“Hi. Can you give me a quote to edit our ChatGPT copy? It won’t take you long. It just needs a quick polish. Thanks.”
We’re getting more of these sorts of enquiries.
Simple enough, right?
Or is it?
Let’s run this enquiry through our CaboodleGPT AI.*
CaboodleGPT applies a level of empathy and nuance to briefs and copywriting that ChatGPT can’t quite manage.
“Hi. Can you give me a quote to edit our ChatGPT copy?”
Translation: “Hi. I’ve generated some content using ChatGPT, and while I was initially blown away by the novelty of using a machine to make you and your craft redundant, the more I read it, the more concerned I am that: 1) it’s not really in our brand voice, 2) it’s lacking an original thought, insight or hook, 3) my boss will think it’s not really in our brand voice and lacks an original thought, insight or hook, and 4) I won’t have anyone to blame if it doesn’t work.”
“It won’t take you long.”
Translation: “I’ve told my boss we don’t need to spend money on copywriters anymore because ChatGPT can do most of it, so I’m hoping you’ll be able to transform this (now that I look at it again) really rather generic, off-brand blurb into something that shimmers and seduces like a lush oasis in a desert of underwhelming AI-generated content, ideally in five minutes.”
“It just needs a quick polish.”
Translation: “While I now realise the limitations of ChatGPT, I still don’t really understand that the value of engaging a copywriter isn’t just in spewing out words, but in the experience, creativity and time that goes into understanding our strategic objectives, our industry and competitive landscape, our human audience, the value proposition that will resonate with our human audience, how to find the right words and put a razor-sharp edge on them…”
So, can I give your ChatGPT content a ‘quick polish’?
Sure. But if by ‘quick polish’ you mean ‘make it as crisp and compelling as the copy you write from scratch’, my quote will essentially be a ‘from scratch’ quote.
Why?
Because that’s how long it’ll take.
And because, even if it did take five minutes (which it won’t), that’s the value of the polish.
If you like reading passive-aggressive (or just plain aggressive) blog posts by a world-weary copywriter who sounds, frankly, like he doesn’t really want to help you out of your ChatGPT hole, check out our Copyranter blog.
*This is satire.