Are YOU Ready?

Confession time: I’ve never hired a copywriter.

And since we’re being honest, I haven’t ever even considered it. But before you wonder why on earth I’m about to tell YOU when to hire one, let me explain.

I actually am a copywriter. So, that first line probably makes a lot more sense now. 

But here’s the thing—as a copywriter, I write for a lot of clients, and I also spend a lot of time helping prospective and future clients decide if/when they’re ready to work with me. I’m not necessarily the right copywriter for every business, but if you’re an entrepreneur ready to make sales without feeling “too salesy,” then I could be the right person for you!

Copywriters can write anything from web pages to sales pages, emails to social posts, and anything in between. Personally, I love writing launch copy (sales pages and pre/launch email campaigns) and home pages for big-hearted entrepreneurs who want to sell their stuff authentically and help their audiences along the way.

While I absolutely love hopping on calls to chat through the decision of when to hire a copywriter with business owners, I realized that I could help even more people by writing down what we usually talk about. So, here goes!

1. You’re clear on your target audience 

You know what they say, “If you’re talking to everyone, you’re talking to no one.” (And no, I don’t know who “they” is, but I hear that everywhere and it’s so true!) Now, you don’t have to know the Starbucks order of your ideal potential clients (unless you’re a coffee blogger!), but you do have to narrow down who you’re talking to.

You should be able to answer the following questions:

• Who is in your target market/who is your ideal customer?
• What things do they struggle with?
• What things are they Googling (or using whatever other search engines to find)?
• How can you/your offer help solve their problem(s)?
• What does their look like now (while they have the problem)? What will it look like when they solve it or don’t struggle anymore?

These questions are just scratching the surface but should help you get started. If you’d like to find out how to use ChatGPT to help with audience insights, check out this video for my process! 

2. You’re clear on your offer

In order for me (or any other copywriter) to be able to craft your copy in a way that resonates with your audience and your potential customers, you have to be crystal clear on what it is you’re offering.

The best copywriters won’t just ask you about how many modules or downloads you have inside your course, but they’ll also ask you the magic question: why should your audience care? For every feature you have, you should be able to clearly explain why it matters/what’s so valuable about that aspect. If you can do that, you’re ready to rock!

3. You have an idea of what you want to say but not how to say it

This is probably the most common reason my clients reach out to work with me. They know what they’re trying to say, but they struggle to communicate that in a way that jives with their audience and leads to actual sales.

That’s where I come in. I spent a lot of time learning about my clients’ businesses, audiences, and offers so that I can expertly craft just the right words to communicate your value AND inspire your audience to take action (aka buy your stuff!).

4. You don’t have the time to write your own copy

Busy doesn’t even begin to cover how you feel as an entrepreneur, amiright?! Especially when you’re a solopreneur, you’re in charge of all the things, and it’s downright exhausting.

If you’re short on time, let me write your copy for you! Even if you consider yourself a good writer, when you don’t have much time, you usually just don’t write anything. It will feel so good to get something off your plate, and outsourcing it to me, your new freelance copywriter BFF, is a decision you can feel good about!

5. You don’t have the desire or skills to write your own copy (No Shame In That! )

Listen, knowing the ins and outs of what makes good copy convert is my job. It doesn’t have to be yours! If you hate writing, hand it over… I love it!

And, if you’re not confident in your ability to write persuasively without feeling spammy, I’ve got you covered there, too. If the thought of writing that sales page for your next launch makes you want to vomit on your sweater already (mom’s spaghetti), you’re ready to hire a copywriter!

6. You have the funds 

I really can’t overstate this one enough. I know what it’s like to want something to make your business easier and try to justify spending money you haven’t made (yet) on something that will help move the needle. But I don’t want your last dollar. And I really don’t want you going into any kind of debt to work with me.

While I know I have the skills to help you level up your sales and marketing (and make more money), I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night if choosing to work with me put you into financial hardship.

So, if hiring a copywriter isn’t in your budget yet, here’s what I recommend. Make it a goal. Write it down, plan out some steps you can take to bring in more money in the short term, and then, when you’re ready, know that I’ll be here for you.

And in the meantime, come join us inside the Creative Copy Club, my exclusive membership for entrepreneurs who want to write better sales and marketing copythat connects with your audience and converts them into buyers and raving fans.

You’ll find tons of copywriting templates, workshops, and resources to help you get started on your own, and I also hold monthly live Q+A sessions on Zoom where you can come and get unstuck with me. 

7. You have (At least The Beginnings Of) a marketing strategy and business goals

If you’re just starting out in your business or you recently switched directions, you absolutely still can benefit from hiring a professional copywriter. But for it to be a worthwhile investment, you do have to have clear business goals and a strategy to get there.

Now, I’m not saying that you have to have a perfectly planned 150-step plan to promote your next offer… but you do have to have something more than just “paste link to my sales page on promo posts in FB groups” on your to-do list.

If you need help with this, I’ve totally got you covered (after all, sales and marketing go together like coffee and donuts!). But having the basic idea of where you want to go and how you plan to get there is something you need to have thought through first in order for your copywriter to write effective copy for your business.

8. You’re able to hand over a project/relinquish total control/trust someone else

Where are my fellow type A, holding-on-tight-and-never-letting-go-of-a-single-thing-because-my-business-is-my-baby CEOs? I know how you feel because I am one of you (or at least I used to be).

But if you want to up your conversion rate without throwing your laptop at the wall in frustration trying to do #AllTheThings yourself, I’m here for you. And I’d love to handle the entire copywriting process for you. You just have to be willing to hand me those dang keys and let me drive!

At the end of the day, when you hire a great copywriter, you own the copy and can use it and repurpose it however you like. And yes, you can even go back and change things (though I really would rather you let me do that instead so I can make sure the high-converting bits keep converting!).

So what I’m saying is you just have to be willing to hand it over and let me work my magic. And I promise to listen to and incorporate your feedback throughout the process! My favorite way to work with small business owners (well, really all business owners) is in collaboration with open communication. (So toss me those keys, friend!)

via GIPHY

9. You have eyes on your stuff (Traffic ), but you’re not making sales ( Low Conversions )

And last but certainly not least, if you’ve got traffic coming in but those PayPal sale notifications aren’t going off, you’re ready to hire a copywriter. I can craft the right words (in your brand voice and style, of course) to turn those crickets into cha-chings!

I specialize in launch copy (sales page writing and writing pre-launch and launch email sequences) and writing copy for web pages (you know, like your home page, about page, etc). And I’ve studied a ridiculous amount of sales and marketing materials as well as human psychology (so you don’t have to) to be able to write copy to get you better results.

When to hire a copywriter: Are YOU Ready?

So there you have it. My complete (until I think of more) list of things you need to think about as you’re deciding when to hire a copywriter. And if you’re ready to outsource some (or all) of your writing needs, all you have to do is hop on a free discovery call so we can chat and see how I can help! (Just keep in mind that it’s best to hire out your copy at least 6-8 weeks before a launch!)

Chat soon,

Andrea