Read this before you hire a freelance catalog copywriter

Some food for thought when you’re looking to hire a freelance catalog copywriter.

What’s most important to you:  That the writer knows the products? That the writer writes well? That the writer is reliable and efficient? That the writer isn’t expensive? That the writer has experience?

These are probably just a few of the things that you consider when contemplating hiring a freelance copywriter.
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Most likely, you’ll want to hire a copywriter who can meet the majority of your qualifications. But chances are that won’t always be the case and you’ll have to compromise a bit.

But the one qualification that you should never skimp on is the copywriter’s writing ability.

And I’m not talking about just having excellent grammar and punctuation skills. I’m talking about the ability to write precisely about the benefit of a product while using words that strike a chord in the prospect, prompting the prospect to buy.

In other words, a skillful copywriter knows how to transform the written word into a selling tool.
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Because the purpose of copy in a print or online catalog is to make sales.

Product knowledge? Sure, it’s definitely helpful, but not an absolute necessity. Unless your product is extremely technical or complex, any copywriter worth his salt should be able to get himself up to speed fairly quickly with research.

I can’t imagine that there are many copywriters out there who at some point took on a project writing about a product that they weren’t an expert on.

Reliable and efficient? Yes, these are vital qualities, but not ones that should surpass the importance of superior, sales worthy copywriting. What does your catalog achieve with the timely receipt of dud-like copy?
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Is the writer expensive? Hmmm, I guess that boils down to how you define expensive.

Is the writer experienced? Hiring an experienced freelance catalog copywriter is desirable for many reasons. But remember, weren’t we all novices at one point?

Newcomers who truly want to prove themselves should be willing to provide you, a potential client, with samples of free copy, just to get their feet in the door. This allows you to get a feel for what they might be capable of, at no expense to you.
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So next time you need the help of a freelance catalog copywriter, most importantly, make sure that the freelancer writes benefit-rich, persuasive copy. Because you want your catalog to sell well.