Who needs copywriting? A guide for business owners

If you’ve ever wondered if hiring a professional copywriter is something your business needs, you’re not alone. It’s a pretty common question, especially if you’re already doing your own marketing.

Whilst most businesses need a copywriter, not every business is ready for one. But when the time is right, good copy doesn’t just make your website sound nicer, it helps you sell more:

·        It attracts the right people

·        It converts browsers into buyers

·        It makes people take action

·        It turns your website into something that does the heavy lifting – so you don’t have to

This guide is here to help you work out if copywriting's a smart next step for you. We’ll look at what copywriting actually is (and isn’t) and who needs copywriting.

What is copywriting (and what isn’t it)?

Copywriting is the skill of using words to guide people towards taking action. It’s the text on your website, your sales page, your emails - anything that’s designed to get someone to take an action. That might mean buying, booking, downloading or signing up for something.

But here’s where it often gets muddled: not all writing is copywriting.

Writing a blog post that shares your expertise? That’s content writing. Posting a thoughtful opinion on LinkedIn? Content. Both are incredibly valuable, but they’re not copywriting.

Copywriting is focused on conversion. Every word has a job. And that’s guiding the reader from interest to action.

Bear in mind, there has to be ‘desire.’ Copywriting can’t create desire when there is none. Even the best copywriter in the world won’t get someone to buy a car if they have absolutely no interest in buying one!

But when interest – ‘desire’ – is there, good copywriting will create a lot more chances to convert that interest into a sale.

What are the different types of copywriting?

 There are a number of different types:

·     Website copywriting explains the benefits and features of your products or services. It gives people reasons to take action

·        Sales copy and copy for landing pages is more direct. It’s focused on generating leads or purchases

·        Email copy nurtures your audience over time

Then there’s SEO copy, ad copy, product descriptions, brand messaging... each with its own purpose and approach.

Copywriting isn’t about being clever, or poetic or even being overly original. It’s about clarity, relevance, problem-solving and connecting with your audience so they want to take action.

When done right, copywriting becomes your silent salesperson working 24/7. No pushiness. Just words that work.

Read about different types of copywriting here

7 signs you might need a copywriter

Not sure if copywriting is something you actually need? It’s one of those services that’s intangible - until you see the difference it makes!

Below are seven common signs you might be ready to bring in a professional copywriter. If a couple of these feel familiar, it might be time.

You’re getting traffic, but not conversions

Your website’s getting visitors. You’re showing up in searches. You’re running ads. But somehow… no one’s buying. Or booking. Or reaching out.

This is a classic sign that your copy isn’t doing its job. Good copy doesn’t explain what you do – far from it. Good copy talks about the benefits, what’s in it for the reader and how your product or service solves their problem. The problem may be small – someone needs a hat for a wedding and your business sells hats - but copywriting will connect the dots between your offer and your audience’s needs. It builds trust, answers objections and makes taking the next step feel easy and obvious.

You’re too close to your own business

When you live and breathe your business, it’s hard to step back. You might find yourself focusing on features, what your business is or how it does things. This is really common… 95% of business owners do this. But your audience needs something different… they want to know what buying from you will do for them. They want to know ‘what’s in it for me?’

A copywriter brings a fresh, really focused perspective. They ask the right questions. They find the angle your audience actually cares about. And they turn it into something that resonates with the people you’re trying to reach.

You’re busy - and writing always drops to the bottom of the list

You’ve got a business to run. Clients to serve. Staff to look after. Decisions to make. Sitting down to write a landing page, email sequence or case study? It keeps getting bumped. And when you do find time, it takes far longer than it should.

Copywriters don’t just write. They think strategically. They help you stop reinventing the wheel and create words that work harder .

You’ve written your own website but it doesn’t feel quite right

This is really common. You write all the sections, try to make them sound professional, maybe even mimic another business you admire. But it still doesn’t feel right. It maybe lacks energy or confidence.

Or it just doesn’t sound like you.

A copywriter will help you find your voice, sharpen your message and bring consistency to your content. As a result, your website builds trust and moves people forward.

You’ve got big plans but the words are holding you back

Launching a new offer? Rebranding? Updating your website? None of it works without the right words. If you're delaying a launch or hesitating to promote something because the messaging isn’t quite there, a copywriter will help unlock progress.

A copywriter will help you refine what you want to say and how you say it and get your idea out into the world.

Your messaging isn't cohesive

Your homepage says one thing. Your LinkedIn profile says another. Your brochure or pitch deck? Something else entirely. When your message isn’t consistent, it’s confusing. And confusion kills conversions.

Copywriters bring clarity and cohesion. They’ll help align your tone, language and value proposition across every touchpoint, so you sound like you wherever people find you.

You’re ready to grow and want your marketing to keep up

If your business is growing and evolving, your copy needs to show it. Maybe you’re going after a different type of client. Maybe you're offering something new or wanting to take your business to the next level.

A copywriter helps you reposition, refresh and refocus. Your copy will match where you’re going, not where you’ve been.

What if none of these apply?

Then maybe you don’t need a copywriter just yet. That’s okay. But if even a few of these sound familiar, bringing in expert support could be the shift that helps everything else work better. When the words are working, you’ll feel it. And so will your customers.

Book a complimentary, no-obligation chat

Who benefits most from copywriting?

So, who actually uses a copywriter? And who really benefits from working with one?

Almost any business can benefit from clearer, more persuasive messaging, but there are a few groups that stand to gain the most. If you fall into one of these categories, professional copywriting could make a real difference to your marketing results.

B2B service providers

Copywriting for B2B businesses is all about trust, clarity and positioning. Whether you’re a software company, HR consultancy, law firm or professional service provider, your potential clients are asking: Why you? Why now? Why should I care?

A good copywriter helps you answer those questions. Not with jargon or fluff, but with clear, benefit lead messaging that speaks directly to your audience’s needs. And to the decision-maker.

Many B2B businesses struggle to explain their value simply. A copywriter brings objectivity, structure and strategy - helping you communicate who you help, what’s in it for them and why it matters.

eCommerce and product-based businesses

For eCommerce brands, words sell. Quite literally.

Product descriptions, landing pages, emails and ads - all of them rely on good copy to drive conversions. But it’s not just about describing what something is. It’s about driving home the benefits (subtly, not through hard-sell!), sparking desire and reducing hesitation in seconds.

Whether you sell skincare, tech or gifts, hiring a copywriter can improve your chances of selling online. It can also help strengthen your brand voice - so every customer interaction feels like you, strengthens your brand and increases loyalty.  

Coaches, consultants and creatives

If your business is built around you, then your copy needs to show it. Striking the right balance between personal and professional can be tricky — especially if you’re worried about overselling or coming across as too generic. It’s a fine line.

Copywriting for coaches and consultants is about building trust through tone. Whether you offer one to one services, online programmes or group work, your message needs to be clear, warm and aligned with your values.

A professional copywriter helps make it clear about why you’re better than the next coach or consultant. It’ll help you connect with the right clients, and increase both your and their confidence at the same time!

Startups looking to stand out

When businesses are starting from scratch, every word counts. The homepage. The About page (not ‘About Us,’). The first landing page or crowdfunding campaign. First impressions can make or break those early opportunities.

Copywriting for startups isn’t just about sounding polished. It’s about shaping the brand narrative from day one. A copywriter will help clarify your offer, define your positioning and create consistency across your messaging.

If you’re trying to stand out in a crowded market, professional copywriting gives you a massive head start - without needing a full marketing team behind you.

Businesses ready to grow

You’ve launched. You’ve got a solid offer. Maybe you wrote your own website, pulled together some messaging. You’ve started getting traction. But now? You’re ready for more.

Your business is starting to find its feet, but the copy you started with isn’t quite keeping up. Maybe it sounds a bit DIY. Maybe it doesn’t reflect where you’re heading. Or maybe you’re getting enquiries, but they’re not always the right kind. This is where copywriting can make a real difference.

This isn’t about tearing everything down and starting again. It’s about sharpening what’s already there. Bringing consistency to your voice. Refining how you talk about what you do, so it lands better, with the people you actually want to attract.

If you’re serious about growing your business and standing out in your space, investing in professional copy can give you that next-level presence. More polished. More purposeful. More you.

So whether you’re a business owner, a B2B service provider or an established B Corp, investing in professional copywriting will sharpen your message. It can also strengthen your marketing and save you time. Copywriting isn’t just about writing words, it’s about writing words that’ll achieve results.

What kind of writing does a copywriter help with?

Still not sure where a copywriter fits into your business? Here’s a quick rundown of the most common types of copywriting. And where they make the biggest impact.

 

Website copy

Homepages, about pages, service pages, contact pages. All of it matters.

Website copywriting isn’t just about filling space. It’s about helping people understand who you are and how you help them. It’s explaining how you solve their problem – no matter how small that problem is. Its showing what you offer and why they should trust you, And this has to be done in a matter of seconds.

Landing pages and sales funnels

If you're promoting something specific - a course, an offer, a service, a new product - you’ll need dedicated sales-focused copy.

Landing page copywriting is designed to convert. It takes your reader from curiosity to clarity to click.  Every section is crafted to reduce resistance and encourage action.

Product descriptions

For eCommerce businesses, product copy has to do a lot of heavy lifting.

Product descriptions need to inform, inspire and persuade – in a very short space of time. Copywriters craft product descriptions that sell the benefits first, then go into features. Why? Because benefits sell.

Blog content and case studies

Yes, this is content writing. Many copywriters produce both copy and content. I do - and really enjoy it because it mixes things up a little.

Proof matters. Expertly researched and written blogs can position you as an expert while driving traffic to your site. Case studies help your audience see the transformation you create in real terms. A professional writer helps turn real results and ideas into engaging, purposeful content that builds trust over time.

If you're wondering who needs copywriting and what type of copywriting is right for your business, that often depends on your goals. Want more leads? Start with your sales funnel. Want trust and credibility? Work on your website and case studies. Not sure? Book a quick discovery call and I’ll help you figure it out - without obligation or pressure.

Book a discovery call

When you don’t need a copywriter

Let’s be honest - not everyone needs a copywriter right away.

If you’re still asking, ‘Should I hire a copywriter?’ or ‘Do I need a professional copywriter?’ it’s worth knowing that sometimes the answer might be no, not yet. And that’s okay.

Here are a few situations where hiring a copywriter might not be the right move - at least not yet:

You’re still working out your offer

If you’re in the early stages of working out what you want to sell, or who you’re selling to, it might be too soon to invest in professional copy.

Copywriters can help clarify and shape a message, but they’re not there to test or build a business model from scratch. It’s better to experiment first, refine your offer and then bring in someone to articulate it more powerfully. To sell something, there has to be desire for a product. First off, you need to work out if there’s desire for your product or service.

You understand the difference between features and benefits

Some people genuinely enjoy writing their own copy. If you’ve got the time, the skill and the motivation to write regularly - and your copy is already working -  then you might not need help. But remember, writing about who you are and what you do is not copywriting! Copywriting converts and there's methodology behind it.

Many successful founders write their own copy, at least to begin with. Just be aware of the point where your time becomes more valuable elsewhere - or when the writing starts to slow you down or constantly gets out off in favour of other jobs.

You've not got budget - but you've got time to invest

If you’re in a position where finances are tight, it makes sense to DIY your copy for now. There are plenty of free resources, blog posts and templates that can help you improve your writing and get something functional out into the world. AI can be used to create foundations or page structure. But don't get AI to write your website copy and just copy and paste onto your website. Firstly, it's so damn obvious, it's formulaic and it’s not got the knack. Yet!

DIY copy takes time. It usually takes longer to write and may need tweaking or rewriting later. But if time is something you do have, it can be the right call.

Hiring a copywriter makes the most sense when you’re clear on your direction, have something proven to sell and want to save time or boost results. Until then, you can do a lot on your own. You can always come back when you’re ready to move up to the next level.

What happens when you invest in copywriting?

Hiring a professional copywriter isn’t just about nice words. It’s about getting results.

Whether you're looking to increase enquiries, improve conversions or just feel proud of your messaging, good copy will transform the way your business shows up. It’ll also transform the way people respond to it.

Before:

• Your website feels flat or outdated

• You can’t explain what you do without fluffing it

• You’re constantly tweaking your own copy but never quite happy with it

• You’re getting traffic… but not many enquiries

• You’re tired of writing everything yourself

After:

• Your website speaks clearly to the right people

• Visitors understand what you do and what’s in it for them, in seconds

• Your sales pages are structured and persuasive (without sounding pushy)

• Your message is consistent across platforms, pitches and proposals

• You’re free to focus on running your business - not writing headlines

The ROI (’return on investment’) of copywriting comes from copy that’s written to reach your goals. Obviously, you’ve got to work them out, but when you do, good copy works hard behind the scenes.

It also sticks around. One well-written website or sales page can serve your business for years.

Whether you’re selling a service, product or idea, words matter. And when they’re working properly, you’ll feel it:

·        More confidence

·        More leads

·        More growth

·        More money

Is copywriting right for you?

Copywriting isn’t a silver bullet. It won’t fix a broken business model. And it’s not the right investment for everyone, all the time.

But if your offer is solid, your audience is clear and your marketing just isn’t converting the way you’d hoped, copywriting could be the missing piece.

Here’s my quick checklist to help you decide:

You might be ready for copywriting if:

• You’re getting website traffic, but not enough leads or sales

• You’re launching something new and want it to land well

• You’ve outgrown your current messaging and it doesn't reflect your brand any more

• You’re too close to your business and struggling to explain what makes it different

• You’re tired of spending hours writing - or second-guessing what you’ve written

• You want a consistent, confident voice across all your marketing

• You’re ready to grow and want your copy to grow with you

You might want to wait if:

• You’re still working out what you want to offer or who it’s for

• You don’t yet have the budget, but you’re happy to DIY for now

Ultimately, only you can decide if it’s the right move for your business. But if you’re unsure - or stuck somewhere in the middle - I’m happy to have a complimentary, no-obligation chat. I’ll tell you honestly if copywriting can help you - or not just yet.

Get in touch, let's chat!

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