Every morning I get a bquote from Bguides.com. If you don’t get them, I highly recommend them. Anyone who has been in my office knows how much I like them: I have printed out many and have them taped all over my desk. (OK, most of the time they’re buried, I admit: I might be a really good copywriter, but I’m also a messy one.)

This morning’s quote tied in perfectly with what I was already thinking about blogging on:

"There is only one boss. The customer. And he can fire everybody in the company from the chairman on down, simply by spending his money somewhere else." -- Sam Walton (1918–1992), founder of Wal-Mart

Now, he’s talking about sales, but this works for marketing too. And here’s how it ties into what I was already thinking:

Yesterday I was interviewed by potential clients as a Website copywriter. They had sent me some documents and wanted to know how I would position their business based on what they had sent. It wasn’t a fair question to ask of me, since nothing in their documentation delved into their customers’ mindset…which I pointed out, and I launched into my customer-centric copywriting spiel about talking to customers, not at them.

Sure, I’m a Website copywriter, among other things, but how could I possibly tell them how I’d position their company without knowing their customers’ world views, pain points and awareness? And how the customers would find their Website or if they’d even be looking? Or how the customers view themselves, as savvy or helpless? All of that comes into play, as does so much else when copywriting Websites. As I’ve said before, don’t try and sell me a new mattress when all I know is I want a good night’s sleep.

If your copywriting doesn’t talk to the customers’ concerns, they won’t listen, no matter how good your Website copywriter. You won’t even get to the point where they can fire you because they’ll never even think to buy from you in the first place.

Oh, and they loved me and hired me as their Website copywriter. Despite all my preaching. :-)