Generalist or Specialist?

I woke up this morning believing I was a specialist.

Well, it wasn’t the first thing on my mind. I’m not that vain!

But if you’d been there (why?) and asked me (again, why?) … I’d have said “specialist.”

I’m a copywriter. That’s my specialism.

So today has been nothing short of a mini revelation to realise that might not be true.

Five minutes into a lunch-time chat with my husband - who hasn’t seen a work colleague in over 18 months, is still working from our back bedroom and continues to pop up at lunchtime with his cheese and pickle sandwich - he made me realise what I am.

I’m a generalist.

My honest reaction? Disappointment. Contempt. I’m a specialist surely, not a jack of all trades. I only write copy.

But actually when you get into the nitty, gritty what I do day to day it’s far more general.

Do I just write? Well, no.

Many discovery chats go beyond copy. They have to, to get the end result right.

Any job has to start with objectives and audiences, their challenges, their drivers, their insights. That takes an intuitive and experienced marketing brain to unravel.

When I look at some of the conversations I had with clients last week. Hand holding one through the process (not just scripting) for video production, advising another on when and what to post on social media, how to use imagery to connect better with readers, recommending lifestyle publications to choose for a press release and how to put a clothing catalogue together.

None of those conversations really come under “copywriter” because I’ve built up the experience and knowledge to offer a much more general (and useful) service to my clients.

How can I be so sure? I spent a decade in ad agencies learning how to brief, develop, coordinate and analyse marketing campaigns for national brands like Vision Express and Lloyds Bank. National TV and direct marketing campaigns, local promotions for new store openings, staff comms and in-store POS - no websites in those days! And YES, TV was in technicolour!!

Point is, the role was varied.

Take the variation of my role as a copywriter? Writing for any sector; marine, healthcare, manufacturing, engineering, renewable energy, recycled ocean plastic clothing and UK farming. Each of those subjects a specialist area in their own right. Each of my clients - in each of those areas - juggling a multitude of skills to carry out their own day to day.

Surely every skill we pick up along the way is worthwhile?

From planning the week’s workload, communicating with staff, dealing with customer enquiries, sourcing the right stock, materials and developing new lines to navigating the latest app.

Each skill valuable, each skill transferable. Do those broad and useful skills make us all generalists?

I’ll leave that to you to decide.

As I look at my copywriting list this week. Website (air pollution), 2 brochures (renewables) and a blog post (Design for Manufacture in Plastic Injection Moulding) I will draw on the experience and skills, I’ve mustered over the years and stand tall.

Proud to be a generalist.