rom others to gain inspiration; Find something in my portfolio that sorta comes close to what you want and copy it. After all, time is money.

3.) In your opinion, what is the purpose of creating a brochure –or flyer, or ad?

Good answers: To increase sales. To improve relationships with current customers and increase sales. To attract more qualified prospects and increase sales.

Bad answers: To have something that people will like to look at. To produce something so creative, so out-of-the-box, that people will say “Wow! Cool!” and that will be honored with awards.

And, the mother-of-all bad answers, the on

Not everyone who can hold a pen – or type on a keyboard – is a professional writer. And certainly not everyone who can write copy for your brochure is a professional marketing copywriter.

There are a lot of people out there who say they are copywriters. Who even write some beautiful sentences that appear in print ads or in television scripts. Who do have the gift of writing. Who make their living from their writing. And who may even get awards for their writing. In other words, they are truly professional copywriters.

And I don’t want to take anything away from them. They are, by many measures, successful professional copywriters. Doubtless what they do pleases their clients, otherwise they’d be stuck making their living running carnival con games. (No offense to carnies out there. You, too, serve your “marks,” ah, “customers.”)

So then, what’s the difference between a professional copywriter and a professional marketing copywriter? I’ll gladly tell you.

There are 3 key things that make the difference, and the difference they make makes the difference – to you – between making a sale or making pretty prose.

These 3 key things are summed up in one word: understanding. Understanding their role in the marketing process. Understanding the importance of strategy. Understanding the purpose of marketing.

To catapult you toward finding that good marketing copywriter, here are some questions to ask – and their proper answers.

1.) As a marketing copywriter, how do you see as your role in this marketing project?

Good answers: to help you increase sales; to help you develop better relationships with your customers so you can increase sales; to help you more effectively tell your story so you can attract more ideal customers – and increase sales.

Bad answers: to apply my talent to make your company shine (or something equally inane); to add your prestigious company to my portfolio; to tell you how it really should be done.

2.) When you start on a project, what do you like to do first?

Good answers: Sit down with you, asking a lot of questions to better understand who you are, what you do and what you want this brochure project to accomplish; Ask you what you’ve done before, what’s worked and what hasn’t; Ask you what your ideal outcome would be and how you think this brochure will lead you toward it.

Bad answers: Evaluate all your past marketing materials since I’m sure they were written by inferior copywriters; Look at all the award-winning copy from others to gain inspiration; Find something in my portfolio that sorta comes close to what you want and copy it. After all, time is money.

3.) In your opinion, what is the purpose of creating a brochure –or flyer, or ad?

Good answers: To increase sales. To improve relationships with current customers and increase sales. To attract more qualified prospects and increase sales.

Bad answers: To have something that people will like to look at. To produce something so creative, so out-of-the-box, that people will say “Wow! Cool!” and that will be honored with awards.

And, the mother-of-all bad answers, the one

copywriters. Doubtless what they do pleases their clients, otherwise they’d be stuck making their living running carnival con games. (No offense to carnies out there. You, too, serve your “marks,” ah, “customers.”)

So then, what’s the difference between a professional copywriter and a professional marketing copywriter? I’ll gladly tell you.

There are 3 key things that make the difference, and the difference they make makes the difference – to you – between making a sale or making pretty prose.

These 3 key things are summed up in one word: understanding. Understanding their role in the marketing process. Understanding the importance of strategy. Understanding the purpose of marketing.

To catapult you toward finding that good marketing copywriter, here are some questions to ask – and their proper answers.

1.) As a marketing copywriter, how do you see as your role in this marketing project?

Good answers: to help you increase sales; to help you develop better relationships with your customers so you can increase sales; to help you more effectively tell your story so you can attract more ideal customers – and increase sales.

Bad answers: to apply my talent to make your company shine (or something equally inane); to add your prestigious company to my portfolio; to tell you how it really should be done.

2.) When you start on a project, what do you like to do first?

Good answers: Sit down with you, asking a lot of questions to better understand who you are, what you do and what you want this brochure project to accomplish; Ask you what you’ve done before, what’s worked and what hasn’t; Ask you what your ideal outcome would be and how you think this brochure will lead you toward it.

Bad answers: Evaluate all your past marketing materials since I’m sure they were written by inferior copywriters; Look at all the award-winning copy from others to gain inspiration; Find something in my portfolio that sorta comes close to what you want and copy it. After all, time is money.

3.) In your opinion, what is the purpose of creating a brochure –or flyer, or ad?

Good answers: To increase sales. To improve relationships with current customers and increase sales. To attract more qualified prospects and increase sales.

Bad answers: To have something that people will like to look at. To produce something so creative, so out-of-the-box, that people will say “Wow! Cool!” and that will be honored with awards.

And, the mother-of-all bad answers, the on

ding the importance of strategy. Understanding the purpose of marketing.

To catapult you toward finding that good marketing copywriter, here are some questions to ask – and their proper answers.

1.) As a marketing copywriter, how do you see as your role in this marketing project?

Good answers: to help you increase sales; to help you develop better relationships with your customers so you can increase sales; to help you more effectively tell your story so you can attract more ideal customers – and increase sales.

Bad answers: to apply my talent to make your company shine (or something equally inane); to add your prestigious company to my portfolio; to tell you how it really should be done.

2.) When you start on a project, what do you like to do first?

Good answers: Sit down with you, asking a lot of questions to better understand who you are, what you do and what you want this brochure project to accomplish; Ask you what you’ve done before, what’s worked and what hasn’t; Ask you what your ideal outcome would be and how you think this brochure will lead you toward it.

Bad answers: Evaluate all your past marketing materials since I’m sure they were written by inferior copywriters; Look at all the award-winning copy from others to gain inspiration; Find something in my portfolio that sorta comes close to what you want and copy it. After all, time is money.

3.) In your opinion, what is the purpose of creating a brochure –or flyer, or ad?

Good answers: To increase sales. To improve relationships with current customers and increase sales. To attract more qualified prospects and increase sales.

Bad answers: To have something that people will like to look at. To produce something so creative, so out-of-the-box, that people will say “Wow! Cool!” and that will be honored with awards.

And, the mother-of-all bad answers, the on

your prestigious company to my portfolio; to tell you how it really should be done.

2.) When you start on a project, what do you like to do first?

Good answers: Sit down with you, asking a lot of questions to better understand who you are, what you do and what you want this brochure project to accomplish; Ask you what you’ve done before, what’s worked and what hasn’t; Ask you what your ideal outcome would be and how you think this brochure will lead you toward it.

Bad answers: Evaluate all your past marketing materials since I’m sure they were written by inferior copywriters; Look at all the award-winning copy from others to gain inspiration; Find something in my portfolio that sorta comes close to what you want and copy it. After all, time is money.

3.) In your opinion, what is the purpose of creating a brochure –or flyer, or ad?

Good answers: To increase sales. To improve relationships with current customers and increase sales. To attract more qualified prospects and increase sales.

Bad answers: To have something that people will like to look at. To produce something so creative, so out-of-the-box, that people will say “Wow! Cool!” and that will be honored with awards.

And, the mother-of-all bad answers, the on

rom others to gain inspiration; Find something in my portfolio that sorta comes close to what you want and copy it. After all, time is money.

3.) In your opinion, what is the purpose of creating a brochure –or flyer, or ad?

Good answers: To increase sales. To improve relationships with current customers and increase sales. To attract more qualified prospects and increase sales.

Bad answers: To have something that people will like to look at. To produce something so creative, so out-of-the-box, that people will say “Wow! Cool!” and that will be honored with awards.

And, the mother-of-all bad answers, the one you must, when hearing it, with no hesitation whatsoever and at the fastest speed possible, run away from, far into the hills--that “kiss of death” to all serious marketing efforts . . .

. . . “to create awareness.”

(c)CSC Group, LLC