If I had to list the questions I’m most often asked as a copywriter, that one would be right near the top. There’s a persistent belief among many business people that shorter copy is better copy. On the surface, that makes some sense. After all, people are busy; they don’t have time to wade through long copy. And most of us aren’t great writers–the less we have to write, the better it’s likely to be.

But what if you’re trying to sell something complex or new? What if an anecdote would make your business case better than a few bullet points? What if your prospects are skeptical and you need to refute their potential arguments point-by-point (or risk losing them)? In those cases, is shorter copy still better–or just shorter?

So, how long should your copy be? Exactly long enough to present your idea compellingly and convincingly, whether that takes three bullets or five pages. If you’re a writer, you’ll probably have to convince your client or boss of that; if you’re the client or boss, all we ask is that you keep an open mind. After all, it’s the result–not the word count–that matters.

I welcome your comments.