As a Copywriter, how crucial are design skills?

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is an English idiom. It refers to the notion that a complex idea can be conveyed with just a single still image or that an image of a subject conveys its meaning or essence more effectively than a description does.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_pict...thousand_words

In my business I have a full time graphic artist and we've worked collectively for at least 6 years now.

Each brings something to the table.

It is one thing to outsource design which you can do and another to work collectively to produce an outcome for the business or clients it serves.

It will depend on what services you are offering as to whether design is a big deal.

For us it is but we work on both our own business improvement and also for clients so I'm fortunate I have a good designer, good sales staff, good accountant, good service people, good production people and then there is the dysfunctional entrepreneurial me to mess all those other good people up.

...seriously it takes specialisation in distinct areas to get the best results in any business.

If you are just providing copy then specialise in that and don't even get into design.

If you are doing work where design starts to play a part and you are not skilled in that area find someone who is.

I chose to employ someone because there is enough work for them but you may only need part-time help or even freelance arrangements.

Best regards,

Ozi

On the few occasions I've teamed up with graphic designers I've always found them to be unreliable in the end.

If you can find a really good one, hang onto them - but never, ever, rely on them.

For most projects I'll advise the client to get their own designer, then I'll just help them over-see the work and ensure the design doesn't get in the way of my copy, and ideally enhances it.

It's an awkward, messy area to get into. My general advice is 'Don't.'




AC

It is not important to writing sizzling copy...

BUT, I would highly recommend becoming "competent" enough to create graphics and very basic HTML for squeeze pages and sales pages. It enables you to become a "one stop shop."

This saves you from dealing with oft flaky Graphical Designers and saves time "communicating" your vision into graphics. (And the inevitable back and forth email churn.)

I LOVE Real Draw Pro. You can quickly and easily create most of the graphics needed for squeeze pages and sales pages even if you don't have an artistic bone in your body. The concept of working with "objects" makes it a breeze.

In the rare case you need something "extravagant," you can always find someone here on Warriors For Hire or on oDesk.

I found a way to improve design skills a bit. It sounds simple but it is effective:

Graph Paper.

The boxes help you get proportion so even if you aren't great, you can do letters and small graphics that actually look pretty good.

With a few pieces of graph paper you can create simple prototypes of graphic concepts and you can also use plain paper to trace pictures you find to add into the graphics concept.

Even if you can't finish the concept on your own, you can then scan it and have someone with skill do it in illustrator/photoshop.

As for fonts, you can check out Google fonts...you can browse through them and download a zip file of the ones you might want to use. It helps to know the difference between serif and sans serif so you can locate potential fonts quicker.

If you want a quick out of the box way to make pages look a little better I recommend thrivethemes for wordpress

I can lay out a web page, a book, a simple flyer or brochure BUT when it comes to work for clients, I simply give them a Word file containing my copy with the headlines indicated and blank boxes containing something like "image here" or "buy button here."

My clients are all perfectly happy with this.

Marcia Yudkin

It's extra effort...but styling it with HTML could go a long way...especially for web projects.

I find it takes an hour or so to font all the heads and sub heads, and if I pay good money to a copywriter, it would be nice to have this work done for me.

Word documents don't translate well to HTML if you copy/paste and have all sorts of MSO tags.

Headline fonts and sizes as well as subhead fonts and sizes are a major part of the craft, so let's just say that if you deliver a word document all in 12 pt font with 1 big headline, you are not exactly 'over-delivering'.

Just my 2 cents...

you can then scan it and have someone with skill do it in illustrator/photoshop.. I would highly recommend becoming "competent" enough to create graphics and very basic HTML

HTML is very helpful

Personally I prefer not to compromise on design by doing it myself. Most of my clients prefer graphically simple sales pages, which is nice because they weigh less and don't detract from the message.

My designer is more than willing to put his personal tastes aside to aid the message, even if it means a less beautiful page. If you can find someone like that and give him some basic training on winning design principles, you can go a long way.

Haven't read the replies, but just dropping my own real quick:

Graphic design skills; not very useful.

CRO; very useful in many situations.

Copywriters are responsible for conversions, afterall.

Great question, and from the responses it seems about 50/50 even split.

Whatever you do, don't do what I did which was compromise my love for writing trying to learn to become a "be all do all" ninja.

I do like designing in Photoshop, and have created several 3D ecovers, banners, etc...

However, had I spent more time writing content, copy, and email follow ups... Instead of trying to do it all, I'd prob be much further along.

I don't regret exploring outside of writing, and eventually it will (most likely) all payoff, but my writing suffered some as a result of learning Wordpress, html, graphics, sales funnels, A/R's, automation, etc... It damn near melted my brain, lol

so true. I wasted a lot of time doing it. the thing is, I want the ability to make the graphics I have in my mind. I feel like less of an artist if I can't draw as well as I write.

Put all of your focus into the copy and conversion. Like others have said, a little knowledge of HTML helps, but unless the client is hiring you to do both copy and design, don't put too much worry into the design.