Persuasion vs. manipulation in copywriting
I just finished listening to a teleseminar for copywriters by the famous Joe Vitale. It was interesting to hear his distinction between manipulation and persuasion in copywriting. He said the difference lied in your personal belief. Do you believe the product or service you’re writing about will truly benefit the target audience? If the answer is yes, then your copy is persuasive. If the answer is no, then you’re being manipulative.
Copywriters obviously spend most of their time writing about their clients’ products and services.  Do you need to believe in the value of the service or product to write persuasive copy? Yes, you do. Many of my clients seem to be aware of how important it is to find a copywriter that’s truly engaged. I’ve observed when they’re in the process of hiring me that they are often looking for my honest impressions. That’s smart!
When you hire a copywriter, or any kind of a marketing professional, find out what they think about your service/product? This might take a bit of probing but it’s worth the effort. You want someone who is going to be authentic and sincere in their writing.
A few times I’ve declined projects for that very reason. I knew my heart wasn’t in it and it wouldn’t be fair to this potential client to let them hire me so I referred them to someone I thought would be more appropriate. Some writers or marketing professionals might not be that upfront with you. So take it upon yourself to find out what they really think. Your reward will be authentic, persuasive copy.
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