Here at To Your Heart’s Content, we like to have the occasional glance over at a few other copywriting agencies just to see what they’re up to. After all, Sun Tzu, the famed Chinese military strategist and author of The Art of War (it’s mandatory reading for all copywriters), said: “Know your enemy and know yourself and you will always be.” Thanks for that Sun.
Now, enemy is probably too strong a word in peacetime Britain for fellow copywriting agencies. After all, we don’t want to inadvertently pick a fight with the Vin Diesel of the copywriting world. So, rather than storming into their offices with our fists readied, we prefer to carry out a much more serene Google search for some of our key terms to see what the competition are up to.
And, after that search, we usually feel pretty good about ourselves. Well, for a few minutes at least, then we inadvertently see our own reflections in the computer screen and it all comes crashing down again.
How to find a copywriting agency you can trust
Placing an order for copywriting can feel like a step into the unknown. Without a personal recommendation, how do you know that the copywriting agency you’re approaching is going to be any better at communicating with your customers or clients than you are?
Any copywriting agency worth its salt should be able to effectively showcase its skills through the quality of the information on its website. After all, what better shop window could there possibly be for a copywriting agency than its own website and blog?
Here are a few things you should look out for:
- Copywriting portfolio – Any agency that cuts the copywriting mustard should be proud to show off its wares. A portfolio will help to differentiate a high-quality writing service from the rest of the rabble. No portfolio? Perhaps they have something to hide…
- Onsite blog – The proof of the pudding is in the tasting and no one wants to eat a big bland cake. If a copywriting agency’s own blog is so dull that it makes you want to drown yourself in a bowl of rice pudding, any copy the agency writes for you will probably have a similar effect on your customers.
One agency triumphantly exclaims: “Our team consists of Ph.D. tutors, experienced journalists and published novelists.” The problem comes when the quality of their own blog doesn’t back this up. If their blog doesn’t sparkle, how will they help you shine? - Website copy – There’s no better shop window for a copywriting agency than its own website. This is their chance to be at their mellifluous best. To dazzle; to delight; to make you smile; to make you cry. So, if their copy doesn’t grab you from the get-go and leaves you feeling uninspired, they’re probably not the right team for the job.
- Marketing talk – One copywriting agency we looked at leads with the rather enticing: “All of our copywriters are sourced from the UK, guaranteeing the best standard of English language”. That’s wonderful, but being ‘sourced’ from the UK does not guarantee the ‘best’ standard of English – just ask the cast of Geordie Shore. Secondly, for a professional copywriter, an excellent command of the English language should be a given and not something to shout about.
We’re not here to lambast the competition – far from it. There are plenty of excellent writers out there and copywriters are a pretty good bunch. They’re not arms dealers or housing developers who sell new-build homes full or faults. We simply want you to find the best copywriting agency you can, and that just happens to be us!
Find out more about how we can help businesses and agencies here at To Your Heart’s Content and drop us a line right now.