You know you need help marketing and managing your Web business; and knowing is half the battle, so that’s a GOOD thing. The next obvious question: what kind of service provider should you hire? Copywriter? Or… virtual assistant?

First, a simple explanation of each professional. A virtual assistant offers remote help managing the various functionality aspects of your business. A copywriter, on the other hand, creates written marketing materials.

Permit me to get logical for a moment. Virtual assistant is the broader term. By definition, all virtual copywriters are also virtual assistants; but not all virtual assistants are copywriters (although some are). Even so, that’s not going to help you determine which one you should seek out first. So, we move on to specifics.

If your office operations are in shambles and you need help managing mostly organizational tasks, then consult with a virtual assistant. What do I mean by organizational tasks? Soup-to-nuts back-end management. Things like task scheduling, project management, email and telephone answering, typing, signing up for Website memberships, forum maintenance, contact list updates, file organization, proofreading, follow-up calls, ezine mailings, and general business communication (assuming that you hire a VA who also possesses writing skills–and a top of the line VA most definitely will).

If you need someone to run your marketing and communication, get thee to a copywriter. Sales are lagging and traffic is down? Summon the copywriter. The Web site just keeled over and gasped its last breath? Dial copywriting 911. A well-seasoned Web copywriter should be able to offer you: sales copy that sings. Search-engine friendly Web content. A strong handle on all the major avenues of Web communication – Websites, articles, blogs, ezines, sales pages. A strategic approach to your writing that considers timing (of information releases), tone (of the target audience), anticipated outcome; and above all, the psychology behind the message.

A general difference between virtual assistants and copywriters: VAs spend more time in the logical, left side of the brain (that’s the right hand and the “right way” of doing things). A virtual assistant will typically emphasize the three P’s: practicality, punctuality, and protocol. By contrast, most copywriters lean more to the right or abstract hemisphere, embracing their passion for colorful descriptions and original phrasing. The right-brained copywriter lends a conceptual approach to your advertising that usually involves a matching visual to help flesh out the creative. (Oh yeah – and copywriters frequently use “creative” as a noun.)

Again, I’m stereotyping here. This is not to say that there was never a VA who could write killer Web copy, or a copywriter who wasn’t perfectly good at keeping the back office motor humming for prime productivity.

If personality in the writing is of particular importance to you; meaning, you want that snappy, edgy marketer talk to help lure in new customers; then definitely choose a copywriter over a virtual assistant. Why? Put the “accomplished VA who can also write” side by side with a top paid copywriter, and you’ll immediately notice that while both can pull off proofreading, editing and standard business communication quite effortlessly, the VA is somewhat tone deaf. Meaning, they seldom possess that versatility of voice (or tone) that has pro copywriters successfully carving out brand images of top companies year after year.

Again, this is not to say that there isn’t a secret copywriting powerhouse living inside of more than a few VAs out there, or a virtual organizing moonlighter who dons the copywriter mask by day. But for the sake of a comparison, they’re on opposing teams. A strong VA will utilize her communication skills to represent The Company. Writing is crisp, structured, professional, and most decidedly absent of feeling. Conversely, a choice copywriter’s words frequently crackle with raw emotion, and most definitely harbor some classic psychological manipulation tactics. Copywriters enjoy playing roles in their writing; VA’s usually opt for that standard, corporate professional voice.

Both copywriters and virtual assistants can be a strong boost to your productivity and effectiveness. Either way, you want an experienced Web professional first and foremost. Seek out someone who can comfortably maneuver in basic word processing and email, Web 2.0 applications and SNS (social networking software). Other skills to look for: familiarity with ezine/email management programs and autoresponders. Knowledge of basic HTML. Ability to operate Web technology such as FTP (File Transfer Protocol), PDF distillers, and WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) HTML editing tools. And, working alongside of someone who has connections in the business is always a plus!

Finally, don’t forget that compatibility counts for a lot, particularly in the frenzied, hyper deadline-conscious world of online business. Hire someone with whom you feel productive and can get along with under pressure.

Whether you decide on a virtual assistant or copywriter, one thing is for certain. Getting good help is the smartest thing you can possibly do. Your business will thank you for it.

Copyright 2006 Dina Giolitto. All rights reserved.

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[tags]marketing,communication,copywriter,virtual assistant,office organization,dina giolitto[/tags]