You’re a passionate creative who wants the best for their wedding business. And that means hiring a talented wedding writer to guide you through crafting your copy and brand messaging – or does it?

When hiring for your business, you’ll often be faced with a decision: should I hire someone who works only with my industry or should I invest in someone with a broader client base?

Whether you’re hiring a wedding copywriter or a brand designer, this is something you’ll have to decide. However, as with much of business, this task isn’t always easy! Every wedding business is different, and so is every founder. So, what’s right for one business might not be the best choice for you. It’s part of your role as talented creative and founder, to make these decisions. 

To help you do so, this blog post assesses the pros and cons of hiring a wedding-specific copywriter or someone outside of the industry from a website copywriter who’s been both.

What is an industry-specific copywriter?

‘Industry-specific’ or ‘in-industry’ copywriters only serve clients in one industry, e.g. wedding copywriters, beauty copywriters, hospitality copywriters). Whereas a non-industry-specific copywriter might dabble in all three (and more!) They don’t focus on one specific niche and their expertise ranges across a variety of industries.

Some industry-specific copywriters might reject inquiries from outside their niche. Whereas others might accept these jobs, but only market to a select group of ideal clients.

For example, when I was a wedding writer, I also worked for a coach and a skincare brand, but my Instagram content was wedding-focused (I probably should have been able to tell I was better suited to being a ‘website copywriter’ than ‘wedding copywriter’, eh?)

Is industry knowledge & understanding essential for you?

One of the reasons Cupid Copy appeals to wedding planners and event industry professionals is because of the knowledge I developed focusing solely on this industry. It means I deeply understand the wants, motivations, desires, and anxieties of wedding pro clients. It doesn’t take me long to become acquainted with wedding pro-business models and brands. And I know I care about this wonderfully creative industry as much as you do.

Every copywriter worth your money will respect your business and treat your project with care. However, hiring an industry-specific copywriter means welcoming someone with advanced knowledge of your industry. And hiring a generalised copywriter might mean additional time for research and strategy.

Tip: It’s always worth speaking with your potential copywriter about their previous experience as you’ll find many of them will have worked on multiple projects in one industry!

Are you looking for a bespoke offer/service?

Business models differ from brand to brand. However, often industry-specific copywriters value streamlined systems and approaches. This can mean they focus on one service and repeat this for every client.

For example, they might provide a high-ticket full website copywriting service for wedding businesses.

Businesses with this approach are less likely to take on custom work.

However, non-specific copywriters who value creativity and diversity, are often excited by new and unique projects. It’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but generalised copywriters are more likely to want to take on custom work and meet expectations due to their familiarity with dabbling in new things and learning while they work.

Do you want someone with industry connections?

This is one of the most important questions you’ll consider while deciding whether to hire an in-industry copywriter for your wedding brand.

Industry-specific copywriters tend to develop reputations in their spaces quickly, so it’s easier to see past clients’ experiences and results (especially as these are likely to be your peers!)

However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to find general copywriters with lots of experience and a network predominantly in one industry (hi).

Tip: If you find a non-industry-specific writer you like, ask them if they’ve worked with anyone in your industry and see the results.

However, on the flip side, you might want to work with a non-industry-specific writer on your wedding business copy to avoid working with the same writer your peers/competitors have worked with. Working with writers from diverse backgrounds can also enhance the individuality of your work and set you apart from others in your space.

Are you looking to expand your business outside of your current industry?

Some industry-specific writers might be reluctant to work outside their industry, meaning you’ll need to seek another copywriter you can work with. Finding businesses you can trust isn’t always easy. You’ve spent time developing a relationship with your copywriter and you want them by your side for every stage of your business journey.

If you already know your business is heading in a new direction, outside your current industry, you might want to work with an out-of-industry copywriter. Because some copywriters won’t be able to continue serving you if you switch from a chef to a coach or from a coach to an artist (it happens!)

However, if you love a copywriter, I always advise bringing this up with them first. I was a wedding writer, but when Nikki switched from destination wedding planning to life coaching, I was so excited for her and felt honoured she wanted my help crafting her copy!

Should you work with an in-industry copywriter summary

There are a lot of incredible copywriters out there. And it can be tough to determine which writer is perfect for your project. I recommend deciding whether you want to work with an industry-specific writer first and go from there. Understanding this will naturally narrow your direction and aid in finding someone that meets your criteria.

If you’re looking for a non-specific copywriter with a lot (a lot a lot) of experience in the wedding space, Cupid Copy would love to help. Click here to learn about our copywriting experience for wedding pros and creative brands.