Copywriting.org Interviews Suganthan Mahalingam
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Q1. Where are you from?
London
Q2. How did you discover copywriting?
Like many things in my life so far, I stumbled across it. I always had a creative itch to scratch from a young age – I would write poems, stories and articles. Then, I pursued graphic design as a teenager, ventured into web design… I made music for many years, and learned audio engineering and production. But then, I got to a point where I wanted a change. I wanted to grow a business alongside my day job as a dentist, whilst maintaining that creative flair. So, I Googled “businesses that involve writing” and surprise, surprise…
Q3. What forms of copy do you write?
I specialise in email campaigns and landing pages these days. It provides that much needed dopamine rush, when I get quick, measurable results for my clients. But, I still write web content and other bits for clients when they need it.
Q4. What are your favorite niches to write in?
As a dentist, a lot of my clients are in the healthcare niche. For them, it’s more reliable to trust a writer who works in the industry. It’s a lot more nuanced than writing copy in other niches, because you can’t afford to use sleazy sales tactics that could burn bridges. There’s a lot of compliance issues that you can run into, by using poorly thought-out copy. You have to understand the pain that a potential customer might have, and understand how the product can help them. But, I carry this mentality through to any copy that I write. Sales is a lot more effective when you have genuine intentions.
Q5. What is the #1 lesson you've learned as a copywriter?
Being clear and concise > being witty. I still love to inject a bit of personality into my copy, but you have to read the room. Early on, I thought it was all about being clever. Dropping in some wordplay, making headlines that are catchy… It took a few absolute bombs of copy that I wrote to realise it doesn’t work for every business. If you’re writing for a serious pharmaceutical brand, you want to keep things professional and straight-laced. But, if you’re writing for an innovative SaaS company, you might loosen up the tie a little. So, in essence, it taught me that understanding the audience was more important than writing the copy itself.
Q6. Who is your favorite copywriter & why?
Ben Settle or Daniel Throssell. I loved wrestling as a kid – the trash talking, the brash attitudes and the action. So naturally, I gravitate towards that kind of personality more… Copywriting is hardly in the same realm of being a badass, but these guys ooze charisma in their writing. They’ve mastered their systems so well, that their copy just flows. I subbed to both of their email lists and I read them top to bottom every time.
Q7. Do you have any recent wins to share?
Having started earlier this year, I’ve gone from knowing absolute ZILCH about copywriting, to working with major businesses just this month. I didn’t anticipate things going the way they have, but business has really picked up over the second half of this year. So, the plan is to keep building this year and stack a few more skills on top of copywriting. ????????
Q8. What would you say to a prospective client who wants to hire you?
If you just need a writer, there’s a ton of decent options out there. I call them space-fillers. Filling up the white space with words that make sense together. It’s the same copy I end up having to rewrite for businesses down the line. The type of copy that does nothing, but occupy pixels on a screen. If you want a conversion copywriter that takes your customer on a journey to taking action, then shoot me a DM.
Q9. What is a good email address for prospective clients to contact you?
sugzthewriter@gmail.com