Clever is not a KPI

An important lesson for every aspiring copywriter.

When I began my career as a copywriter, I made the same mistake that thousands and thousands of creatives before me had: I thought I was hired to be an artist.

I was there to be poetic. To be pithy.
To be razzle-dazzle razor-sharp surprise-and-delight witty.

This was my measure of success. And because of this, I was a pretty shitty copywriter.

Every time a client didn’t pick my fave concept, I took it personally—as a failure.
Every time a client picked apart my copy, I took it personally—as a failure.
And every time a client piled on rounds and rounds of incremental ‘watering down’ revisions, I took it personally. You guessed it—as a failure.

It wasn’t until I worked client-side as part of an embedded team at one of the world’s largest online marketplaces that I truly got it. Seeing first-hand how data can shift, objectives can turn on a dime, and management optics can steer a project, I gained a real-world understanding of what drives concept selection, concept feedback, and additional rounds of changes. And I gained a real understanding of my job (and how to measure my efforts).

I’m not here to be an artist. I’m here to be a craftsperson.

I’m here to build strategically-sound, hard-working marketing vehicles that drive an action: a click, a call, a visit, or a behavior change.
Actions that meet a metric. That help achieve a goal. Or that hit a moving measurement.

And how does good copy achieve that? By communicating with empathy: showcasing that the target’s wants or needs are truly understood and that the product offering will be a quality solution. Only by genuinely engaging with customers on their terms will your work drive sales and ROI.

So as long as my end product meets—or exceeds—expected results, reinforces the brand, and clearly communicates the human and real-world value of the action I am marketing, it is a win.

And having winning work at creative presentations is wonderful. When a client feels heard, the target is understood, and the value prop is communicated clearly and succinctly right out of the gate, it’s a joy.

But we’re not here for joy. We’re here for results. Clients often have insights or updates that make marketing copy more meaningful—and actionable—to the target. So hit me with your input, your changes, and your surprise rounds. You’ll receive partnership, not pushback. Let our creative be your conduit to success.

And to see what we at Gunderson Direct can do to help further your efforts, simply reach out and let us know what you’re looking for.