Hello!
So you enjoy writing and you're interested in giving copywriting a go?
Fantastic, you're in the right place!
Before you get started though, it's worth remembering that Copywriting is a skill that needs to be learnt and practiced. While you may be a good writer, writing copy is a whole different ball game to content writing. For this reason, it's important that you learn the skills and techniques to write effective copy so you can truly become a master of your craft.
I would like to share with you some of the top tips that I've learnt since I started my journey as a copywriter. Some of these tips may seem simple to carry out however when done properly, they can result in some excellent copy that will have your clients begging for more.
1. Do your research
Don't you DARE write your first word without doing your research. For each project, you need to work with your client and truly understand the purpose of what you're trying to promote or sell. A list of things you need to understand include:
- The client's voice
- The client's values as a brand
- What makes your client different from its competitors
- The services/product your client provides
- Who and where your client typically sells to
2. Create your customer persona.
Based on the research you've done, you're then going to want visualise who you're writing to. Copy that tries to appeal to everyone ultimately appeals to no one so you need to consider exactly who is likely to buy the product/service and write in a way that speaks to them. You can think of a particular group of people or even go a step further and create a character with a name and characteristics. Whether it's imagining you're talking to a group of adults between the ages of 25-30 living in London or if you create the character of Steve the Builder, a 42 year old with a family of 4, find what helps you in your writing process and use that to shape your copy.
3. Keep it short.
Most writers are good at waffling on for pages and pages but that won't serve you well in the Copywriting business. Whether you're writing an email or a social media post, you want to keep your writing short and to the point. You need to grab the reader's attention so they feel compelled to read on. Consider the purpose of every word in every sentence you write and work out its relevance. If it's not obvious then it's most likely not important to your copy.
4. Keep it simple.
In the UK where I live, the average reading age of the British population is 9 years old. This shows that, if you want to be clearly understood, you can't let your writing get bogged down in difficult words. When writing and reviewing your work, think to yourself- "Could a 9 year old understand this?". If the answer is no, you're going to want to re-write it.
6. Benefits > Features.
When writing your copy, appeal to the reader's emotional side first then their logical side. Harvard Business School Professor Gerald Zaltman has found that 95% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously . This shows that we need to focus on telling the customer how the product/service will make them feel (benefits) rather than just telling them what it does (features). Just look at any perfume advertisement as a prime example. Think about what the customer will gain from the product/service and help them visualise what their life will be like after they complete their purchase.
7. Read it out loud.
This is a great practical tip to see if your copy flows. You want your writing to be easily readable, to sound like someone is talking to the reader. So, the best way to test this out is by reading it aloud to yourself. You may feel like an idiot the first time you try this but trust me, it's the best way to spot where natural pauses should appear and whether a sentence is too long. Once your copy has passed this test, you know it's good to go out into the real world.
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