Finding Good Copywriters... and Why You Need to Find Them

  Written by Ryan Nelson on Apr 22, 2010 12:16 am

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I stress the importance of good, solid copywriting in a lot of the books, articles, and reports you'll read on my MLM Review Sites as well as in my articles on Better Networker.

To put it briefly, copywriting is a very specialized skill that takes a long time to learn. At the same time, the copy in your articles and on your website is going to go a long way in determining whether your MLM business will be successful.

In other words, copywriting isn't something you want to trust to amateurs.

The thought of hiring someone to do your copywriting for you might seem overwhelming at first, though.

It's one thing for me to tell you that you probably need to find a professional to do your writing for you. It's quite another to put together the process you'll need to find the right copywriter for your business.

Don't worry. I'll never tell you do something without also telling you how to do it.

With that in mind, here are 3 things you need to ask the copywriters you're considering:

•   How long have you been in business?

•   Where is your online portfolio?

•   What similar businesses have you worked for and can you give me references from those businesses?

Obviously, knowing how long a copywriter has been working is going to give you a baseline idea about whether that person has a clue as to what he or she is doing. And you want to work with a copywriter who has a good track record in the same kind of business that you're running.

You want to manage your copywriter. You don't want to have to train him.

But what do you look for in the copywriter's portfolio?

• Writing that's free of grammatical errors and typos.

• A variety of types of copywriting. Think about the different kinds of writing you need: newsletters, landing pages, articles, reports, ebooks, etc. Try to find someone who shines at everything you need—that will save you time, money, and frustration later.

• Ask yourself whether the portfolio copy you're reading makes you feel motivated, positive, and ready to buy. And don't just ask yourself—ask your colleagues, friends, and family what they think as well.

• Does the copywriter vary the voice to match the clients' voices? Of course, you can’t tell how well the writer does this unless you know or have talked to the clients—which is another reason you want to check references. The important thing, though, is to make sure you're getting a copywriter who can write in your voice.

Finally, you need to interview at least 3 prospective copywriters before you settle on one. I don't care how beautiful someone's portfolio is. If a copywriter's personality isn't a good fit for yours, you're asking for nothing but frustration if you hire them.

The last thing you might be worried about when it comes to hiring a copywriter—or any professional—is the paperwork for taxes, Social Security, etc.

I've got good news for you. You don't have to hire anyone as an employee. Instead, hire a freelance copywriter on a contract basis. You'll pay more per hour or project, but you won't have to use time you don't have working with yet another professional to get the paperwork right.

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