I read a sales pitch on a fellow copywriter's website the other day and was taken aback at how damming she was of new writers.
As a new writer reading such words naturally hit a nerve with me, and I became defensive, but it also occurred to me that she obviously felt threatened by new writers in order to add it to her sales pitch. The psychology going on right here is for another post entirely.
‘New hot shot copywriters are popping up, the ones who have been writing for five minutes, charging obscene prices and an ego to match’.
I believe that competition is healthy, and can be beneficial, often encouraging people, writers in this instance, to sharpen their skills, take more time and generally dig a bit deeper. It is also to the customer's advantage too; they get to choose from a variety of people, styles, perspectives and ideas so that they might find the writer best suited to their needs.
As a Copywriter, it's our job to know and employ the magic formula to entice, persuade and encourage customers towards that mighty call to action, selling the benefits and reminding customers of how dire life could be if they miss the opportunity that we’re promoting, but when is it ok to actively criticise your competition, especially for being new? I don’t doubt there are many not-so-warm and fuzzy character traits that some people of all ages, experiences and professions have, but I wouldn't be so bold as to pigeonhole them as new copywriters.
Let’s look at the benefits of new copywriters. We’re hungry, determined, and full of fresh ideas. We'll most likely have come from multiple backgrounds, offering a wide range of skills and experiences that help shape new perspectives and attitudes. We may also just be so naturally talented that the gift of creative and persuasive writing flows effortlessly from our fingers.
We might also know the laws surrounding denigration and defamation set out by the Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) and choose to upsell our gifts and talents rather than resort to playground tactics to get a sale.
So when competitors write, ‘Are you going to entrust your company’s success and revenue into the hands of someone who hasn’t seen it all, who doesn’t have a proven record or someone who brings a diva attitude with them to every single interaction’ it might be pertinent to consider the mindset and attitude of the person writing such slanderous words, as they are above all, most telling of the person writing them.
In my humble opinion, experience doesn’t necessarily equate to being the best; the best shows up in your work, attitude, behaviour and the etiquette and kindness you display to others.
There is more than enough work for everyone to succeed and get their slice of the pie, so let’s celebrate each other's wins, harness and promote our strengths and encourage people to do better.
Footnote - When citing quotes, it is correct to cite the author; however, in the interest of kindness, I will not be sharing such.names.
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