Getting the most out of copywriting services:
The Brief Consider run-of-the-mill office chairs: manufactured in bulk, and transported from the factory to retailers, in bulk. Intelligence isn’t a prerequisite for assembly because these chairs were made with parts that easily fit together. But achieving this level of simplicity requires vast amounts of skill, and years of formal training. Every chair model has a design with detailed science-backed specifications about every single part. Every design has a brief; a set of instructions that reflects an idea, or aims to solve a problem. Similarly, copywriting services backed by a brief deliver words that are easily read – words that convey an idea, or solve problems and get people to perform a certain action.
Elements of a copywriting brief
So, where do you start with that brief that’ll not only provide you with value for money, but get you a good return on your investment? Below we’ve outline the basic elements of a standard brief which will be considered sufficient to satisfy the requirements of good copywriting service providers.
Step 1: Decide what you need
Do you require copy for a brochure, newspaper ad or website? The copy required for each medium is usually different, and sometimes requires a specific writer; an advertising copywriter might not have the knowledge or experience of an SEO copywriter to deliver copy for people and search engines; a content writer may be better suited to how-to documents and FAQs than pithy ads.
Step 2: Determine your objectives
In other words, what do you want your copy to do? "Make more money" isn’t an objective, it’s a result. "We need an ad that creates awareness about this wonderful chair ", and similar objectives focused on a marketing or sales strategy, are the vehicles that help businesses make more money. Good copywriting services are as dependent on your clarity of goal as your business is.
Step 3: The USP
So now you have an objective. Great! But what makes it so special? What if your competitors came up with the same objective, and are now busy briefing their writers? Why should people care more about your product than theirs? The Unique Selling Point (USP) is a feature or benefit of your product or service that sets it apart from your competitors. It’s often backed by data that suggests it is needed, and that people will like it. "Our research has shown that people experience discomfort and fatigue when they sit on normal office chairs. Ours are designed with improved back support that complements correct posture. This leads to better concentration, and, subsequently, increased productivity and quality of work." That’s a pretty good USP (if no-one else is doing it), which makes it easy for the writer to create copy that will acquaint audiences with your new product, why they need it, and provide them with enough information to help make an informed decision.
Step 4: Take Aim
Speaking of which, who are your audiences? Who are the people most likely to buy your chairs? An ergonomic chair can appeal to a lot of people. Instructing your copywriter to "write for everyone" won’t really help you achieve your goals, and it won’t support your business strategy. The copy produced when your writer has to write for students ("study longer, comfortably") will be different from copy aimed at office managers in big companies ("more productivity, less sick leave"). If you need to target different audiences with the same product, rather focus on each audience group separately, instead of all of them at once.
Step 5: Tone of voice
Next up, what should the copy to "sound" like? A consistent tone of voice makes your brand more recognisable, and fuels trust. The tone usually echoes the essence of your brand: "professional, impersonal, factual", "warm and comfortable, like a good friend", etc. Whichever you choose, it has to resonate with your general audience. Your writer can adapt your tone of voice to specific audience segments while staying on-brand and matching audience expectations at the same time.
Step 6: Market position
Finally, give your copywriter as much information on your product and your business’s position in the market as you possibly can. What makes it different than your competitors? How is it perceived? Rather provide too much information, than too little. As advertising legend David Ogilvy once said: "I do not regard advertising as entertainment or an art form, but as a medium of information."
Step 7: Almost done
Now that you’ve armed your copywriting service provider with the required information, it’s your turn to get on with more important things – until that first draft is delivered. When it pops into your inbox, take a few minutes to read it. More importantly, read it as a prospect, not as the person whose paying for it, because once it’s approved and pay for, you probably won’t look at it very often. Those people who want to do business with you, however, might have to look at it every day.