”We write great code, we love that stuff but…”

Over the past couple of months I’ve had several conversations that have been eerily similar. Almost to a tee. The conversations have all been with inspirational startup founders who are hard at work, coding the next-big-thing app or the next-big-thing SaaS phenomenon and they are all saying the same thing.

“We write great code, we love that stuff but we’re not so great at writing marketing material. Can you help?”

Team success is achieved when members of a team complement each other with their different skillsets, when everyone involved work to their strengths and when everyone can focus on what they are truly good at. In the startup world however; more often than not, staff and budget resources are limited and you try to make do with what you have.

This often means that someone in the existing team will be assigned the role of Makeshift Marketer, like “Our developer Ben who posts all those funny status updates on Facebook.” or “Our sales rep Jerry who has a knack for writing those really good emails to his clients.” This person is then asked to write business critical texts like company presentations, sales collaterals and the content for the new company website.

Necessity is the mother of all invention they say, but that doesn’t mean that the invention will do the job well. It may just keep the thingy afloat temporarily, sort of duct taped and glued together. Eventually, the wheels will fall off. Trust me.

Consider this though. What if these startup founders would; instead of trying to dabble with copywriting texts for their new website, instead of giving themselves a headache trying to come up with witty engagement driving posts for their recently launched social channel or instead of biting their nails off trying to compose great quotes for their upcoming press release for the unveiling of the next WhatsApp or Tinder – what if they would enlist a freelance copywriter or marketer in the team? What this would mean for their company?

• For a few hours per week or month on a freelance basis, a copywriter could help a startup ‘level up’ on their marketing material and help create the company’s voice in their new marketplace
• For only a fraction of what it would cost a startup to hire a fulltime marketer, the freelancer resource could get off the ground rapidly and start mapping out marketing needs and start rolling out marketing material
• For a startup; bringing on an experienced freelance marketing resource would mean that their next-big-thing product or service would be brought to market quicker, which of course would mean money in the bank
• Last but not least; enlisting a freelance copywriter would mean peace of mind and being able to spend valuable time doing what startup people do best – developing those game changing innovations

Are you a startup founder?
Consider enlisting a freelancer to help you get your next-big-thing off the ground. You’ll like it. More than you like fresh raspberry pancakes on a Sunday morning.