To make sure you get the right copywriter for your next project, it’s a good idea to have some understanding of what makes a copywriter a good one.

And the easiest way to do that is to read Claude Hopkins’, “Scientific Advertising.”

It’s probably the most famous (and profitable) book about advertising and writing copy that has ever been written.

In fact, famous advertising and copywriting genius, David Ogilvy, had this to say about Hopkins’ book:

“Nobody, at any level, should be allowed to have anything to do with advertising until he has read this book seven times. It changed the course of my life.”

Click on the image of the book to download your free copy right now.

The next time you’re interviewing a freelance copywriter, consider asking them this question:

“Why aren’t you writing for yourself?”

“Why aren’t you your own client?”

I know a lot of copywriters who started as freelancers and then ended up becoming their own client. I’m one of them.

There’s nothing wrong if your freelance copywriter doesn’t want to write for himself–if he doesn’t want to sell his own products and build a business.

There are plenty of excellent copywriters that simply have no interest in doing that. But asking the question will give you some additional insight about the copywriters you are considering working with.

Your frame of mind can really have a big effect over what you get for your money when you’re out looking for a freelance copywriter.

There are really two primary ways to view the services of a freelance copywriter.

1. You view them as an expense.
2. You view them as a potential profit center.

A lot of business owners perceive a copywriter as a business expense item simply because they don’t really understand what a good copywriter is capable of creating. A good copywriter is capable of a whole lot more than just stringing words together so they sound good.

In fact, a good copywriter could be one of the most valuable tools you have in your business. If you know how to leverage their skills.

The whole point of a (good) copywriter is to take ideas, translate them into words and create sales.

If your freelance copywriter is just stringing words together, you either have the wrong one, or you haven’t taken time to understand the power of what you’ve got.

Some copywriters will get your project done in a week. Other copywriters will take 3-4 weeks or more to write your promotion.

But how long does it really take to write a couple pages of copy?

Well, the simple answer is: not long. At least not for most copywriters. But it’s not so much the writing that’s the problem. It’s what comes before the writing that can take a while.

There’s a lot of work that you don’t see when it comes to writing copy. And much of that work involves creativity.

I’m not talking about the “coming up with a cute tagline or slogan” type of creativity, but the creativity that allows a copywriter to take a huge amount of information and turn it into a unique sales message that will get your market to take action.

And every copywriter has their own way to do that. Some take pages and pages of notes as they study your market and your product. Then they turn to those notes to come up with ideas to make the promotion a success.

Others just ingest a bunch of information and let their creative subconscious take charge. They walk around for a few days “mulling it over.” They’re just waiting for their subconscious to drop the perfect “hook” to put into your promotion. The hook is that one big idea that will turn readers into buyers.

For me, I know that once I’ve done the research… once I know exactly who my market is… and once I’ve given my mind some time to churn… the actual writing process is fast.

If I’m writing a 10 page salesletter for a product, it can be done in a few hours once all the preliminary work has been done.

For me, it just flows at that point.

So how long should it take to get your copy? A week? A month?

The answer is that it just depends on who you’re working with. And that’s really a blessing in disguise. Because what you’re really paying for when you hire a copywriter is the copywriter’s unique take on how to sell your product. And that uniqueness means that there is no hard or fast rule about how long it should take.

But here’s something to consider:

For me, the longer I work with a client, the quicker the whole process goes. The more I understand my client’s product and the deeper I understand the market, the quicker I can create results for everyone. And the better those results tend to be.

My hunch is that this is true for a lot of copywriters. And it’s a good reason why once you find the right copywriter, you should consider sticking with her. A long term relationship can be a whole lot more profitable for everyone involved.

So it’s a given that a competent copywriter is good with words.

They can take powerful ideas and put them on paper or onto the web in a way that makes people take action. That’s key…

But when you’re dealing with a good copywriter, you’re selling yourself (and your profits) short if that’s all you ask your copywriter to do.

Because one of the most important benefits a copywriter should bring to the table isn’t just the ability to arrange the words on a page. The copywriter should also help you create the most effective way to position the entire campaign.

Let’s say you’re selling a business opportunity to Fortune 500 executives. If you’re going to write an ad, you’ve got to figure out what you’re really selling.

• Are you really selling a business opportunity? A way to make some extra money?
• Or are you selling a way for your customer to take control of his time? To call his own shots?
• Or are you selling a way to give your customer a piece of the “American Dream?”
• Or are you selling a way for your customer to finally give a little “payback” to his current boss by being able to quit his job in 6 months or less?

You’ve got to figure out what it is you’re really selling. Because if you don’t choose the “right” thing to sell… if you don’t position your product as the logical solution for your prospects’ most pressing need… then chances are, your prospects won’t buy.

And that’s what a copywriter can (and should) help you do. In other words, a good copywriter is actually a marketer in disguise.

And if you’re going to invest your money in hiring a copywriter, you need to be sure to get every ounce of value you can.

So ask your copywriter for help. The good ones will know what to do.