Writing copy for an industry you know nothing about
By: Cedric Debono
Tags: Freelance, Freelancing, Copywriter, Clients, Copywriting

Breaking into an industry you know nothing about, can be unnerving. I know, because I’ve had to do it many times.

But it does get easier over time. Here are some ways that have helped me write copy for new industries.

1. Remember that it’s not your job to be the industry expert

As a copywriter, your line of expertise is selling. It’s not your job to know more about the industry than your client does. And really, if that were the case, it would not bode well for the client.

Understand that copy is the result of bridging your expertise in selling, with your client’s specialised knowledge in their respective industry.

This doesn’t mean you don’t have to do your research. You still need to cross-reference what you know with what is working in that industry in terms of the approach and implementation of copy.

2. Cherish the opportunity because it makes you better

Yes, specialisation can be an asset. But diversification makes you a far superior copywriter.

Why?

Because it allows you to cross-pollinate knowledge from across industries.

As you expose yourself to different verticals, you’ll start to notice “holes” in the way they do things. True, established practices are there for a reason — because they’ve been tried and tested, and found effective. But these practices can also act as blinders to new ways of doing things.

If you can enrich your copy with external ideas, and make it work better, it will give you and your client an important competitive advantage.

3. Consult with your client

Your client has been in the industry for a while. They’ve tried things and had their fair share of hits and misses.

Use that knowledge. Get your client to tell you about what they’ve tried, what has worked, what had failed, and what they’ve learned from these experiments.

Most of the time, you’ll find that the failures were due to minor missteps that can easily be fixed.

Use that to your advantage. Propose the fix and then test again. If you get a positive result, it’s a fantastic ROI because the fix required minimal effort. And if it flops, no harm is done because the opportunity cost was minimal.

4. Build a swipe file

While it’s not your job to be the industry expert, it’s definitely your responsibility to know as much as possible about how copy works in said industry.

Your first step in that direction is to find out what others are doing.

Build a swipe file with copy from that industry. Sign up to email lists of competitors. Read their blogs. Keep detailed notes on CTAs (calls to action), copy length, build-up, sequence, format, pain points, selling points — anything you notice.

Remember that successful copy is built on elements that already exist in the world. It’s like making music. A great tune uses the exact same elements as a crappy tune. It’s the assembly that makes the difference.

Do you have anything to add?

I’ve been doing this for almost two decades, but not a day goes by that I don’t discover a new or better way of doing something.

So even if you’re just starting out, you might know something that I don’t.

If that’s the case, I’d love to hear it. Seriously. Leave a comment and tell me.