Good copy, whether it’s on your website or for your annual report, immediately identifies your business as professional and worth taking seriously. This is true whether you are just starting out or have had a web presence for years. Want to win over that new client within the first 30 seconds of landing on your website? Be sure your message is sparkling and engaging! Boring or confusing content, bad grammar, and typos all send an immediate message to your clients that you don’t take the time to make an effort. And if you can’t be bothered in your marketing, what does that mean for them as a client?

Poor writing is a huge problem for many businesses. As Bill Gates said back in 1996, “content is king.” While this means many things in different situations, it has made many business owners come to the realization that while they need content, they don’t have the time to write quality content.

And this can be a challenging dilemma! Sometimes content just needs to be informational—writing product descriptions for a lighting company, for  example. But sometimes it needs to be a call to action—why spectacular lighting displays for your showcase home should be purchased from that same lighting company. Sometimes it needs to be inspiring, motivating, and relevant—donating to a non-profit’s annual campaign fund, for example. Or maybe you need something that’s a little bit of all of that—an advertorial, for example, which is a marketing piece in the guise of an article (see an example here).

Many business owners and C-level executives are fully capable of writing their own material, and frequently do, but it becomes a tradeoff—quality content or more business connections; writing a speech or closing the next deal; sending a monthly donor report or connecting with customers. Hiring a professional writer gives you more time to focus on your business and customer experience—and these are things that can’t be outsourced.

If you already have a blog or a weekly email that goes out to your customers, hiring a professional ghostwriter can help increase your readership. Interesting articles that your readers or customers want to share gets the word out about your business. Hiring someone to do the writing for you can also give both you and your customers new insights into the company and what you have to offer. Just as you aren’t always the best person to describe your best attributes, you aren’t always the best person to promote your own business.

A case in point: I was once hired to write a bio for a professional make-up artist. She had a beauty salon in Long Beach that was very popular, and she was going to start teaching classes in Los Angeles. She was asked to submit a professional biography to be published in the school’s catalog. In sitting down to talk with her, at first all she shared with me was her training and information about her business, but it soon came out that she was the make-up artist for several Hollywood actresses—famous women who came to her studio! It hadn’t occurred to her that this information was relevant for a school catalog, but it was a huge selling point. She was delighted with the bio and went on to revamp her brochures and her website. Different perspectives can sometimes make all the difference.

If you are trying to decide whether to hire a professional writer, why not contact me for a free consultation? Couldn’t you use a little extra time in your day?