Should You Write It Yourself - Or Not?

By Barbara Barnow



When we're thinking of developing marketing materials for our companies, it takes most of us an instant to determine whether we have the personal or in-house graphic capabilities to create a professional look-or whether we need to hire a graphic designer. However, deciding who should write the text or copy for that brochure, web site or newsletter is often not as clear-cut a decision.

It's reasonable to say that most of us have been subjected to at least 12 years of studying English grammar and vocabulary. Some of us have mastered the language better than others. Many professionals also have experience writing term papers in college and generating internal or informal business communications in their current positions. Is this sufficient talent to write marketing copy?

Let's start from a level playing field. Let's assume that both the business owner and the marketing professional have correctly identified the market, so that the only issue is writing. The first and most obvious point identified by business owners and management executives is that they are more knowledgeable and more committed to their business than any hired marketing professional. Could there be any downside to this clear advantage? Absolutely.

Sometimes being intimately familiar with your business can limit you from communicating effectively about it, a problem that is more likely to occur in writing than in speaking. The most common problem is offering too much information-as if telling it all will entice or persuade someone to use your product or service. But how much consideration do you give to materials that are wordy and lengthy? The objective in marketing pieces is to engage your audience to contact you and learn more about what you offer. If you look over your writing and think you've said it all, then you've probably said too much.

Another aspect of the problem facing non-professional writers is that when you're genuinely excited about your business, or if you're experimenting with a marketing style, you may tend to be overly exuberant. The result is that rather than create an edge to your message, you create an excess. Examples of being heavy-handed include using superlative language, which reduces your credibility ("We do it all."); using puns that trivialize ("Got a bug in your bonnet-or in your house?"); and using exclamation marks that substitute for strong word choices.

Another common communication problem can be failing to decode fundamental concepts or technical terms. When you're immersed in your business, it can be hard to recognize that your knowledge and language are unfamiliar and even alienating to the audiences you want to reach.

A skilled writer is a communications strategist, a person who can select words and phrases that will attract the reader. A skilled writer also knows how to prioritize and highlight essential aspects of a product, service or business, pitching them in an engaging order and emphasizing them through effective copy and text formatting. When you're working with marketing or writing professionals, you are the first test case for determining whether the material is effective. Similarly, when you write it yourself, you need to find an objective audience to critique your copy.

Without question, marketing materials need to be attractive and graphically compelling, but it is essential to recognize that the best graphics are driven by the copy that accompanies them. Good graphics can get your audience's attention, but then you need to create a strong message-even if it's only three words, such as Nike's "Just Do It."

If you feel confident about your ability to write strategically, then there are probably only two circumstances for considering a professional writer. The first is when you find that you've been postponing your project again and again because of higher priorities. In other words, you have the talent, but not the time.

The second circumstance is when you're serious about investing in a marketing product that will maintain or enhance your image. You've hired a graphic designer, and you'll be incurring costs for printing, advertising or mailing. Under this scenario, it makes sense at least to consult with a marketing professional and get an estimate. Often, the cost for writing copy is considerably less than for other production and distribution expenses.

Whether or not you choose to write your own materials, give yourself the extra advantage in marketing by valuing not only the graphics, but the words that represent what you do.



Barbara Barnow is principal of Strategies Unlimited, a marketing and public relations firm based in Columbia. She can be reached at 410-997-3624 or bbarnow@erols.com.