If you’re a provider of any product or service, you may think that some things about marketing are obvious, intuitive, or things that “everybody just knows.” Or perhaps you think you know, but not everyone else has figured it out yet.

Well, some of those things may be right…and some may be wrong. Let’s look at a few–you might learn something new.

1. You’ll save money by doing the promotion yourself. True or not true? Mostly not true. Sure, you won’t spend much money if you do it yourself. But you probably won’t make much either. This isn’t like “Should I get my coffee at Starbucks or make it at home?” Brewing a pot of coffee at home saves you a few pennies a day, but the result is about the same either way. With sales promotions, the difference between homemade and professional is usually the difference between failure and success.

2. The best copywriters know all the answers off the tops of their heads: how much a marketing piece or package will cost, how many words or pages it should be, how long it will take to complete. If the copywriter asks too many questions or takes too long to quote the project, she’s probably an amateur. True or not true? Mostly not true. If the copywriter has only questions and no answers or suggestions, she’s probably new to copywriting and needs to start with something small. But, if she’s a pro, she’ll ask enough questions to get the big picture and the important juicy details, then be eager to run with it–and return it to you when it’s ready to roll out.

3. You have to know exactly what you want before you talk to the copywriter. Everybody “knows” the customer is always right; that’s you, so you tell the copywriter what to do and he’ll do it, or else he’s being difficult. True or not true? Mostly…not true. You should know a few basic things at the start: your ultimate goal, your time frame, your budget. But the copywriter should listen to you, offer suggestions, ask questions, gather information from you and other sources–and then take over, asking you questions if and when he needs more information.

See the pattern here? Creating a successful sales package is a job for a professional copywriter, but one that he or she does best with just the right amount of input from you. It’s sort of like building a house. Unless you’re a professional builder, please don’t try to do it yourself. Yet once you’ve carefully chosen the right builder for your house–the one who “gets” what you want and need, asks what your budget is and when you hope to move in–go back to work on your own job and let the professional take over. That’s the best way to get results you’ll be happy with.

Lisa J. Lehr is a freelance copywriter specializing in direct response and marketing collateral, with a special interest in the health, pets, specialty foods, and inspirational/motivational/self-help niches. She has a degree in biology, has worked in a variety of fields including pharmaceuticals and teaching, and has volunteered for many causes including special-needs kids and literacy. When she’s not writing, she enjoys reading, art, music, outdoor exercise, and all things Celtic and Renaissance.

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