A mystique seems to have built up around copywriting, causing many to believe that good copy alone can make your business rich.

It’s just not so.

Before you think about hiring a copywriter, be sure you’ve taken care of some other very important matters:

1. Niche Research

If you’re starting a new business, do some niche research to find out two things:

• Is there a large enough market for the product or service you want to offer?
• Is there too much competition to succeed in this niche?

Keep doing research until you find a niche that can succeed. That can include narrowing your niche so that it serves a less competitive segment of a wider, more competitive niche. But be sure that smaller segment has a large enough market as well.

If you already have an established business, it doesn’t hurt to do some keyword research as well, so that you know what segment of your niche is likely to be most profitable.

2. The Quality of Your Product or Service

Gary Bencivenga, widely considered world’s greatest living copywriter, said “a gifted product is mightier than a gifted pen.”

Do you realize what this means? If the quality of your product or service is not good, even copy from Gary Bencivenga, won’t be able to help you! So take your time getting this right before hiring someone who isn’t Gary Bencivenga.

3. How will you drive traffic to your site?

Yes, this will happen after the copy is written. But if you don’t have a plan for this, it won’t matter how good the copy is. Because few people will see it.

One good source of training on these matters is the Thirty Day Challenge (www.thirtydaychallenge.com) which is going on right now. It started on August 1 and ends on August 31. But don’t worry about that. Just signing up and watching whatever videos you can fit into your schedule will help you.

And don’t be intimidated. TDC is run by Ed Dale, who has got to be the silliest and most upbeat internet marketing teacher I’ve ever seen. He also has a charming Australian accent.

You’ll also find a lot of information on these topics simply by searching the internet for them.

Once you’re done, though, consider the rest of Mr. Bencivenga’s advice:

“In all of marketing, there is no combination more powerful than a gifted product and a gifted pen.”

Yes, copywriting is an important part of your success, but it’s only one part of it. Once you’ve got those first three matters dealt with, get the best copywriter you can, and you’ll have a solid shot at success.

The next time you’re looking for a freelance copywriter, take a moment and ask them this question:

“So what do you do?”

Pay attention to the answer. HINT: You’re not looking for an answer like, “I’m a copywriter…”

You’re looking for an answer that speaks to your real needs.

Something like: “I’m a freelance copywriter that specializes in helping companies grow their profits FAST.”

That’s something you’d probably like, right?

Here’s a REALLY good answer to the “What do you do?” question…

So we’ve all heard the saying, “You get what you pay for…”

Generally, the more you pay for something, the higher the quality is.

But for every example you can cite where that’s true, someone can cite an example where it’s not.

So the question we’re trying to answer today is, is it true for freelance copywriters?

Do you get what you pay for when you hire one?

If you only pay $1,000 for a project, will the results you get be measurably worse than if you had paid $5,000 for the very same project?

Maybe… but probably not.

Here’s why:

Remember that freelance copywriters are in this business for very different reasons. Some want to make a million dollars. Some simply want to work from home. And still others just do this on the side to create some extra income.

So it’s hard to judge quality simply on the size of the fee alone.

That’s why you have to dig deeper. Look at the writer’s samples. Send them an email and see how they respond.

Just because they’re expensive doesn’t mean they’re right for you. Just because they’re inexpensive doesn’t mean you’ll get a good deal.

You could say that the samples you get from a freelance copywriter are a bit like proof. Proof that they can deliver real results.

But just because the samples blow you away, that doesn’t mean the copywriter is the right fit for you.

Take a close look at the samples. Ask yourself, “Does this freelance copywriter already write in a tone that would fit with my business?”

Then take a close look at the copywriter. Listen how they talk about themselves. Listen for their attitude. Watch their video on Copywriter Catalog if they have one.

What you’re looking for is what they’re like as a person. And you’re trying to answer this question, “Will I enjoy working with this person?”

The better the two of you are able to communicate and work together, the more successful you’ll probably be.

Samples are clues. But you need more than samples to find the right copywriter for your needs. Especially if you want maximum value for your money by working with the same copywriter on more than one project.

Remember this about any samples you review:

Those samples were created for a particular promotion, at a particular time, for a particular product, in a particular market.

Take a promotion I wrote for one of my own businesses a few years ago:

Looks like “good” copy right?

An interesting headline…

Compelling start…

Call to action…

Deadline…

Well, it stunk. 0 Sales.

Was that the copy’s fault?

Maybe. Maybe not. (Probably not.)

The letter I sent before this one worked well.

Why did this promotion fail?

Poor choice of market.

Poor choice of product (positioning).

Two things that are a whole lot more important than the writing.

Almost every week, I talk to a new business owner and prospective client who is looking for a freelance copywriter.

One of the questions I always ask is:

“Well, tell me about who you’ve worked with in the past…”

Lately, the answer to that question has included some pretty big names. Some pretty famous copywriters who strut around pretending that every word they write is worth a million bucks.

If only that were true.

Because 2 recent prospects have told me their stories about the “big name” copywriters they hired where things didn’t work out so well.

“He wrote a bunch of stuff. But the promotion bombed…”

“I guess he’s good, but it just didn’t work out.”

And then my prospect asks me if I think I can do better.

My answer?

“I don’t know… maybe not.”

The success of your promotion comes down to three things.

1. Your market.
2. Your product/offer.
3. Your copy.

The copy matters least.

The world’s most famous copywriter (whoever that is) could bomb if you set them up with a product that no one wants.

But have a great product aimed at the right market… and the number of copywriters that could write you a winner gets quite a bit longer.

Bottom line:

There are no guarantees. Even if the copywriter is “famous.” In fact, if a copywriter guarantees you they’ll hit the ball out of the park, that’s the first sign you should run the other way.

Freelance copywriters are everywhere these days. If you are looking for a good one to help you create your next promotion or help grow your sales, then here are four things to consider. Four traits you want to look for in your next freelance copywriter.

Let’s jump right in…

1. Communication - Your ability to communicate clearly with your freelance copywriter is perhaps THE most important thing on this list. Without good communication, your results will be smaller than they should be and you won’t get the full value that your copywriter can deliver.

Can your copywriter communicate with you? Can they communicate with your employees? Can they communicate well when things go right and when things go wrong?

Of all of the problems I’ve had in my own freelance copywriting business, EACH one can be traced in part to poor communication.

2. Accountability - Is your copywriter responsible for the results of their actions? When a promotion fails, will they accept their fair share of the blame (and come up with some ideas to help improve future results) or will they point the finger at you, your product or your process?

During the interview process, you might consider asking the copywriter about successful projects they’ve worked on. And be sure to ask them about projects that didn’t work out so well. How they speak about the failures will tell you a lot.

3. Marketing Mindset and the Ability to SELL - This is key. You need a freelance copywriter that knows how to sell. After all, that’s really what this is about. Selling your products and services to your marketplace.

So you need to know about their selling skills or selling experience. And the best way to get a glimpse of that is to pay attention to how they sell you to become a client.

4. Writing Skills - Of course your freelance copywriter needs to be able to write. But in the bigger scheme of things, it’s probably one of the least important skills when compared to the ones earlier in this list.

Who wants to work with a writer who is a jerk, who can’t accept responsibility, who can’t sell, who can’t even communicate? That’s not a recipe for a profitable relationship.

Hiring a freelance copywriter can create a huge boost for your business. Just get the information you need to make the right decision for you and your business.

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.

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.