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Copywriters
and
Cab Drivers
Are
you a cab driver?
You know the
image. The cab driver gets hired by the
next passenger in
line. He isn’t concerned with where the
passenger
is going. He doesn’t say “Well I don’t
want to go there.” He
takes the next passenger
in line and collects his fare.
Do you care
who hires you? Should you care? It’s a
hotly
debated question. As a copywriter,
should you be concerned with what you are asked to write about? Is it your business if the product is
something you don’t agree with? (or aren’t enthusiastic about?) Or are you just there to be hired by the
next person who comes along?
As far as I
am concerned, there are two sides to the
question. On the one hand, if I have
moral principles, there will be some whose money I don’t want to take. Porn products, for one thing.
Or a product for which it is quite obvious
that dishonest claims are being made. But
that is a decision
for the individual copywriter.
On the other
hand, if as a copywriter I will only deal with
stuff I am genuinely enthusiastic about, I am likely to have a thin
time! Especially in the early stages. Of course, when you are well established and
have made a name for yourself, you may have so many requests for your
services
that you have the luxury of being able to pick and choose!
But most copywriters have to take what they
can get, at least to start with.
Of course
it’s easy to produce lyrical language about
Caribbean cruises or Ferrari cars. But
what about damp-proofing products, building supplies or industrial
cleaning
products? I
had to create brochures and
sales materials about all of these in my early days as a copywriter.
In
many cases, not only could I not summon up any interest
in the product, but I didn’t even know the first thing about it!
But let me
tell you this. It doesn’t matter how
little interest you have in
the product. Or how little you know about
it. It is YOUR JOB as a copywriter to do
the
best job you can for the person who is hiring you.
It is YOUR JOB to be enthusiastic!
And not only to be
enthusiastic but to infect your readers with
your enthusiasm!
So
how do you do this?
Well, that
is the skill of copywriting. And until you
can do this, you’re not a
copywriter. Your most powerful
weapon
is IMAGINATION. If you haven’t got any,
forget copywriting and get a job in Wal-mart. But
I am sure you have!
First you
ask yourself what will make your readers want to
buy the product. Well, it’s the answer
to the question: “What’s in it for ME?” And
the answer to this
question lies in BENEFITS.
So first of
all you research the product, and write down a
list of its features. Then you use your
IMAGINATION and consider: What would this feature do for ME? Never mind if you personally would have no
reason to use the product. As a
copywriter you must put yourself in the potential BUYER’S shoes.
-
Suppose it’s a “solvent-based
Aluminum Stearate
developed for use in creating a damp-proof course”.
You think: a dry cosy home for my family; making
sure my family
are safe, secure and protected…
-
Suppose it’s a decking system,
described as a “modular
form made of expanded polystyrene and used to
construct pre-cast concrete
floors and roofs”.You think:
protection for my family against natural disasters such as tornadoes
and hurricanes;
effective noise reduction, so a quiet life for myself and my family…
and
so on.
You get the
picture. The most pedestrian features,
with a bit of
IMAGINATION, can be
translated into benefits which will sell the product to its target
prospects.
It doesn’t
matter if YOU’RE not enthusiastic about the
product. Somebody, somewhere, will
be,
if you do your job. That’s what the
client hires a copywriter for. So yes,
you ARE a cab driver. You take your
clients’ money and take them where they want to go.
Elaine Berry - Bizwrite
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