Was getting ready to head out, but saw your post...

thought I'd throw in my thoughts.

Research for copywriting isn't about just getting facts and figures.

Copywriters are looking for that one little hidden gem that the whole castle gate can swing on.

Could be something so simple, yet overlooked nobody else recognizes it.

One little tidbit of info...something that takes a so so campaign and busts it wide open.

Could take days of digging through files, talking to employees, checking out customer habits, finding out about the building, plumbing, lights, security system, bathroom, rodents in the building, hookers hanging out in front...

get the point?

How good are you at all that...and more?

One of the other things that needs to be developed is an avatar of the prospective customer. What emotions are driving him? What is he thinking? How does he speak? And a lot more.

So the product and the prospect are two essential areas of research.

A third is the hook.

If you offered a service that provided all three, I can see it being worthwhile to copywriters.

Alex

After working with copywriting for a while, I sought out research projects from top copywriters. With an existing background in graduate-level research, the jobs started coming in.

Those jobs were a priceless education. It was like sitting at the elbow of some of the best in the business, working together as projects were developed from start to finish.

What Max and Mark are saying is critical. Almost anyone can do basic research. But that ability to spot the hooks or key things that make all the difference - that's not common. It's what separates everyday researchers from true copywriting researchers.

Not all research needs that level of in-depth understanding of the copywriting process, but on the other hand, you never know when something might jump out.

Take the 1920's story of Claude Hopkins and Schlitz beer as an example. Every brewer used the same processes, but he was the only one that told the story. "Schlitz beer bottles - Washed with live steam." it took Schlitz from fifth in the market to a tie for first.

But that was a big client and a big project. For the multitude of smaller projects, copywriters may not have time to do everything, and some will outsource part of the research.

When they have a researcher that also has an excellent understanding of copywriting, then outsourcing can save them a lot of time. The researcher can keep an eye out for those possible hooks, and let them know. "Hey Bob, you might want to take a closer look at their manufacturing technology... nobody else is doing quite it like that."

It won't always fit in with the project's approach, or it can sometimes become the hook. But unless it's pointed out, it's often overlooked in the piles of research.

To answer your question, in my experience it depends on the kind of research needed, as well as the analytical skills of the researcher beyond just research. It also depends on having a good understanding of the style and preferences of specific copywriters.

I am not nearly as qualified as many of these folks to answer your question, HOWEVER there is a copywriting checklist posted as a "sticky" here in the Copywriting section. It's titled " Use This Checklist Before Asking For A Critique".

I would think you would want to be able to know everything required in that checklist. It's a lot of work. That was suggested prior to asking for a critique.....I personally am making swipe files of every element and then weeding through them one element at a time.

If you vets do not agree with this, please say so. It seems like a basic starting point, but I wouldn't want to give bad advice.

Eric

I worked as a research assistant for a copywriter for a while.

It was interesting work. I gathered links to competing products into a spreadsheet, listed successful product titles and headlines, created an ideal prospect, wrote "benefits" of our product and suggested headlines and leads.

It was a great glimpse into the mind of a successful copywriter. I use those research techniques for my own copywriting today.

Personally, I'd be interested in someone gathering all that info for me, but I'd still want to go through it myself. I'm with you, Mark - I hate delegating. If you want something done...