Copywriting questions: have you worked in my industry before?
When you’re looking for copywriting help, you likely have several questions about finding the right support. These can range from ‘how much will the work cost?’ to ‘how quickly can you deliver the copy?’, ‘how does the process work?’ or ‘what background information do I need to provide?’
One of the most common enquiries we get is this: ‘have you worked in my industry before?’ It’s an important question – after all, industry experience is everything, isn’t it?
Well, yes and no. Yes, you should make sure that your chosen copywriter or copywriting service knows what they are doing, can share examples of some previous work and will ask questions to understand exactly what results you’re after. For your peace of mind, it’s also not a bad thing if they have some testimonials available from previous clients.
But that’s only half the answer. A copywriter doesn’t necessarily need to have worked in your exact industry before.
One of the key skills in copywriting is the ability to look at a new subject or business, learn about that business and ask the right questions in order to translate that company’s products or services into clear and persuasive copy.
If there are areas that a copywriter can’t understand, a quick call or email to your team members or subject matter experts will usually help them find the answers they need.
Direct industry experience isn't always necessary (although it can be a bonus). Often, being able to provide an external perspective can be just as important.
The type of project can also make a difference. If, for example, you need a case study copywriter or someone to write an article for your website, you may need a slightly different skillset to someone whose focus is on advertising slogans.
Whatever support you’re looking for, it pays to make sure that your copywriter has the right experience, can produce the kind of work you’re looking for and will be able to build an understanding of your business. But it's not essential for them to have worked in your sector. In fact, by bringing in an outsider’s point of view, it can sometimes be a bonus if they haven’t…
Do you have any questions about finding a copywriter that you’d like to see answered here? If so, please send us an email and we’ll try and answer them in a future post.