4 core skills of a marketing copywriter

You’ve spent months preparing to launch an industry-leading product, and now you need a new sales page to position your offering to the right buyers and generate leads. The only problem? You’re swamped, and writing copy isn’t your area of expertise. You need a marketing copywriter who can immerse themselves in your B2B company’s brand and craft powerful copy to ignite a connection with your audience.

Finding a B2B marketing copywriter who has the skills you need to match the quality of your product can feel like a lot of work on your end. But, it doesn’t have to be as hard as finding the perfect office party outfit post-lockdown. In this article, we’ll share the key information you need to streamline the process of hiring an external writer, including:

• Four core skills to look for in a marketing copywriter

• Examples of compelling, clear, concise B2B marketing copy (the three Cs)

• How to find a marketing copywriter

4 must-have marketing copywriter skills

You want Shakespeare-level skills, not Fox News foolishness. Here’s how to find the real deal when you’re looking for a B2B marketing copywriter.

1. Attention-grabbing prose

Unlike long form content such as blog posts or ebooks, website or email copy often only contains a few headers and lines of text. A seasoned marketing copywriter knows how to get the key information about your B2B company’s offerings across clearly and concisely, in a way that’s instantly captivating and informative. Every word should have purpose, otherwise you risk your readers scrolling right past your message.

A robust lexicon might sound like the perfect accoutrement of a skilled writer, but good copywriting is free of jargon and excess, which repel readers. Instead, the right words let what is unique about your company shine for itself.

Here’s an example of marketing copy from the SaaS company Basecamp that lives up to the three Cs. Bonus points to Basecamp for incorporating social proof into the copy.

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Here’s another excellent show of wordsmithery from Roast My Landing Page.

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2. Ability to connect with a specific audience

Strong B2B copywriting must go beyond explaining the features of a product or service and enable the reader to envision how the offering can fix an issue for them or benefit their lives. To achieve this, your copywriter must understand what keeps your audience up at night.

This copy from B2B company Refer HR speaks to a common challenge for HR professionals: the difficulty of finding a quality candidate without spending a ton of money on the search. The fact that Refer HR is an online talent network takes a backseat to talking about the benefit the service provides.

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Here’s another example from the SaaS company HubSpot that speaks to customer relationship management (CRM) and sales professionals who are looking for user-friendly tech to get their jobs done well.

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3. A reporter’s mindset

Although familiarity with your B2B company’s niche can be an asset, it shouldn’t be a deal breaker when it comes to hiring a marketing copywriter. An excellent copywriter can dive into any industry to learn its nuances with ease. Just like a reporter, they’ll research your competitors and your audience, and ask you the right questions to understand what makes buyers in your industry tick.

4. A commitment to stellar client service

A solid B2B copywriter should be reliable and easy to work with. No matter how skilled a writer is with words, if they have a surly disposition or a propensity to push deadlines, this will make your life more complicated and cause your patience to wear thin.

How to find a stellar marketing copywriter: 3 tips

1. Know what you want

Be clear on your priorities before you start flipping through your copywriter rolodex. As the old adage goes: good, fast, cheap—you can only pick two. Your significant other may be able to write copy in their spare time, but if you want quality, hire a pro. Taking the expert route will save you time and money in the long run. You won’t have to hold the writer’s hand through the process or deal with multiple rounds of revisions.

2. Ask for recommendations

Word of mouth can help you cut to the chase when you’re looking for a marketing copywriter. Ask other B2B marketers in your network if they have experience working with external copywriters, and what they liked or disliked about each particular vendor.

3. Scour the internet

LinkedIn groups and Slack channels can be great places to find your next B2B marketing copywriter. Look for writers who show up consistently on these platforms and share helpful information, as well as those who have reviews from previous clients that you can browse.

Get conversion-worthy marketing copy

Your website copy is one of the first things potential customers read when they discover your B2B company, and your sales page will often be the last thing they read before choosing to book a discovery call with you. 

Excellent B2B copywriting creates a strong first impression and helps your prospects determine whether your offerings are a fit for them. At Scribe National, we take the guesswork out of creating captivating copy for websites and sales pages to help you drive action and revenue. Contact us today to get started.