When a copywriter says you don’t need a copywriter

There’s a fun game I like to play called: Make Me Obsolete!

The aim is to convince potential clients that they don’t need me; they’ve got this; to save their pennies and put them towards a new beer fridge, gold-plated paper clips, etc.

Why would I do that? Do I need therapy, a business coach, a pep talk, a lesson in economics? Yes and no.

What a copywriter shouldn’t say

I Do Words - but that doesn’t mean I need to Do Words for everyone.

Some businesses (or, the people behind the businesses) are perfectly capable of penning their own charismatic copy. Some businesses are innately personal, benefiting from copy that’s homespun and heartfelt. Some businesses are determined to hire a copywriter when they’d be better served by a new website, logo, or identity.

There’s a time and place for professional copy, and there’s a time to play Make Me Obsolete!

If you’re currently wearing a quizzical expression, here are a few examples.

My friend runs a crêpe stall. She wrote her whole damn website, and it’s sweeter than kittens chasing piglets chasing hedgehogs. You can tell it’s DIY; you can appreciate that she’s a small biz; you can hardly wait to get your mitts on her wares. A copywriter couldn’t have made it more charming if they tried.

An old client got in touch about revamping a construction capability statement. I took one look and knew words weren’t the issue: design was. Enter my good mate Kate - creative shaman - who made the documents look 22 million bucks (which is lucky, as that was the sum at stake).

When I’m approached about writing social media copy, I hesitate. Unless you’re a university, law firm or right wing pollie peddling poetic nonsense, chances are you don’t need posh copy for every socials post. In fact, live updates from the source (you or your staff) are far, far more engaging than anything I can concoct from my chair in Tassie - even if they contain a few typos.

Professional copywriting can revolutionise your business. But sometimes, DIY is just as effective.

Here are six questions to help you figure out whether or not you need to cough up for copy.

What do people want (and expect) from you?

If you’re in the business of “serious stuff” - high-stakes financial manoeuvres, mental health, medicine, human rights… better invest in professional writing to preserve trust and confidence in your brand. A grammatical faux pas can derail your credibility in an instant.

On the other hand, if your product or service is more casual (but no less important) - food, fashion, lifestyle, fitness, pet portraiture - creating your own copy can be a great option.

Does your website a) work and b) bear absolutely no resemblance to this?

If your online shop front could use a lick of paint, prioritise it. Hiring a copywriter to populate pages that repel people wastes everybody’s time.

If you can afford it, get design and copy working together to action an Extreme Website Makeover that’ll have everyone weeping and hugging during the Big Reveal.

Are you a decent writer, or a keyboard wreck?

If you’re a confident communicator, go ahead and write.

If you passed your HSC English exam by one lucky point awarded for correctly identifying yourself at the top of the page, maybe copywriting isn’t your calling after all.

Do you have time?

Yep or nup.

Are you willing to obey the Rules of Considerate Copy?

Try not to waffle. Make it relevant to your reader. Ditch the jargon. Use contractions. Be original. And for the love of Dickens, PROOFREAD.

Do you want to?

And finally, it boils down to desire. If you don’t want to write your website/bio/flyer/tagline/blog/book, palm it off. Hire me for an exorbitant fee because you’d rather be playing polo. Or hire me for a reasonable fee and throw in a polo lesson. I love ponies.

It’s not every day I get the chance to play Make Me Obsolete!.

Some days I feel downright useful.

But I’m here to remind you that, when it comes to copy, you have options.

Write some yourself, outsource the high-stakes stuff.

Write everything yourself, see if it converts.

Do your socials, get help with blogs.

Understand your audience’s expectations, your brand identity, your personal strengths and your time limitations, and use that intel to decide if a copywriter is just the person to inject fresh energy and expertise into your business… or currently unnecessary.

And with that, it’s back to the game.

Your move.