This article has been written to help business owners understand why they might need to use a Content Writer or otherwise known as a Copywriter.
I attended a business breakfast meeting and these are the questions that I was asked by other business owners about my content writing service:
“Why should we use Content Writers? We should know our industry well enough to be able to write about it for our customers.”
Good question, my answers were simple:
A business owner...
Might not have the ability to put into words what they want to say
Might not have the time or inclination to create content
Might not have enough information and need a Content Writer to do the research to produce good content
Might not have the ability to write technical or non-technical
Might not have the ability to write with creativity and emotion - after all, emotions do sell
We as human beings tend to buy something or use a service because we like it or need it, that desire comes with emotions.
“How can you know our industry? We know it better than you, you don’t know what we do or how we work.”
Good question...
As a Content Writer, it is our job to find out relevant information by doing research or spending time with our customers to understand their business. Content Writers will bring fresh eyes on a company’s offerings, if you think about it, they could be a potential customer so they will have an idea of what information they would like or need to know about a company’s service or products.
A Content Writer should make life easier for you - taking on a job that you don’t have time for or want to do.
These are some of the questions that a Content Writer may ask you:
What is the topic and why are you writing about it?
What questions do your potential customers ask you about this topic?
What content has worked for you in the past, what do your customers like and react to?
What hasn’t worked for you in the past and what do you not want in the article?
What is the need to know facts for this content?
Do you have a unique selling point for this article?
Is there a special offer?
Should this content solve a problem, educate, add value, sell something, evoke emotions or be a mixture of all?
Do you have a preferred title or specific content? If not - I will come up with some suggestions taking into consideration keywords, key phrases and SEO
Would you like me to research the hot topics for your industry, look at what your competitors are doing or be creative and come up with something different?
Should there be an emotional emphasis on the content? For example, ‘With our product, we can make your life easier and more comfortable allowing you to be able to relax and not worry.’
What tone would you like the article written in? Technical or non-technical?
Do you want to show a human side and a sense of humour within the article?
Do you want me to quote something and what is the source of this information so we can make reference to it at the end of the article?
Do you need a call-to-action at the end of the article?
Do you need reference to a specific product within the article?
What word count do you need?
When do you want the article?
Top tip...
When it comes to content, sometimes it’s trial and error. The content you think your customers might react well to might not be the case. In general, it’s about finding what works for your customers and doing more of that and the things that aren’t working - don’t waste your time on anymore.
How do you know what content is working or not?
Reactions, analytics, feedback, increased awareness of your business and offerings, an increase in sales, increase in website visitors and happy customers!
Advice for business owners and their content writing
Listen to your customers and with the content you supply them answer their questions, add value, insights and educate your readers.
Reveal a human side to your business and build the ‘know, like and trust’ factor.
When it comes to content, don’t be afraid to try something different - within reason, you don’t want the content to damage your business.
Valuate, assess, test and learn from mistakes when it comes to content.
At the end of the day, good storytelling is good marketing. By stories, I don’t mean ‘once upon a time…’ (although that does works in some cases) - I mean the ‘message’ you want to be told on behalf of your business to your customers.
If you would like to use my content writing services please email me at rachel.roussell@gmail.com or call me on 07800887857.