On the surface, the copywriter's job is straightforward: play with words, move them around, and bring their meaning to life. In theory, it sounds fantastic. When confronted with a tight deadline, a blank page, and a bin full of crumpled paper, panic sets in. Because, as it turns out, copywriting is a difficult skill to master. It takes skill, care, and attention to put the words together in a way that inspires action.
However, I firmly believe that these abilities can be taught. Given the right tools and instruction, anyone can learn how to become a great #copywriter. Whether you've been writing copy for years or are just starting out, the following steps can help you continue writing copy that connects with your customer base and communicates your value.
1. Establish (and Fine-tune) Your Voice's Pitch
There's no denying it: Standing out is becoming increasingly difficult. However, you do not need a large budget to gain the trust of your target audience. You only need to speak their native language. One of the most valuable tools in a copywriter's arsenal is a well-thought-out tone of voice. If you get it right, you'll begin to reap the benefits of market recognition.
The more consistent your tone of voice, the more your audience will become acquainted with your brand. The stronger their connection to the #brand, the more likely they are to become loyal customers. The tone you establish for your brand should underpin everything you write, but it should not be chosen at random.
The way we speak is part of what defines us as individuals. The same can be said for businesses. The tone of your brand reflects its values directly; it is an extension of your brand's personality, beliefs, values, and areas of expertise.
It's the happy medium between your audience's perception of your company and the image you project to the rest of the world. It's not about being different for the sake of being different; it's about understanding your key differentiator and translating it into a tone that resonates with the right people.
If you're stuck, consider this: If your brand were a celebrity, who would it be and why? Ask yourself why.
2. Look for Real-life Examples
When a story revolves around a universal theme—identity, purpose, love, struggle, etc.—it is at its best. The best advertisements elicit emotion in their audience by tapping into the human experience.
In some ways, becoming a better observer is the first step toward becoming a better copywriter. To tell meaningful stories to your readers, you must actively seek them out in the world around you. In practice, this means talking to your customers, eliciting their shared experiences, and incorporating them into your work.
In addition to holding dedicated sessions to collect these insights, I recommend delving into the social media spaces where they spend their time. Relevant Reddit threads, Twitter conversations, and Facebook comments can be a goldmine of customer stories that can spark your next big idea.
3. Don't Be Afraid to Confront the Negative
Tragic events are not glamorous. Suffering isn't fashionable. However, it is all a part of the human experience. Nonetheless, brands are frequently guilty of avoiding sadness in favor of a positive spin. That is sometimes appropriate.
However, as writers, we must strive to embrace all aspects of life, no matter how unpleasant they may be. In an era when trust in leaders is at an all-time low, brands must tell the truth, warts and all.
MetLife Hong Kong released a heartbreaking advertisement a few years ago in which a young girl tells the viewer everything she adores about her father. She then pauses to tell us that she knows her father lies to keep her happy—he lies about having a stable job and being able to support her.
It's a tearjerker, but it speaks to a universal truth that anyone from humble beginnings understands. MetLife concludes the advertisement with the following statement: Most banking advertisements depict happy families spending money; they avoid highlighting their customers' difficulties.
However, this ad and others like it demonstrate that if we want to truly connect with our audience on a deeper level, we must embrace sadness. We should embrace the lows because, as Martin Amis put it, "that's life, as I say, and my most sacred duty is to make it lifelike."
4. Seek Inspiration Outside of Advertising
I return to this point repeatedly because it has helped me come up with some of the best ideas of my copywriting career. As moving as the best advertisements can be, the industry can be very closed.
Because most agencies use the same processes and ask the same questions, it's no surprise that the answers they come up with feel, look, and sound the same. Because when a formula works, everyone wants to be a part of it.
Due to its effectiveness, the "here's to you" strategy has been praised in numerous advertisements throughout the pandemic ("here's to the night owls, the early risers, the breadmakers, the class-takers, and so on and so forth.) But it's hardly unique—not by a long shot.
#Copywriting is all about getting a lot done with a little. But advertising isn't the only place where this is a problem. In my Domestika course on social media copywriting, I advise students to look for inspiration on the backs of novels.
Writers have only a few lines to sell the entire story to a potential reader. Similarly, the best children's books distill complex ideas into messages that are both poignant and simple to grasp. Even missing pet posters can provide inspiration for conveying a message in a few words.
Bottom line: If you're stuck for ideas, don't go back to the same competitor brands or agency portfolios. Instead, take a walk or go to the library—you never know where inspiration will strike.
5. Don't Be Afraid to Delete Anything
In all forms of professional writing, the final version is almost never the first draft. Your favorite books, movies, and TV shows have all undergone edits, some minor and some major.
If I could give you one piece of advice to improve your copywriting, it would be this: don't be afraid to rip up your work and start over if it isn't quite right. And believe me, you'll know deep down whether it's right or not.
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