Copywriting, simply stated, is the process of using words to promote something or someone. Once a term that only pertained to writing for traditional (old, legacy) media, in contemporary parlance “copywriting” also includes writing for new media (such as the web). Good copywriting is a part of good brand development, and as such is of great benefit to any company.

This article is about what I call “developing a language for your company”, which is the process of approaching copywriting strategically for a company that needs a comprehensive overhaul of its marketing copy. If performed properly, the resulting copy will become the vernacular for a company both internally and in market-facing functions.

Producing a large body of content in a single major initiative, with accompanying guidelines for immediate copy usage and future copy development, is a critical part of developing brand standards (along with logo mark development and related usage guidelines).

Some written material will never be effectively produced without a design component (even if that be only a graph, flowchart, or map)—and much written material is made more effective by judicious use of visuals. Therefore, design is a critical partner in the “language development” process.

In fact, effective strategic copywriting is never performed without a broad consideration of actual and potential design context. After all, by some definitions graphic design is no more than the “harmonious juxtaposition of words and symbols, for the purpose of conveying one or more messages.” A well-formed strategic copywriting initiative will include the creation of a defined quantity of rough (or finished) marketing pieces incorporating both copy and design.

The cost of strategic copywriting is not flat, but rather is scaled to the particular engagement. The major cost factors are:

• State of client brand development (including a number of sub-factors, which I won’t list here)
• Number of participating client "stakeholders"
• Interest/aptitude/commitment of those stakeholders
• The efficiency and effectiveness of the copywriter(s)
• The regional market in which the work is taking place

Because it does not take some factors into consideration, prepackaged pricing for content development carries a high risk of ineffectiveness due to over-commoditization of the provided services, producing a generic result rather than an effective, unique solution.

Copywriting, performed as a major initiative rather than piecemeal over multiple projects, produces the following Return on Investment benefits.

• It provides ready copy that can be distributed with little adjustment for a wide variety of purposes. This allows the company to take advantage of marketing/PR opportunities that it would ordinarily let pass by (due to lack of ready response), or would ordinarily perform ineffectively. This likely means that the same marketing dollar is producing a better result.
• Content is more effectively and efficiently developed in concentrated blocks of time with time and opportunity for broad consideration of the strategy and subject matter.
• For all following projects, the number of drafts/proofs are reduced, ergo...time-to-delivery is reduced.

Depending on the rate of corporate growth and development, this work would be reevaluated for necessary adjustment/expansion on a quarterly, semiannual, or annual basis.

Good copywriting is necessary for all business. If you’d like to discuss the function that excellent copywriting can perform in your company’s better future, feel free to contact me.

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