Why I’m NOT the Right Copywriter for You (& I DO Mean It!)
“Oh, I see! She’s trying the old reverse psychology trick to tell us that she actually IS the right copywriter for all of us.
Kinda like when a job seeker answers ‘I care too much’ after being asked about their weaknesses.”
Nuh-uh.
No reverse psychology or other tricks in this blog post.
I’m dead serious.
8 reasons I’m NOT the copywriter for you
And, by the way, there isn’t necessarily anything wrong with these points.
We all have different processes and boundaries.
But, if even just ONE of them sounds familiar, it simply means you and I would NOT be a good fit.
And I had to learn some of these the hard way.
1. You’re not happy to respect my process
The way I run my copywriting business isn’t negotiable. I’m very clear and upfront about it, and I’ll always tell you what the next step is.
The first one?
After you get in touch to tell me about your current situation and goals (and only if I think that’s something I can help with), we’ll start with a consultation. And I do charge for that.
I don’t do free discovery calls. I no longer put hours into a free proposal. And I most definitely haven’t got the energy and capacity to let people pick my brains for free.
Instead, I start with an in-depth consultation to understand exactly what’s been holding you back from a website copywriting and/or blogging point of view and how we can solve it so that you can start working towards your goals.
To do so, I spend time reviewing your initial enquiry and website, and I ask you a lot of questions during the actual strategy session.
Then, I elaborate on them and create a #crafty blueprint. This is an action plan detailing what you need, and it’s yours to keep and use however you please.
If you decide to use it to work with me, I remove the cost of the initial consultation from the custom quote included in it. (More about how it works)
Because it’s a paid consultation and blueprint rather than a time-consuming and directionless virtual cuppa, I give a ton of value right from the start.
In fact, a client of mine got their first enquiry EVER after applying those initial tips alone, before we even started working together!
But, if you’re not happy to follow this process (and, instead, you’re planning on scheduling several free calls with different writers to then pick the cheapest quote and ghost the others), then I’m NOT the copywriter for you.
Which takes me to the next point…
2. You’re looking for the cheapest quote possible
Now, I’m far from being one of the most expensive copywriters out there. Really.
But I’m not the cheapest either.
My quotes are a reflection of the value I provide to my clients, my expertise, and the results I’ve already achieved.
While I price per project, I’m very transparent about my pricing model (you can find some pricing starting points on my website), so there won’t be any surprises.
But I won’t offer you a discount just because your cousin’s neighbour’s daughter can do it for less.
3. You need this done “yesterday, LOL”
If all you want is “words to fill your website”, you can get them within a day or two through Fiverr or Upwork.
Actually, scrap that: just get an AI writing tool to generate them for you within ✨ minutes ✨.
Do you want words written with a strategy? The kind of words that bring you actual results, from more traffic to new sales? Then I need time to write them.
In fact, writing is the SMALLEST part of my job as a copywriter. We should be called copyresearchers, in my opinion.
As well as talking to you, here are some of the things I do before I type a single word:
Having a proper conversation with you to fully understand what your brand is about and who you’re targeting
Asking you more questions through my project planner
Carefully reviewing your answers
Familiarising myself with your brand voice
Conducting more research to analyse your target audience, what problems they’re experiencing, how your business can solve them, and what’s the best way of telling them (for example, I also look at their questions and concerns on websites like Quora and Reddit, social media comments, and reviews or testimonials)
I look at your competitors and their reviews to set you apart from them
If your project involves blog posts, I ask for your input as an expert in that field
I research the actual subject
I conduct keyword research to find the best terms to help you be found by your actual audience
I analyse the top-ranking pages for those keywords and identify the gaps that need filling to make you stand out
Then, I write the actual copy. And edit it several times before sending you what I like to call “the first draft” (even though it’s probably the 19th).
I can’t possibly do all that within a couple of days!
Here’s an example of a previous client with unrealistic expectations:
They got in touch to ask if I could write some website copy for them, I promptly sent them a quote, and they got back to me over 3 weeks later… telling me they needed it ASAP (and asking for a completely different service).
I no longer put up with this kind of behavior.
4. You know exactly how the copy should look like (or you think you could write it yourself, you “just haven’t got time”)
Now, don’t get me wrong: I know some clients mean well when they say this.
They think that, because nobody knows their business better than they do (and they’re right about this part), nobody else can write about it properly (and they couldn’t be more WRONG here).
Anyone can write about their own business
Not everyone can do it in a way that translates into relevant traffic, leads, and sales. That’s what a copywriter is for!
We don’t write pretty words. We write the right ones for your audience.
Of course, we follow your brand guinelines and tone of voice!
But, if you go into a copywriting project expecting your copy to match your own vision, you’re probably going to be disappointed.
And this isn’t just because copywriters can’t read minds (yet!): it’s because your vision is unlikely to be what your audience needs to hear in order to go, “yes, please! Take my money NOW.”
If that were the case, the copy you DIYed would have already been doing that consistently (#SorryNotSorry).
The thing is: when we’re so invested in our own business, we’d like to talk about how excited and passionate we are about it, how much we love doing what we do, and all that jazz. But that’s not what your audience wants or needs to hear.
So, if you can’t appreciate the fact that I’ll be writing your copy for them and to give you the highest chances of converting them into paying clients (NOT to stroke your ego), then I’m NOT the copywriter for you.
5. You think you know better than me, especially when it comes to SEO
This might sound cocky, but hear me out.
YOU are badass at running your business. I probably couldn’t do what you do (unless you’re a copywriter or you get paid for loving 80s music and dressing vintage more often than not).
But I’ve learnt, studied, and practiced copywriting and SEO for years. So, if you’re planning on disregarding that, I’m NOT the copywriter for you.
I had a client telling me that, because they work with ‘conscious clients’, “maybe that can be a keyword?”
But this had NOTHING to do with SEO. Someone looking for that type of business wouldn’t go on Google and type ‘conscious clients’ just because they are ‘conscious clients’, don’t you think? They’d google the type of services they’re after.
I appreciate SEO can be confusing and overwhelming. You might not understand exactly—or at all—how it works. But that’s why I’m here. Same when it comes to copywriting tactics.
Don’t get me wrong: if you already collaborate with an actual SEO expert, we can agree that THEY will be sending the keywords, and I’ll take that into account when preparing your custom quote.
But, if you (or your VA, or someone who is NOT an SEO or copywriting expert) are planning on suggesting random keywords or replace my conversion-focused copy with vague words like “awesome”, then I’m NOT the copywriter for you.
And, if you think SEO is all about getting a green light on Yoast, you can find a cheaper copywriter who’ll do that for you.
There’s a lot more to SEO copywriting than that.
In fact, I’ve reached Google’s 1st page countless times for both myself and my clients, even (or better: “especially” 😏) with copy that wouldn’t get a green light on Yoast.
6. You’re after the hired help rather than an expert
Once again, you can find the hired help on Fiverr.
Full disclosure? I used to be the hired help, too.
Now, I only collaborate with clients who understand that I’m not an employee or someone who’ll say yes to everything.
For example:
You might think you need a short, 200-word website page, but I WILL tell you if you need a longer one based on your goals (and, also, I WILL explain that such short pages are classified as ‘thin content’ by Google and would penalise your website’s SEO)
If you request an edit or tweak that wouldn’t affect the strength and potential of your copy, I’ll complete it without questions. If you ask for a change that would compromise conversions or SEO? I WILL tell you and explain why. I won’t just edit it and let you walk away with some copy that you personally like the sound of more but that isn’t as strong as it can be
Once again, you’re paying for results, not words.
7. You expect my copywriting services to automatically solve all your problems
I’m an expert when it comes to copywriting and on-page SEO, but those aren’t the only things that need to be right for your business to succeed.
So, my clients need to be aware of the fact that, as a copywriter, I’m not responsible for everything else.
A bit like you wouldn’t expect your plumber to take care of your interior design (or get mad at them if your pink chair doesn’t go well with your blue sofa).
For example:
Excellent copywriting can’t fix a bad offer
Whilst copywriters do conduct plenty of additional research, you need to be clear on your USP, audience, and their pain points before you get in touch with us
Bad design and unreadable typefaces will turn a big chunk of your website visitors away, no matter how good your copy is (in fact, they might not even stick around long enough to read it)
If your website is poorly designed, incredibly slow, and not mobile-friendly, it doesn’t matter how well I write your copy and optimise it for SEO: it’ll be extremely unlikely you’ll rank high on Google
8. You cannot commit to answering my questions or sending me all the material in time
As you now know, a copywriter needs a ton of information to write the right copy for you.
If you’re like, “oh my god, but I wouldn’t know WHAT to give you,” relax. I don’t expect you to have a brief before you get in touch with me. That’s exactly what my project planner is for!
What I do need from you is simply… well, that you fill it in time. Or, if we’re talking about an ongoing collaboration (like a set number of monthly blog posts), that you send me the new material before my deadlines.
For example, I always conduct plenty of research and write the actual blog posts, saving you hours every time. Still, I do ask my clients to send me some bullet points on that topic so that I can position them as experts in that field.
You know, the kind of stuff that I (or another writer) wouldn’t be able to find on Google but that you already know. Or perhaps a new spin on a topic to reflect your unique angle.
I do send a reminder through a project management software so that you can remember to do that every month or before a one-off collaboration.
However, if you can’t commit to sending me everything and won’t respect my deadlines and time, then I’m NOT the copywriter for you.
Still here? In that case, I probably AM the copywriter for you, yaknow? 😏
If, instead of feeling offended and thinking I’m the worst person on earth for having boundaries and knowing my worth as a copywriter, you thought, “this makes sense”, good news:
you have a lot more in common with the clients who’ve already trusted me with their words.
And, thanks to our mutual understanding, that’s why they’ve achieved certain results, including (but not limited to):
Ranking for several, relevant keywords even though nobody could find them on Google before working with me
Generating more organic traffic as a result
Encountering less resistance when selling their services, especially when it comes to pricing
Higher conversions
Getting juicy backlinks from relevant publications in their industry (the kind where their target audience is also active)
So, after telling you all the reasons why I’m not the copywriter for you, here’s who I do work with.
I’m the copywriter for female entrepreneurs looking to position themselves as THE go-to solution in their dream audience’s eyes through their website copy and blog (and to trust my expertise when it comes to writing the words that’ll achieve that).
Sounds like you?
Well, now you know exactly what to do, doncha?
More #crafty blog posts on this topic:
