First, may I say I am staggered by your comments Earl. I wonder if you are just stirring the pot to get a reaction?
Ill start with a story, rather than an image. I recently re-wrote a website for someone who knows their business inside out. He should have been able to write about it, shouldnt he? Apart from not having the time, he had no idea how to write in a concise, punchy way. His site wasnt performing either and he just couldnt get his message across. At that stage, it was nothing to do with price whatsoever!
I took on the challenge, did research, tested some keywords and wrote his site. The result? He was not only delighted with the website but it is now on the first page of Google , enquiries have gone up by 60% and business has increased. It wasnt magic - it was all about good writing, positioning, SEO and understanding the market.
I dont claim to be a SEO expert, as my role is diverse. A copywriter is so much more than a label. Copywriters provide all sorts of services, from creative concept work and organising email campaigns, to article marketing and writing for print.
Copywriters help businesses to attract attention. Lets face it: you have to create desire before any sales can take place. (The AIDA principle: Attention - Interest - Desire - Action) Once thats happened, the price issue comes into play. There is a lot of psychology involved in the buying process. Its all about the emotions... If copy doesnt meet emotional needs, the product/service wont sell as well. Therefore, a copywriters role is to shape copy to suit the audiences emotional needs. Feel free to read my blog post about psychology:
http://thewordwell.co.uk/wordpress/copywriting/use-psychology-to-communicate-with-your-customers
Its not just about how something looks or having a short description to sell the product. A product - whatever it is - has to tick several boxes in the prospects mind. If you just have a picture and a brief description, you run the risk of ignoring the prospects needs. Copy that is focused on the reader, and builds rapport - is likely to have more impact than copy which focuses on the product itself.
Its not about eloquent words Earl. Its about words which the target audience will respond to. More often than not, simple, direct words are more effective than long, fancy ones. Its not what you say - its how you say it. In copy I write, I build value and create trust. Clever techniques are used to get a response: a sale! Thats not just about writing - thats about understanding the selling process.
One final point. I quoted a website job for someone starting a new business. In the end, the person decided to write the web copy himself. Once the website was live, I was staggered to see the website not only full of spelling/grammar errors, but much of it is written in a negative way. For me, its such as shame as I know I could have helped this guy to make a go of his new venture. If copy is a voice-piece for his business, it doesnt come across as professional. To me, thats a wasted opportunity.
Everyone has their value, Earl. To pick holes in other peoples professions and livelihood is unfair. As for saying Copywriters think the general public are stupid and gullible is an inflammatory statement, which reveals far more about you than the topic in discussion.
