Writers: experience vs. online savvy

In his Reflections about Direct Marketing blog, Ted Grigg (a former colleague) asks a tough, interesting question: Say you're hiring a copywriter who will be writing direct-response material in a variety of media. Do you take the long-time veteran with years of experience in traditional media, but little in online -- or do you take the whiz-kid with a few years of pure online experience?

(See Online Taking over Direct Mail.)

I know what I'd choose. But Ted knows what's happening all too often when that kind of decision comes up:

... most companies silo online away from the marketing department, so here is little opportunity to gain online experience for many traditional marketers. And the medium's true marketing potential has been around for maybe what, 5 years or so?

So they go with the less experienced writer who's more comfortable online.

Big mistake.

Go for experience. If someone knows how to motivate people to give through direct mail, they know 80% of what they need to know to successfully raise funds online. And that's the tougher, more hard-earned 80%. Online as a medium is very different from direct mail, print, or broadcast. But the difference is a mass of details, not a fundamental one.

Humans are humans, whether they're opening an envelope or surfing the web.

If you choose the web wizard who knows all the latest stuff but is inexperienced at making an offer sing, you're forgoing revenue. Pick experience. Then train them on the details of the new medium.

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