Hello!

Welcome to the June issue of the GOT COPY? e-newsletter! Apologies for the delay... projects beckoned.

NEW! I'm adding a "Reader Feedback" section in this issue. For months, readers have shared with me their incredible experiences and insights that I think other subscribers would benefit from reading. I only include excerpts from those that have granted permission for me to share them (you can be anonymous). It will make each issue longer, but I hope you enjoy the extra views from other readers.

NEW! Your July issue will feature a "Reader's Choice Topic" for the At Issue section. Suggest topics that YOU would like to see examined (you don't have to submit the article - that's my job!). I'll feature one of those topics in the next issue. If I get several really good ones, I'll write about those in coming months. Email me.

Enjoy your day,
~ Stevie Ann Rinehart, Independent Copywriter

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GOT COPY? - Issue 8 - June 2002

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IN THIS ISSUE:
(1) READER FEEDBACK: Should Copywriters Learn Non-writing Skills? (from May Issue)
(2) AT ISSUE: How Do People Perceive Copywriters?
(3) MARKETING/WRITING TIP: How to Handle Critiques of Your Work
(4) RECOMMENDED WEB SITE: Bly.com
(5) UPCOMING ISSUE
(6) NECESSARY BLURBS

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(1) READER FEEDBACK
I got some interesting feedback from last month's article, "Should Copywriters Learn Non-writing Skills?" Here are responses from three readers:

(1) Christine Calvert in Norway (who wanted her name published - thank you!) shares her story:

As a copywriter at a small advertising agency about seven years ago, she learned QuarkXPress basics. Her art directors were dyslectic so corrections were being sent back and forth constantly. Learning Quark not only reduced editing time, it also kept her busy on slow copy days.

"Since I could handle all corrections myself, and even - after a while - create ads and small brochures, the whole agency made out. My new knowledge came in handy a few years later when I found myself as production manager/ editor of a magazine for a large, international corporation."

(2) A high-tech marketing-communications expert in Phoenix provides this insight:

"My non-writing skill is marketing consulting.... This is a way to put my years of management experience to use. I think it helps my writing because I learn about new industries, trends, and technologies, so I have a broader knowledgebase.... This is quite different from focusing on Web site content, press releases, corporate brochures,... etc. Finding exactly the right tone, phrase, or word is a micro task, while those others are macro tasks. It's sort of like doing aerobics and weight training. Together both make you better in different ways."

(3) A fundraising copywriter/PR manager in Israel has non-writing skills based on a background in hard numbers:

"Working as a fundraiser and budget analyst sharpened my writing skills. Writing budget and grant proposals, analyzing budgets, and defining the goals, objectives, resources and needs of an organization enriched my ability to hone in on the important issues and express them in writing.... Today as a marketing copywriter in hi-tech..., I find that the same skills of grantwriting sharpen my copywriting skills, and make me ask the marketing people the right questions to guide them (the fact that they don't always have the answers is another issue!)."

A big thanks to these readers who agreed to share their experiences with us! I don't want to comment on them because I think they speak for themselves and offer great insight for expanding our own talent base as writers.

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(2) AT ISSUE: How Do People Perceive Copywriters?
Everyone knows that "perception is reality." Just as we copywriters create a perceptual reality (hopefully true) about the products and services we write about, there are perceptions about us, too, though not necessarily true. Maybe it's because people don't realize what it is that we do and the impact we have. As a result, we aren't always thought of in the best light. These are some of the less flattering ones I've come across:

UNSKILLED WORKERS
Perhaps the most common perception - and misconception - is that because copywriting is a soft skill, anyone can do it and hiring a professional is unnecessary. After all, there's no formal education or certification required to break into the field. Maybe that's why some people view us as less than professional. They argue that if they can write a letter to their aunt or an email to their former college roommate, then they can write a sales letter. Hmmm, when was the last time they wrote to Aunt Hilda trying to sell her the latest techno-gadget or a vacation package to Aruba?

OVERPRICED HACKS
Alas, there are some people who think we're always trying to bamboozle them out of their last dollar by charging premium fees for copy. This one disturbs me because copywriters are notoriously *underpaid*. We all know that any copywriter who charges top dollar has usually spent years in the field and has results to back them up (if their clients provide them this information). If not, they won't be in business for long. We need to remind those who harbor this view that "you get what you pay for." And we as copywriters should start charging for the value we bring to a business - and be firm about it.

PRIMA DONNAS
Copywriters are often maligned as "prima donnas." Our craft is regarded as merely an exercise in self-adulation - that we're writing to achieve personal awards, rather than client results. Sure, there are copywriters who are more concerned with racking up trophies than improving a client's ROI. But there are also others who are quite proud of their work and feel it deserves recognition in reputable industry contests. These carry some weight with potential employers and clients. Note: just because a copywriter has awards under their belt doesn't mean they're a prima donna; and if they don't have any it doesn't imply that their work isn't high quality. Funny how these things can go both ways....

SCRIBES
This is one of my favorites if only for its humor value. There are actually people who think that copywriters simply transcribe what the client utters and then "clean it up" a little. There is no room for creativity, copywriter input, or suggested improvements. It's a waste of time and skill. I actually had a client like this a few months ago that somehow scooted in under my radar screen when I was at one of my busiest periods. My suggestions for improvement went unheeded. These are typically clients who want only want someone to bounce ideas off of - provided you tell them how wonderful those ideas are - and type them up in a standard computer format. You don't want this type of client who thinks of copywriters as glorified secretaries. Educate them about your skills and what you can help them accomplish. If they start asking you to make coffee, run for the nearest exit.

My question to you: Are we bringing these perceptions upon ourselves or do we have more educating to do? Email your thoughts on the perception of copywriters.

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(3) MARKETING/WRITING TIP: How to Handle Critiques of Your Work
Of all the projects I've done over the years, I can count on only one hand the number of times I nailed the copy in the first draft. Not a single red mark. It is rare for first drafts to be perfect. I always look at them as springboards to what the client *really* wants and needs.

Why? Because often a client will have an idea of how they want something to read; when they get it back, they may realize that their direction doesn't work as well. But now they have something to work from to get closer to what they are really looking for. It's an evolving process that copywriters and clients (or employers) must work through together.

There will always be reasons - some sane, some absolutely inexplicable - as to why your copy doesn't work. They're too numerous to list. So I suppose it's ironic that there aren't many resources that directly address *dealing* with copywriting critiques. But here are a few suggestions based on my experiences and those of freelancers I know:

~ Above all, be gracious in accepting any criticism.
Provided it's constructive, there really is no reason to dwell on this. They're helping you help them. Welcome it as a learning process. Everything can be improved.

~ Don't take it personally.
There's no way to avoid clients critiquing your tone, word choice, or messaging. However, if it does get personal, call them on it. Ask if the problem is about you or the copy. After a moment of stunned silence, this should help refocus their comments on the words. They may not realize they're doing it. Some people just don't know how to give good criticism so it comes across as personal.

~ Be willing to listen.
Listen closely to the client. They may admit not knowing How to write, but they do know about their product, service, or program best and what resonates with their audience or customers.

~ Ask why specific changes or comments were made.
Concentrating on specifics will help you hone in the project's messaging and your overall writing for the client. Just be careful not to come across as defensive.

~ Explain why and how you wrote your copy.
It could turn into an education for the client as to why and how professional copywriters write what they do. This may be hard for some clients to swallow, so be careful not to sound condescending. Act as a resource for them. Once you explain your position, there's a small chance they'll see your point and decide to keep what you wrote. If they don't, you did what you could.

~ Ask what you did RIGHT.
Sadly, when clients are in a red-line mode, they're not as likely to dish out the praise. More importantly, you don't want to fix something that was correct in the first place, thus making more work for yourself. Find out what they liked (tone, style, word choices) so you can carry that element through their other projects. And hey, who doesn't need a little praise once in a while?

~ Determine what most of the criticism is addressing.
Is it tone? Point-of-view? Content? Length? Level of detail? Understanding of subject matter? See if there are any patterns emerging not just across projects for one client, but across all clients. They may point to areas you need to work on as a writer. And, it may likely help you focus on niche areas in which to market yourself.

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(4) RECOMMENDED WEB SITE: Bly.com
We copywriters have much to learn from copywriting expert, Bob Bly. With 20+ years of copywriting experience, he certainly knows the field, and his comprehensive online portfolio shows it. Visit Bob's site and peruse the wealth of information he has generously provided, including numerous how-to articles. I've used some of his advice to deal with difficult writing and client predicaments (thank you, Bob!) and they'll help you do the same.

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(5) UPCOMING ISSUE: July 2002
~~ AT ISSUE: Reader's Choice Topic (email suggestions)
~~ MARKETING/WRITING TIP: Energize Your Copy

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(6) NECESSARY BLURBS
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