What is copywriting

Copywriting is the use of words to promote a person, business, opinion or idea. Although the
word copy may be applied to any content intended for printing (as in the body of a newspaper
article or book), the term copywriter is generally limited to such promotional situations, regardless
of media (as advertisements for print, television, radio or other media). The author of newspaper
or magazine copy, for example, is generally called a reporter or writer or a copywriter.

(Although the word copywriting is regularly used as a noun or gerund, and copywrite is
sometimes used as a verb by professionals.)

Thus, the purpose of marketing copy, or promotional text, is to persuade the reader, listener or
viewer to act — for example, to buy a product or subscribe to a certain viewpoint. Alternatively,
copy might also be intended to dissuade a reader.

Copywriting can appear in direct mail pieces, taglines, jingle lyrics, web page content (although if
the purpose is not ultimately promotional, its author might prefer to be called a content writer),
online ads, e-mail and other Internet content, television or radio commercial scripts, press
releases, white papers, catalogs, billboards, brochures, postcards, sales letters, and
other marketing communications media.

Content writing on websites is also referred to as copywriting, and may include among its
objectives the achievement of higher rankings in search engines. Known as "organic" search
engine optimization (SEO), this practice involves the strategic placement
and repetition of keywords and keyword phrases on web pages, writing in a manner that human
readers would consider normal.

Copywriters
Most copywriters are employees within organizations such as advertising agencies, public
relations firms, company advertising departments, large stores, marketing firms, broadcasters
and cable providers, newspapers, book publishers and magazines. Copywriters can also
be independent contractors freelancing for a variety of clients, at the clients' offices or working
from their own, or partners or employees in specialized copywriting agencies.

A copywriter usually works as part of a creative team. Agencies and advertising departments
partner copywriters with art directors. The copywriter has ultimate responsibility for the
advertisement's verbal or textual content, which often includes receiving the copy information
from the client. (Where this formally extends into the role of account executive, the job may be
described as "copy/contact.") The art director has ultimate responsibility for visual communication
and, particularly in the case of print work, may oversee production. Either person may come up
with the overall idea for the advertisement or commercial (typically referred to as the concept or
"big idea"), and the process of collaboration often improves the work.

Copywriters are similar to technical writers and the careers may overlap. Broadly speaking,
however, technical writing is dedicated to informing readers rather than persuading them. For
example, a copywriter writes an ad to sell a car, while a technical writer writes the operator's
manual explaining how to use it.

Because the words sound alike, copywriters are sometimes confused with people who work
in copyright law. These careers are unrelated.

Famous copywriters include David Ogilvy, William Bernbach and Leo Burnett. Many creative
artists spent some of their career as copywriters before becoming famous for other things,
including Peter Carey, Dorothy L. Sayers, Viktor Pelevin, Eric Ambler, Joseph Heller, Terry
Gilliam, William S. Burroughs, Salman Rushdie, Don DeLillo, Lawrence Kasdan, Fay
Weldon,Philip Kerr and Shigesato Itoi. (Herschell Gordon Lewis, on the other hand, became
famous for directing violent exploitation films, then became a very successful copywriter.)

The Internet has expanded the range of copywriting opportunities to include web content, ads,
commercial emails and other online media. It has also brought new opportunities for copywriters
to learn their craft, conduct research and view others' work. And the Internet has made it easier
for employers, copywriters and art directors to find each other.

As a consequence of these factors, along with increased use of independent contractors and
virtual commuting generally, freelancing has become a more viable job option, particularly in
certain copywriting specialties and markets. A generation ago, professional freelance copywriters
(except those between full-time jobs) were rare.

While schooling may be a good start or supplement in a budding copywriter's professional

education, working as part of an advertising team arguably remains the best way for novices to
gain the experience and business sense required by many employers, and expands the range of
career opportunities.
Importance of Research in Copywriting

he man many consider to be the greatest ad man of all time, David Ogilvy, used to always preach the
importance of conducting thorough research before writing a single word of copy. Research is the best
foundation for coming up with profitable ideas and the right angle for your copy. Without it, you’re like a
blindfolded drunk trying to throw a bull’s-eye while playing darts at the local bar.

Because this is an SEO/Internet marketing blog, I’m only going to discuss the importance of research
as it relates to writing your website copy.

• Understanding your product—You’d be surprised how many companies have a skewed view of
their product. Either they think it’s way more impressive than it really is (because they’re biased) or
they don’t truly understand which features/benefits their target audience cares about. In Ogilvy’s book
Ogilvy on Advertising, he discusses an advertising campaign he created to increase tourism to Britain.
One prominent British government official told Ogilvy he should feature trout fishing in his ads to the
U.S. market. Ogilvy responded by pointing out that research indicated there were 49 other benefits of
traveling to Britain that interested Americans more than trout fishing. Know the true appeal of your
product!

• Analyzing the competition—A careful study of your competition is a crucial step to take before
writing your web copy for several reasons. First, you need to identify exactly who your competitors are.
Next, you need to know what their online presence consists of. In other words, are they active in social
media? Have they optimized their website? Lastly, you need to examine their actual website copy.
What benefit are they playing up? Who do they seem to be speaking to? What’s their USP? Knowing
all of this will help you create the right angle for your copy.

• Getting to know your target audience—I’ve said more than my fair share on identifying your
target audience, so I won’t bore you with more details.

• Keyword research—Effective keyword research is the gateway for bringing qualified traffic to your
website. When doing your keyword research, you should not only determine the common search
queries related to your products and services, but you should also try to identify keyword opportunities
your competition is overlooking. Remember, SEO isn’t a one-time process. Keyword research is
something your should be doing on a regular basis to ensure your search engine presence is at its
maximum potential.

• Web usability research—When it comes to writing for the web, Jakob Nielsen is the chief
authority on usability. Spend time browsing through his web usability studies so you can make certain
your copy is getting read (or scanned) and your readers are taking action.
Famous Copywriter

Claude Hopkins looks like a crotchedty chemist. Or a vacuum cleaner salesman. At least, he does in most of
the pictures you’ll find of him online.

Which is appropriate considering that he sold both, as a house copywriter, until at age 41 he got a job writing
ads under Albert Lasker, at the Lord & Thomas ad agency.

Today, your average modern ad man might not think much of Claude Hopkins’ “antiquated” ideas.

Many working copywriters might not even know who Claude was, let alone why he mattered.

His most famous book, “Scientific Advertising,” was written and published more than a lifetime ago, in 1923.
And it sold for 10 cents. Today, you can find it free online.

So why care about Claude Hopkins and what he had to say at all? Because so much of what he had to say
then… still matters. The examples have changed. So has the medium. But the fundamentals are still the
same.

Keep in mind, Hopkins ads from the 1920s are still among some of the most famous ever written. He was so
talented, Lasker paid him $185,000 a year in 1907.

That’s like making $4,048,173 today. Actually more than that, since accurate inflation calculators only goes
back to 1913. And Hopkins earned every penny.

He sold a fortune in Schlitz Beer, by being the first to write an ad about how their “bottles are washed with
live steam.”

He sold carpet sweepers as, can you believe it, the “Queen of Christmas presents” and VanCamp’s pork
and beans because they were “baked for hours at 245 degrees.” It was Hopkins’ stroke of genius to sell tires
as “all weather,” putting Goodyear on the map.

His secret was simple. Find the benefit in whatever he was hired to sell, and make it unique. Own that
territory. It was enough to make him one of the most successful copywriters who ever lived.

 Claude Hopkins
 David Ogilvy, founder of Ogily & Mather.
 David Abbott, founder of Abbott Mead Vickers BBDO[1]
 William Bernbach, founder of DDB Worldwide
 Leo Burnett, founder of Leo Burnett Worldwide
Claude Hopkins

Many working copywriters might not even know who Claude was, let alone why he mattered.

His most famous book, “Scientific Advertising,” was written and published more than a lifetime ago, in 1923.
And it sold for 10 cents. Today, you can find it free online.

So why care about Claude Hopkins and what he had to say at all? Because so much of what he had to say
then… still matters. The examples have changed. So has the medium. But the fundamentals are still the
same.

Keep in mind, Hopkins ads from the 1920s are still among some of the most famous ever written. He was so
talented, Lasker paid him $185,000 a year in 1907.

That’s like making $4,048,173 today. Actually more than that, since accurate inflation calculators only goes
back to 1913. And Hopkins earned every penny.

He sold a fortune in Schlitz Beer, by being the first to write an ad about how their “bottles are washed with
live steam.”

He sold carpet sweepers as, can you believe it, the “Queen of Christmas presents” and VanCamp’s pork
and beans because they were “baked for hours at 245 degrees.” It was Hopkins’ stroke of genius to sell tires
as “all weather,” putting Goodyear on the map.

His secret was simple. Find the benefit in whatever he was hired to sell, and make it unique. Own that
territory. It was enough to make him one of the most successful copywriters who ever lived.

David Ogilvy

David MacKenzie Ogilvy, CBE, (June 23, 1911–July 21, 1999), was a notable advertising
executive. He has often been called "The Father of Advertising." In 1962, Time called him "the
most sought-after wizard in today's advertising industry." [1] He was known for a career of
expanding the bounds of both creativity and morality in advertising.

His book Ogilvy on Advertising is a general commentary on advertising and not all the ads shown
in the book are his. In early 2004, Adweek magazine asked people in the business "Which
individuals - alive or dead - made you consider pursuing a career in advertising?" and Ogilvy
topped the list. The same result came when students of advertising were surveyed. His best-
selling book Confessions of an Advertising Man (ISBN 1-904915-01-9) is one of the most popular
and famous books on advertising.
Ogilvy’s advertising mantra followed these four basic principles,

 Research: coming, as he did, from a background in research, he never underestimated

its importance in advertising. In fact, in 1952, when he opened his own agency, he billed
himself as research director.
 Professional discipline: "I prefer the discipline of knowledge to the anarchy of
ignorance." He codified knowledge into slide and film presentations he called Magic Lanterns.
He also instituted several training programs for young advertising professionals.
 Creative brilliance: had a strong emphasis on the "BIG IDEA."
 Results for clients: "In the modern world of business, it is useless to be a creative,
original thinker unless you can also sell what you create."

David Abott
David Abbott (born ca. 1938) is a British advertising executive who founded Abbott Mead
Vickers BBDO.

Abbott started as a copywriter at Mather & Crowther and then at DDB, London. In 1966, he was
sent to their New York office, then returned to London as a director.

In 1971, he founded French Gold Abbott. In 1978, he founded Abbott Mead Vickers (AMV),
handling clients including Volvo, Sainsbury's, Ikea, Chivas Regal,The Economist, Yellow Pages,
and the RSPCA. [1] In 1991, BBDO acquired a stake in AMV and appended their name. [2]

The One Club for Art and Copy inducted Abbott into its Creative Hall of Fame in 2001

William (Bill) Bernbach (August 13, 1911, New York City - October 2, 1982, New York City) was
a legendary figure in the history of American advertising. He was one of the three founders
of Doyle Dane Bernbach (DDB) and directed many ad campaigns. Bernbach was noted for his
devotion to creativity and offbeat themes, a legacy that has credited him as a major force behind
the Creative Revolution of the 1960s and 1970s. His work often was characterized by simplicity.
He also is credited with being the first to combine copywriters and art directors into two-person
teams—they commonly had been in separate departments—a model that still flourishes
in advertising agencies today.
Other notable campaigns of Bernbach's are, We Try Harder for Avis Car Rental, Mikey for Life
Cereal, You Don't Have to be Jewish to Love Levy's for Levy's Rye Bread, and It's so
simplefor Polaroid.

The AMC program, Mad Men, which centers on the fictional ad agency of Sterling Cooper in the
early 1960s, makes many references to Bernbach; Bernbach's innovative techniques challenge
Sterling Cooper's more orthodox style, and DDB often is mentioned as a competitor in the second
season.

Quotes

 "Logic and over-analysis can immobilize and sterilize an idea. It's like love—the more you
analyze it, the faster it disappears."
 "Let us prove to the world that good taste, good art, and good writing can be good
selling."[1]
 "All of us who professionally use the mass media are the shapers of society. We can
vulgarize that society. We can brutalize it. Or we can help lift it onto a higher level." [2]
 "Nobody counts the number of ads you run; they just remember the impression you
make."
 "The truth isn't the truth until people believe you, and they can't believe you if they don't
know what you're saying, and they can't know what you're saying if they don't listen to you,
and they won't listen to you if you're not interesting, and you won't be interesting unless you
say things imaginatively, originally, freshly." [3]
 "Good advertising builds sales. Great advertising builds factories."
 "A principle isn't a principle until it costs you something."
 "Rules are what the artist breaks; the memorable never emerged from a formula."
 "In this very real world, good doesn't drive out evil. Evil doesn't drive out good. But the
energetic displaces the passive."

Leo Burnett

Leo Burnett (October 21, 1891 – June 7, 1971) was an advertising executive who created
the Jolly Green Giant, the Marlboro Man, Toucan Sam, Charlie the Tuna, Morris the Cat,
the Pillsbury Doughboy, the 7up "Spot", and Tony the Tiger.
Burnett was named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people of the 20th
century.

Leo Burnett Worldwide

In 1935, he created his own agency in Chicago, which is now known as Leo Burnett Worldwide.
He was inducted into the Copywriters Hall of Fame in 1961, and retired in 1967.

Burnett followed Walter Lippmann's philosophy of creating an image around the product. Until his
time, advertising centered on long text descriptions of the product, with detailed arguments as to
why it was better than competing products. Burnett concentrated on style, creating icons as a
symbol of the product. He stressed that the creator of an ad needed to somehow capture and
reflect what he called the "inherent drama" of the product.

One of his most important uses of internal corporate symbols were the red apples placed on
every receptionist's desk. Any visitor or employee was free to take one, and this is still the case. It
stemmed from the opening day of Leo Burnett's agency, when the receptionist set out a bowl of
apples to brighten up the place. When word got around that Leo Burnett was serving apples to his
visitors, a newspaper columnist cracked, "It won't be long 'til Leo Burnett is selling apples on the
street corner instead of giving them away." Though the columnist was only echoing the general
feeling during the Depression, Burnett saw the apples as representing the spirit of caring and
concern for employees and clients alike.

Another important internal symbol Leo Burnett created was an icon of a 'hand reaching for the
stars', which he explained with the saying, "When you reach for the stars you may not quite get
one, but you won't come up with a handful of mud either".

A third symbol was the "black pencil", an Alpha 245 of the type commonly used by Burnett in his
lifetime. To Burnett it symbolised a commitment to the warmth and humanity of ideas, and to the
work of the people who create them.
The Copywriting Process

Here they are.

1. Gather Initial Research

For starters, with all projects the copywriter ask clients to take time to answer an initial, 25-
point questionnaire. Their answers will provide some background information. The question
are based on from four main categories:

1. The customer
2. The product
3. The business
4. The offer

The first one is the most important. It’s where questions like demographics and
psychographics come, and try to build a perfect customer profile or persona. The others
include things like features and benefits, stories behind the product, testimonials, actual
results, the buying process, etc.

(The questionnaire can be an eye-opener for many clients because it forces them to dig for
the answers, and to see where some of the flaws with their current copy are.)

Admittedly, this is just a start. But their answers, which give some direction as to where to
conduct further research, give at least a basic understanding of their business, the purpose
of the copy’s message, and its goals.

Yes, that’s “goals” in the plural.

Of course, there is the main goal, which may be to generate leads or sales. But other,
secondary goals may include to dispel rumors, answer questions, build credibility, eliminate
misconceptions, differentiate from the competition, etc.

2. Conduct Exploratory Research

Then, read and study the answers carefully, and conduct some exploratory research. That
is, try to gather as much information as you can — anything about the business, the product,
the offer and, above all, the target audience.

Visit their websites, research their competitors,look at some of the trends in that particular
product category, market, or industry. do comparative analyses.
 hang out where their readers hang out. check out some of the websites they visit. spend
some time in forums in which they’re active. try to get a grasp of their language, their
challenges, their industry, their fears, their goals, etc.

When you come across an important piece of information, copy it into a document, where
you can easily append extra pieces of information, include any corresponding URLs, make
additional notes, and more.

create a new project on my project management software, where you give access to all the
key players, and start populating it with the information I gather.

The idea at first is to gather as much information as possible, including facts, features, data,
results, etc.

3. Pick, Prod And Probe Further

Of course, a lot of it is also irrelevant.

So go through the information and pull out the important stuff. compile, clarify, and expand.
cherrypick and highlight what’s relevant, and file or discard the rest.

They might even repeat some of the earlier steps to make sure they covered all the bases.
After spending some time studying the information, I may ask for more clarification and
dig deeper.

Sometimes, it’s to get a better understanding of the information. Other times, it’s to get
additional tidbits where I might uncover hidden gems I can use with the copy.

But most of the time, it’s to be able to later put what my clients tell me into words that
specifically meet my client’s audience at their level.

I tend to look at my job as “connecting the dots.” If the product is good and the demand is
there, then my job is not to sell the product but to connect the desires and fears of the reader
with the solution my client offers.

(Most of my clients are too “married” to their own products or businesses that they tend to be
removed from their clients. So what they may feel is great about their product may not be
a shared opinion among their target market.)

But here’s my greatest tip…

Some of the best answers I get are in fact obtained while interviewing people. That’s right:
actually talking to people, whether it’s the business owner or existing clients. In other words,
picking up the phone and asking questions.

This allows me to not only catch verbal cues and innuendos, but also to prod and probe
further. I sometimes throw in a dangling preposition or conjunction followed by a pause,
where the silence compels them to continue.
(For example, once my client answers a question, I’ll say, “And?” “Or?” “But?” “So that…”
“That’s for…” “That means…” “Or else?” “In other words?” After that, I shut up. You’d be
amazed by the kinds of answers they would give!)

I also try to speak with actual success stories. I interview satisfied clients, not just for the
sake of gathering testimonials, and not just to ask a lot of open-ended questions to probe
deeper as well, but also, and if I can, to actually get them to sell me on the product
themselves.

These interviews are worth a mint! If I managed to get my interviewee excited and
passionate about the product, in many cases they practically write the copy for me.

4. Create The Structure

Next, I try to find a storyline, a unique benefit, a certain angle, or a key piece of information.
Some call it a “platform.” Others call it a “hook” or “the big idea.” It’s essentially the one
element on which the entire copy hinges.

It may be a certain fear, a news story, a “hot button,” a success story, a fascinating factoid,
a sensational claim, a major benefit (even an unsought one), a sense of urgency, a “lie
dispelled,” a secret, a myth, a hot trend, a controversial topic, an unexpected result, etc.

Once I’ve found it, I then create an outline. Often, I apply my QUEST formula, which is to
“qualify” the reader, “understand” their problem, “educate” them on the solution, “stimulate”
them on the value, and “transition” them into a buyer.

I don’t write the copy just yet. I simply use the formula to create an outline that will guide me
as to where specific pieces of information will be added.

The copy doesn’t necessarily have to follow the exact formula, either. But it does give me
some guidance as to what exactly I must cover, and where I must cover it.

Sometimes, I’ll use it to create headers throughout the copy as the outline. These headers
are not written in stone. They only give me some initial direction as to what, specifically,
I need to cover at certain points in the copy.

Look at these headers as “guideposts,” if you will.

I also try to look at the copy from the perspective of a reader. For example, I’ll ask myself,
“What do I want and need to know at this point in the copy?” “What can potentially confuse
me?” “What questions or objections might likely come up at that moment?” “What’s going
through my mind when I read this?” And so on.

(At this time in the process, I write some notes on the copy, to myself, on what needs to be
covered, what key pieces of information I must include, what ideas I want to expand on, etc.
And often, I write these notes in point form.)
5. Write The Copy

Next comes the creative part.

From the platform and the guideposts I’ve set out above, I start writing the copy. I often begin
with the headline or the bullet points, whichever is easiest. (It really depends on what comes
to mind the fastest.)

Sometimes, a headline idea jumps out at me, particularly after doing the research and
coming up with the “hook.” If so, I will start with the headline first.

The headline is not final, either. I sometimes come back and rewrite the headline once
I finish the copy, because new and better ideas emerge later on as I write the body copy.

Both the headline and the storyline will give me a good indication of what I can write about,
how to say it, as well as what options I have when I write it.

Sometimes, I just start writing and let it flow, and my writing takes a life of its own. When this
happens, sometimes I end up ignoring the guideposts I’ve created. If so, that’s perfectly fine.
Remember, they are guides. Not goals.

In terms of actual copy, I start writing and expanding.

• I structure a skeletal offer (with premiums);

• I create the opening or introductory paragraph;
• I tell the story (based on the chosen storyline);
• I list the features, advantages and benefits;
• I expand on key items for the main body;
• I incorporate or expand on story blocks;
• I add Johnson boxes, remarks or sidenotes;
• I reinforce key benefits and “reasons why;”
• I build up the value and expand on the offer;
• I form a logical and believable sense of urgency;
• I inject credibility by adding proof elements;
• I infuse testimonials in appropriate locations;
• I write the guarantee (or guarantees);
• I close with a call-to-action statement;
• And I plug some “PS’s” at the end.

(In the P.S., I add an afterthought to restate the benefits of the offer, repeat the topic covered
in the headline, emphasize the sense of urgency, or add an extra bonus not yet offered.)

5. Rearrange The Flow

Then, I rearrange the content for flow.

I don’t edit the copy. I simply scan the copy to make sure it all flows nicely, and that the
organization of ideas makes the reading pleasant, compelling and easily understandable.
I make sure to integrate headers at every two or three paragraphs. If needed, I also copy,
paste and move blocks of text in locations I feel they are more appropriate.

(For example, sometimes it’s better to credentialize the copy early on. Or some testimonials
are best located where specific objections may come up. In fact, I use them where the reader
might have a specific question that the testimonial answers.)

To help me, I work with multiple, tiled windows (i.e., side by side), all opened at once and
each showing a different part of a same document. This is particularly helpful when I’m
working with longer copy.

That way, I can easily scan and scroll through each window to rearrange the content from
one window to another (i.e., from one section of the copy to another).

From this cursory look at the copy, I can immediately sense if I need to also add certain
elements, whether cosmetic (such as adding a grabber, a picture or a graphic) or tactical
(such as adding a sidenote, a proof element or a Johnson box).

I also make sure that the copy follows the AIDA formula (i.e., attention, interest, desire
and action).

6. Edit And Expand

Once re-arranged, I then edit the copy. I read it to myself, slowly and sometimes out loud, to
make sure it’s easy to read and flows properly. If I stumble at any point or verbally struggle,
I know that I need to rewrite that section.

(Whenever I can, I even record myself. It’s amazing how many errors I’ve discovered from
listening to myself reading the copy, than from simply reading it.)

I then expand, cut out, tighten up and add more. I add emphasis where needed, rewrite
certain sections, and, above all, cut out as much of the extra fat as possible.

In fact, the latter is the most crucial step.

Why? Because when I write, I usually write with abandon. I let it all flow. I write like I speak.
I try not to stop myself, or else it will impede my train of thought.

(When I stop writing, it forces me to start thinking critically. I begin to edit myself too early,
which blocks the creative flow. When this happens, I lose focus because I spend too much
energy on making sure I’ve said things right rather than saying the right things.)

That’s why I wait until after I’m done, and only when I’m done, to go back and excise all the
extraneous filler. I try to cut out as much of the unneeded copy as I can. Or, if what I say is
indeed important, I try to find ways to say the same thing but in less words.

(Editing is probably one the most important strategies in writing copy, but it’s also the most
overlooked because it’s the hardest thing to do for most copywriters. That’s why it’s best to
wait until the end.)
Finally, I focus on the cosmetics, since certain visual “triggers” help to increase both
readership and response. So I touch up the formatting, typestyles, tables, colors, graphics,
pictures, layouts, fonts, and so on.

After that, I’m done.

7. Revise, Revise, Revise!

Before I deliver the copy to my client, I still get my staff to proofread it for me. But I don’t limit
them to the grammar or style. I also ask them to signal any part of the copy where they feel
confused, lost, or disinterested in the story.

(I also ask them questions about the copy to see if they truly grasped some of its key
elements. If their answers are not good enough, I know I need to edit it more.)

This is important, since I often make the same mistakes I made while writing it when reading
it back to myself. Also, knowing what the copy is all about can cause me to take what I say
(or fail to say) for granted, and accidentally skip over what may be confusing to others.

(Don’t discount having a fresh pair of eyes look at your copy for you. Before handing off the
copy to the client, try to get someone else to read it for you.)

After it’s all done, I then upload it to my the project website for my client to read and offer
feedback. I revise the copy until the client is satisfied. (In fact, I allow my clients two
free revisions.)

There is no way to predict how well my copy will do. For some clients, my work multiplies
their response rates like gangbusters. But for others, my copy turns out to be a downright
dud.

Maybe it’s because the platform is wrong. Perhaps the headline is the bottleneck. I don’t
know. The only way to know is to test.

But in my experience, when my copy failed it was largely because the audience wasn’t
targeted, or the offer wasn’t appropriate. And in either case, the copy would have never sold
well, no matter how good the copy was.

Failure does happen. It happens to the best of us. But failure is also an opportunity — an
opportunity to learn, improve and grow. That’s why I appreciate it when my clients keep me
posted on their results.

(I trust a copywriter who failed and succeeded more than I do one who never failed at all.)

In fact, some clients prefer to keep me on a retainer after the initial project, so they can have
me rewrite parts of the copy, or offer any suggestions on how to improve it, without
contaminating the initial control.

Nevertheless, these are the steps I follow. I don’t necessarily follow them to the letter all of
the time. But hopefully, they have given you some fodder on your quest for better response.
The Attributes of a Successful Copywriter

You know what copywriting is. And you know that is one of the most
paid of the different styles of writing. You have an urge for writing too.
So can you be a good copywriter? What are the prerequisites and what
all you need to do, once you get into it. Here are some answers to
your questions, and also some questions for you to think about before
you jump in. Here we discuss the basics that can help you in becoming
a successful copywriter. Copywriting is not an inborn talent. You can
learn it and become more and more efficient with every passing day.
You can devote your life researching and finding new ways to grab the
attention of your audience. There is no dearth to copywriting must-
haves; this is just a small introduction.

A good copywriter is somebody who can take an idea and make

something out of it, in the form of words so that the idea is
appropriately conceived by the readers. We all think and remember
things in the form of images. The words of a copywriter should be such
that create the right mental images. The goal of a copywriter is not
only to get his writings read, but also to persuade the reader to take a
particular action. No matter how interesting the job is, unless a sale is
made, it does not solve the purpose.

There is some difference between the way the highest paid and the
lowest paid copywriters work. Of course, some amount of creativity is
needed. It is good if a copywriter can understand the different
perspectives that his readers might have of the same subject. Only
then he can write the content that can relate to a larger audience.
Along with the creativity, a curious mind can work wonders for a
copywriter. If you are like an infant, who asks too many questions and
wants to know everything, you are at the right place. The job requires
research about a variety of subjects. Also a good comprehension is a
must for a copywriter to write well. Unless you understand things, you
cannot word them properly.

The next word is communication. A good copywriter has to be a good

communicator. He can assess the benefits a particular product or
service has for the people and can express it clearly to convince the
audience. A strong interest in language and writing styles helps.
Congeniality works too because after all the readers are all people. A
person who can understand people and has genuine interest in them
gets an edge over other copywriters. They move hand in hand with the
changing trends of the world around them. Almost all good copywriters
love reading. Lastly, discipline is the bridge between goals and
accomplishments.

The Art of Copywriting

How to write an advertising copy

Put the main benefits in the headline. Devote some time in jotting down all the benefits on your
notebook. Pick up the main benefits that will entice the visitors and put them in the headline. Frame
the headline with some highly selling terms such as amazing, discover, etc.

Tell a good story that the readers can relate. Some of the best sales copies of all times start with a
story framed to include the problems that the specific group you are targeting face, how they plan
to overcome, etc. Remember! Frame your stories according to your target audience; otherwise it
will be useless.

Focus on the benefits, not the features. For example, an individual will be more interested to find
out how a special lotion will benefit them than what the ingredients of the lotion are.

Focus on one product or service at a time. After all, you dont want to confuse your visitors with a
sea of information about each and every product or service that you offer. Instead, dedicate one
page for one product.

A section for testimonials is a must. Make it more believable by giving such examples that your
target customers are looking for. Remember! Facts sell. Nobody will risk their money unless they
are sure of your capabilities.

Try to give some offers and discounts. Remember everybody wants to save some money, and this
generates the urge to buy immediately.

Give a very tempting call to action. Make your visitors realize that they are incurring a heavy loss
for not having purchased your product.

Never before, in the history of advertising, marketing and communication have words
been more important than they are now. To cut through the morass of poor promotional
messages and laughable approaches, you need to create messages that sell.

Words do the selling. Not pretty pictures.. Yet people still cut corners with copy. Some try
to write it themselves, others employ agencies who have little knowledge in this area.

Writing copy that sells is a specialist discipline. It demands a dedicated, knowledgeable

approach that very few people understand, let alone master.

These days, to originate effective selling copy, the writer must deal in primitive human
psychology and attack the very root of human motivation.

Without exception, the best selling copy comes from the minds and pens of experienced
direct marketers. So much has been written about the different approaches and cultures
of traditional advertising copywriters and that of their direct marketing counterparts.
In short, there is a massive gulf between them. Traditional agency copywriters are
storytellers. Direct response copywriters are salesmen…

…quite simply because they have to be…

Direct marketers are measured by the success of their work, by how well it has achieved
its purpose. Or not, of course…

And, in most cases, that information is at hand reasonably quickly.

Good direct response copywriters question and review every single word in a draft. Then
review it again. And again. Until it's right.

On many occasions, just a one-word change can affect the performance of a campaign
quite dramatically. A well-known example of this was a headline for an automobile repair
kit advertisement in the sixties.

The headline was originally " How To Repair Cars". This was changed to
" How To Fix Cars" and the ad consistently pulled over 20% more business.

This is not a surprise to the professional writer, who knows that every word is a weapon.
Qualities of Copywriting
When it comes to online marketing, copywiting is what converts traffic into profit. What this
means is, although SEO means driving traffic to your site, it is the copy that turns traffic into
potential customers.
Now, when doing some copywriting, though having the right keywords to optimize your site is
correct, sometimes it just isn’t enough. Keywords are good, but to have specific mindset
keywords is better. Don’t know what this means? Let me explain.

When an individual searches for something, he customarily searches using long tail
keyphrases, using express words that match what they are thinking. As an example, they’re
thinking about getting a beach ball that doesn’t need inflating. Now, when they try a search,
they’d type in “beach ball, no inflate” or something like that. With that, they are going to get
categorical hits and therefore they’d be ready to find what they are hunting for right away.
What does this mean? It suggests that though the words used in the search is categorical,
often sites with just the keyword “beach” or “ball” will be included. And this makes the
searcher search thru more, and in all chance, be more irritated. Now, when doing some copy,
instead of just use keywords, attempt to use phrases or longtail keyphrases that match the
particular tone of your website. Why is this? So when a searcher stumbles on your website,
they are going to be happy to find that yours matches their thought completely. And this is
good.

So always remember, though keywords are crucial, sometimes not having to be so exacting
and clinical can do wonders. Use your common sense to know what your target customers
need and want. And try to think how they think. After all, if they are convinced that you know
what they want, how can they resist?

Issues in Copywriting

Scenario #1: Client Defrauds Customers

If I write copy for a product that is still in development, the client uses my copy to
start taking orders, and then fails to deliver the product to his customers… that’s
not my problem.

Certainly, I’d be upset if this happened to me. But it’s beyond my control. I can’t
know in advance whether or not my client is going to follow through with product
creation and fulfillment.

Obviously, the best thing to do in this case is to stop writing for a client like this
once you discover his true colors.
Scenario #2: Client Lies to the Copywriter
If I use a client’s story to help make the sale, but my client has lied about his
story, then that is not my problem.

The reader asked if we should be asking for proof of what a client tells us. In
theory, it sounds like a good idea. But it’s hard to put into practice.

First of all, there has to be an element of trust between the copywriter and the
client. If this trust isn’t there to begin with, then that’s a problem.

Secondly, what kind of proof could a client offer to prove his story?
Assume for a moment I was your client, and I told you that I began my freelance
copywriting career on June 13, 2005. How would I prove that to you? It’s not like I
have a notarized letter saying that that’s the day I began freelance copywriting.

Anyway, my point is that you have to trust your clients and that they’re telling you
the truth. It’s a requirement for a good business relationship. And most life
experiences don’t come with supporting documentation — so it would be hard
to prove a client’s story anyway.

Scenario #3: Business Shenanigans

If I write sales copy that accurately reflects the product I’m selling, but there are
shenanigans going on behind the scenes (for instance, affiliates not being paid,
speakers not being paid, lawsuits between partners, etc.), that’s not my problem
either.

My job as a copywriter is to write copy that sells without being deceptive. Half the
time, clients intentionally keep copywriters in the dark about problems happening
inside the business.

I’ve experienced this firsthand. It wasn’t until later — sometimes much later —
that I discovered the extent of the problems.
Again, the best thing to do when you discover there are unethical business
practices is to simply move on. (For extra credit, you might want to privately warn
other copywriters about the bad apples you’ve had the misfortune of dealing
with.)

Scenario #4: Willful Promotion of Crap

If I write sales copy for a product or service that I know up front is crap… or if I
write copy for a client who I know in advance is neither honest nor ethical… then
that is definitely a problem. In a way, this makes me an accomplice.

Of course, every copywriter is going to have a different definition of “crap” and

“unethical.” For instance, I have personal beliefs that inform what I think is good,
bad, etc. But everybody’s moral compass has a slightly different true north.

What I consider bad, another copywriter may consider good. And vice versa. The
key, I think, is to only promote products or services you believe are genuinely
valuable to the target market.