How to hire a good copywriter in Singapore

Get a recommendation from someone if you can

If someone has been happy with a copywriter they hired and you trust that person’s recommendations, it cuts out a lot of research time.


Look for organically listed copywriters on Google

Use common keywords like “copywriter in Singapore”, “copywriters”, “editors”, “content writers” and add “Singapore” to the search term. The first entries that come up are paid ads – copywriters actively promoting their services through paid ads. Further down, you’ll find organically listed companies. That usually means they’ve been around longer and have the chops to get listed on Google through their own content. There’s nothing wrong with paying for ads, don’t get me wrong, but if you want your site to rank in time so that you can reduce your online ad spend, hiring a company that’s managed to list organically is a safer bet.


Contact the copywriter for a meeting

For Pete’s sake, please do yourself a favour and MEET the writer before you start asking for price. Run your business professionally. Sure, you want to keep costs low. We all get that. But you get what you pay for. If you shop on price alone and decide to pay peanuts, guess what? Yes, you get monkeys! You’ll end up with poorly written content that will backfire on you down the road.


In the meeting, find out the copywriter’s experience

And I mean in writing in general NOT writing for your industry. You are hiring a COPYWRITER, an expert in writing, not an expert in your industry. A good copywriter will research and get to know your industry. You need someone trained to WRITE and to sell through writing. Don’t lose sight of your hiring goal here! Copywriting is a special skill that someone familiar in your industry may not have. Don’t confuse expert knowledge in the subject matter with the ability to write well and convey your message simply so your audience will understand. Shop SMART! Sorry, a bit of a rant there, but I just don’t understand business owners who shop on price when it comes to something as critical as marketing their business.


Listen to how the copywriter talks about their work

– Are they passionate? Are they curious? You’re going to need someone who can infuse passion into your content. Do they understand your audience or are they willing to learn? The benefits of hiring a copywriter in Singapore as opposed to abroad will raise the odds for you here.


Is their writing accurate?

This is critical, especially if you are talking to an international audience. Buyers who see grammatical mistakes in the copy are less likely to trust your company and that can cost you the sale. Make sure you make a good first impression. Invest in getting the communication right! Worst case scenario, you end up a laughing stock on international TV. Best case scenario – you just look uneducated. Don’t risk it.


Hire a copywriter, not a journalist

Hiring a journalist takes care of point 6 above, for sure. But it’s a different skill set. Journalists are trained in journalism, not copywriting. Copywriters understand the psychology of a buyer. They know how to manipulate the sale. They know how to sell on emotion – because people buy on emotion. Hire a copywriter.


Give a clear brief

The copywriter needs to understand the scope of the work involved in order to quote accurately. You don’t want nasty, surprise, add-on costs half way through the project. So be transparent. If your work is confidential, have the writer sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) before you talk.


Now you can consider price

Allocate a decent budget for what you want to accomplish. It will pay dividends in the end. You’ll probably get quoted varying costs by different writers based on their experience, their results, their overheads, their value. Select a copywriter who gives you a fair price that matches the results you want to achieve. Know that really cheap isn’t going to get you much, and the more you are willing to invest, the better the likely outcome. If you are squeezing the copywriter for every penny and wasting their time, they’re not likely to give your work respect because you’re not giving them the respect. That’s basic human psychology. If you hire a professional, be professional. You could end up with a long and good relationship. Good copywriters are hard to find. When you have one, be sure to maintain the relationship.


Follow these steps for hiring a copywriter in Singapore and you are on track to improving content marketing for your business and that means more business for you.

ANGE DOVE

Ange Dove is an author, mentor and master copywriter. The founder of content creation agency, Proof Perfect, Ange is also known as Your Work From Anywhere Mentor and coaches business owners to MarketSMART.

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