Hiring a copywriter can be a game-changer for you and your course business. However, finding that perfect time when it’s not too early or too late can be confusing. Here’s how to know if you’re ready to hire a copywriter.
Course creators often fall into two crowds:
- The “I want to hire it out and get it done NOW” crowd
- And the “I’ll do it all myself, even if it kills me” crowd
There is nothing wrong with being a member of either crowd, but both can go wrong if you don’t consider a few basic principles.
Are you ready to hire a copywriter?
The “I want to hire it out and get it done NOW” crowd are go-getters who want fast results. That’s great until you get ahead of yourself on the race to the finish line and end up spending unnecessary time and money.
A copywriter can make your life so much easier, make the launch process flow more smoothly, and yes, it can help you reach the launch stage and start making money much faster.
However, before you start looking for a writer or even worse hiring one, be sure to know these simple things:
Be clear on who you’re selling your product to
If you don’t know who your audience is, what their pain points are, what keeps them up at night, what they care about you aren’t ready for a copywriter yet because you are still in the discovery phase. A copywriter has to know who they are writing for. Your audience should be clear to you and well defined before you hire someone to write copy.
Know what makes you stand out in the crowd
Do you know what you do that helps your audience solve their problems? What makes you better able to do that than others in the field? What makes you unique and special?
Know the details of your course
This doesn’t mean you have to have the curriculum completely figured out, but you do need to know how it will work and the basics of what you will offer. While this might sound like one of those DUH! statements, if you cannot outline the basics of your course offerings to a copywriter, you aren’t ready to hire one yet.
Why this matters
Without these three pieces of information, the copywriter will be guessing and/or making things up. This means you are paying someone a lot of money to put something out into the world that may or may not land with who you want to serve. The bottom line is it’s your business and no one else can determine who you want to work with or what will be in your course. No one else knows the unique qualities only you can bring to the course.
With this basic knowledge, a copywriter can do the research, extract the essentials you will need for your copy, and write amazing copy. This will allow your marketing message to be on point.
If you know the answers to the three topics above, you’re ready to hire a copywriter.
If you DO NOT know the answers then that is your next step. Consider it the homework that will result in an A+ versus the skimping that leaves you with an F or an incomplete. Once you feel confident in your answers, you are then ready to hire a copywriter.
Should you hire a copywriter?
The “I’ll do it all myself, even if it kills me” crowd has the best intentions in the world. They believe in their course and know they are the expert but even they may find there’s a time to hire a copywriter to do the writing for them.
There’s no shame in that game and it’s okay to ask for help. After all your expertise most likely isn’t in copywriting and even if it is when you write for yourself you may be so close to the subject you can’t write objectively or clearly because you know too much.
Plus, waiting too long is costing you both time and money.
These are signs that maybe you should hire a copywriter:
You are spending too much time writing your own copy
Time is money. Figure out what your time is worth an hour. Next, figure out how much time you spend writing your copy. If you’re spending more time writing your copy and it is costing you more than it would to simply hire a copywriter, then it’s time to hire one.
You aren’t getting the conversions you want
A course without sales is a lot of work for no results. If you’ve tried the DIY route and you aren’t making the sales you want then it’s time to hire a professional who knows how to write copy that sells.
You feel overwhelmed with all there is to do
Owning your own business and creating your own course is work. Lots of work. Some of it’s fun for you and some of it makes you long for a root canal just for a break. If you are feeling stressed, anxious, or overwhelmed when you write your launch copy, it’s time to hire a copywriter.
You may be too much of an expert
Your expertise is great when it comes to teaching the content of your course, but sometimes expertise can get in the way of your messaging. Sometimes you are just too close to the subject! What happens is you talk over your audience’s head, don’t resonate with their pain points, and you may have trouble simplifying your message in order to make sales. That’s when a copywriter can work magic in your messaging.
You simply hate writing
If you’d rather walk over hot coals than sit at your computer trying to figure out what to say then it’s time to hire a copywriter. Too often, we put off what we hate to do and when you put off the copy you need to sell your course, you are missing out on income and helping the very people you created your course for.
What if there’s a happy medium between hiring a copywriter and doing it yourself?
The good news is that there is! You don’t have to hire a copywriter if you want to do it yourself and you can do it yourself without frustration and uncertainty.
To find out more, click this link to find out more about the Course Creator’s Copywriting Academy and get on the waitlist.
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