing are up to scratch.

Sign #1 - Willingness to Understand Your Market

All experienced and competent copywriters know that excellent copy cannot be created until the mindset and motivations of the target market are thoroughly understood. A good copywriter will work closely with you to figure out exactly who you should be trying to sell your product to, and then find the best way to position it for that market.

If a copywriter is all too ready to launch into a project without first getting a feel for the market, the resulting copy is likely to hit the right notes. Good copy should strike emotional chords with the reader, but they have to be the specific emotional chords that are linked to your product, otherwise no compulsion to buy will be created.

Sign #2 - Emotive Copy

People buy with their emotions, not their logic. Good copywriters know this, and use it to their advantage. In order to heighten the chances of a prospect buying from you, you must first give that prospect an emotional reason to buy. In fact, to convert really well, sales copy ought to create a true emotional need in the reader. Once an emotional need is created, it becomes much harder for the prospect to change her mind with rational thoughts, such as, "It costs too much."

A large part of writing emotive copy is by honing in on the benefits of a product, rather than the features. If a copywriter doesn’t understand this basic distinction between features and benefits, steer clear. This is an absolutely vital concept behind virtually all great sales copy.

Sign #3 - Positive Client Feedback

Expert copywriters typically have raving current and former clients who are willing to recommend them. If a copywriter can’t produce testimonials or positive feedback from past clients, this should be taken as a warning sign that his or her claims to greatness may be nothing but smoke and mirrors.

Also, keep in mind that testimonials can be easily faked. Truly great copywriters won’t be afraid to put you in direct email contact with other clients, in case you have any doubts.

Sign #4 - Quality, Relevant Work Examples

It almost goes without saying, but if a copywriter can’t produce quality examples of work he or she has done in the past, then expert status is definitely not theirs to claim. An expert doesn’t necessarily need to have been in the business for 25 years, but a reasonable body of work indicates that a copywriter has the skills and know how to give clients what they’re looking for.

Beyond that, seeing examples is simply a way to assess a writer’s skills and see if that particular writer’s style is well suited to your project. A good copywriter should be adaptable, so feel free to request samples of copywriting for various different products or services to see how well the writer manages to write for diverse markets. Remember that just because a writer does a great job for, say, a software product, doesn’t necessarily mean she’ll be able to handle writing sales copy for wheelchairs. The market is different and requires a different approach – to a true expert, this won’t be an issue, but for a novice it may result in a struggle.