Is it worth hiring a copywriter?

Many business owners wonder, “Is it worth hiring a copywriter?”

In every business, you need written communication and copy… but, do you attempt to do it yourself or do you hire a professional? 

This blog post will help you decide whether hiring a copywriter is worthwhile for your business growth.

And if not, copywriting training or copy consultations to improve your DIY copy might be better for you right now.

Why you might need a copywriter for your business

Think about how often your business is presented online. Do you think the words written are important? Let’s hope so. 

Written copy and content fall under many different formats. I can guarantee that your business will need at least 3 of these types of copy, including… 

• Website copy 
• Company slogans 
• Email marketing copy 
• Blog posts 
• Case studies 
• Social media posts 
• Social media bios (about section)
• Brochures and catalogues 
• Leaflets 
• Direct mail ads 
• eBooks 
• Free downloads 
• Landing pages
• Online advertisements 
• Event promotions 
• Resumes and job adverts 
• Grant and tender applications 
• Business plan/proposal documents 
• Policies and procedures 
• Press releases 

Forgive me if I’m wrong, but that’s a huge amount of potential copy that you could be putting out there. So, do you think it’s worth hiring a copywriter for this, or should you do it yourself?

Reason 1 to hire a copywriter: You hate writing about yourself

You’re not alone if you find it hard to write about yourself. How do you get the balance of making yourself sound professional and like you know what you’re talking about, without bragging? 

It’s a tough one. Often it’s easier to tell people about yourself in a conversation and let someone else write it for you.

I know that I struggle to write about myself! I had to get help from another copywriter when it came to my website. 

It’s not admitting defeat if you need to ask for help. 

Writing about yourself or your business is so difficult because of how close to it you are. You know all the lumps and bumps, struggles and successes, and it can be hard to pick out what you think people will want to know. 

It can feel awkward, like you’re bigging yourself up. It’s the same idea as when you write your own CV and cover letter… I think you’d be lying if you found it easy. 

And that’s exactly what I do as a website copywriter for my clients: I write customer-focused, personality-packed messaging that sells their services. 

Reason 2 to hire a copywriter: You struggle with writing and grammar

Working with creatives, I know how many individuals struggle with writing. Whether that’s related to grammar, spelling, or readability reasons, creatives especially find it hard to sit and write. 

The amount of time you spend second-guessing yourself could be better spent somewhere else in your business. 

Handing over writing about your business to a copywriter could be worth it for the stress you’ll save yourself. 

Reason 3 to hire a copywriter: You want to grow your business 

Growing your business is tough. It often means using any free time you have actually working in the business to work ON the business. 

Would handing over certain tasks to people help to free your time to grow your business? 

Hiring a copywriter could be one of these tasks. 

Not only will you get advice from someone who can spot any potential oversights, but you’ll lighten your load to work on your own development. 

Growing your business usually involves a change in your marketing strategy and materials. Hiring a copywriter to help you articulate your new products/services to your customers can help to achieve great results from your marketing efforts. 

Get more time doing the parts you love about your business by hiring a copywriter.

Reason 4 to hire a copywriter: You want to share content on an ongoing basis 

Not only can hiring a copywriter help when you grow your business or add new products/services, but it’s worthwhile for your company to keep a good copywriter on hand for regular work. 

As your company grows and develops, you should be looking to regularly add new content for marketing and reevaluate what your current copy says. 

People often forget to edit their web copy when their business model changes. It can cause a disjointed experience for the customer if what you say and do are different. 

Keep your customer journey smooth by regularly looking at all customer touchpoints and changing the copy when necessary. The value of hiring a copywriter is explained in more detail here.

Hiring a copywriter can be done for specific projects or on a retainer basis. Having a retainer with a copywriter can mean that you will always have someone on hand to help with your copywriting needs who already knows about you, your business, and your goals. 

Reason 5 to hire a copywriter: You struggle to think of new ideas 

Copywriters can help you get new ideas for your business, too. When I work with clients, I ask them questions about their business that they may not have considered previously. This can turn into a great form of idea generation to propel their business forward. 

I’m a creative person myself, so I love working with other creative business owners. The real magic happens when my clients and I collaborate on delivering new ideas together, as we can bounce ideas off each other to find the best solution. 

Creative problem-solving is my jam. I love it. If you have something you’re struggling with and you hire me as a copywriter, I’ll help you find new ideas and opportunities. 

When it’s not worth hiring a copywriter – and what to do instead

So by now, you’re potentially thinking, ‘Yes, I’m ready to hire a copywriter’. In that case, great. If you want to talk about working together, book a free discovery call.

But if you’re thinking, ‘Hmm, I’m not sure’, let me help clarify your decision.

There are situations when I don’t think it’s worth hiring a copywriter for your business, and it’s better to upskill yourself instead.

These include…

1. You’re a brand new business

If you’re just starting out, unless you’re certain about what you’re offering and who your clients are, it might not be a worthwhile investment.

When you’re still figuring things out, a copywriter like me won’t have the clarity they need to portray you effectively – or things will change by the time we’ve finished one iteration of the copy.

I once worked with a new business owner on their first website, and halfway through the project, their service offering had changed so much that we needed to start again with the copy (at extra cost to the client).

2. Your budget is <£1000

If you only have a few hundred pounds to spend on copywriting right now, it’s not going to get you full copywriting services. Instead of hiring a copywriter, look at training or consultations to support your DIY copy, as it’s a better use of your budget.

I offer a Copy Polish for £450, where we can adapt and polish your copy together on a live call. But it’s not a full copywriting service – it’s more like a practical consultation and training mixed in one.

I also offer copywriting training to teach you how to write your own copy in a group programme called Sculpt. It’s currently £897 for the live 8-week group programme. It’s more work on your part, but you’re investing in skills you can use long-term… 

3. You’re not ready to let go of control

The client-copywriter relationship works best when it’s a collaborative process where you trust the writer.

So if you’re a control freak who won’t let them do their thing without micromanaging the process, it’s probably not the best decision to hire a copywriter. Wait until you know you’re going to hand over the reins.

Do you think it’s worth hiring a copywriter?

Hopefully, this has helped you decide whether hiring a copywriter is worth it for your business and offered you some alternatives if not. 

To work together, I offer 3 main options:

• Done-for-you website copywriting services – perfect for people who realised they are ready to hire a copywriter and want to revisit their website (or launch a new one)
• Copywriting training to Sculpt your message – perfect for people who realised that investing in copywriting training would be a better investment right now
• Done-with-you Copy Polish sessions – perfect for people who realised they want some help with their copy, but don’t need a full copywriting service

Want to hire a copywriter but don’t know what you need? Get in touch. Let’s figure it out together.