How age adds value to a copywriter

There are many things that get better with age. Fine wines, a decent cheese, children. I’d like to add copywriters to that group. In this blog, I’ll explain why there is so much more to gain from hiring an (ahem) older copywriter.

How many miles have you written?

In the world of copywriting, experience (and practice) matters. The more we write, the better we get. Different styles are developed and finetuned the more our brains get challenged and our fingers type on a keyboard. We experience the sheer enormity of copywriting for what it is – not just blogs, not just press releases. There are so many mediums to embrace and the more experience that we have working with them, well, the better we get.

We were all young once

Think about this. The young have never been old, but the old know what it’s like to be young. My point? An older copywriter has the benefit of life. The good, the bad and the quite frankly, ugly. Each year and decade provides more experience, more understanding, more awareness. Without a doubt, this adds to the richness of any copy that is written.

From cheese to timber and back to engineering

An older copywriter is more likely to have worked in many different industries. My own journey has taken me through a remarkable range of markets and skills. The future can only be just as varied. And I like it. Only by immersing yourself in such diverse environments can you develop your skills as a copywriter. You get into their shoes. You try to think as they do. You work out what motivates and frustrates them. From doing this, you write better copy.

The experience of going through this process time and time again pays off. You become a rather accomplished chameleon! Your brain can draw from previous copywriting projects, allowing you to compare and contrast more effectively. It helps you to write effective copy that is in tune with the specific audience in question.

Did I mention cost?

No, I didn’t. Because I would rather highlight the importance of value.

I’m under no illusion that with a good afternoon’s Googling and a handful of phone calls, you can find self-professed copywriters prepared to write for very little indeed. Or content mills that promote such a service on their behalf. But it’s always buyer beware!

Ask them how long they have been writing for (safer than asking them how old they are). Ask them who they have worked for. Ask them for examples of their work. Of course, it depends on your project - an inexperienced copywriter might be better than no copywriter at all, right? Maybe not.

According to the Professional Copywriters Network (of which I'm a member), the average day-rate for a copywriter in 2018 was £342. Just like design, copy has great value when delivered effectively. Should you choose to skimp, don’t expect reliable results.

And so, how old am I? Well, it would be safer to ask how much experience I have! More than 20 years as you’re asking. Should you wish to hire the services of an “old hand”, please get in touch so that we can chat through your project.