Tips For A Successful Copywriting Career

Source: forbes.com

Copywriting is one skill that is always in demand and there are plenty of open positions in the industry.

It is a common notion that you only need ‘great writing skills’ or a ‘diverse vocabulary’ in order to excel in this field. However, there are plenty of other skills a copywriter must possess to develop their craft and produce compelling copy.

If you want to break into the copywriting world there are a lot of things you should look out for.

Given below are a few tips for a successful copywriting career.

Research, Research And Research!

Source: science.org

Research is one of the most important parts of copywriting, especially sales copywriting.

You cannot be an effective copywriter without understanding what exactly your customers want.

The only way to find out is to conduct extensive research.

The first step is to understand your target audience and find out what they expect from the product or service.

It is important to review insights, data, statistics and any other information which you can make use of.

Head to social media and see how people are talking about similar products and the features they like the most.

Read articles, customer reviews, and social media posts and even try going to social networks like  Reddit where people tend to be candid.

Good research goes a long way in writing a compelling copy that convinces new buyers and pushes the sale graph up. Instead of making generalizations and estimations, present clear and specific data. Presenting facts and numbers not only capture the trust of customers but also make for a memorable copy.

Keep The Content Simple

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You may go to the world’s end to find interesting data or information related to the product being marketed, but remember your readers don’t have the time to go through every little (or insignificant) detail.

If you want to grow into a seasoned copywriting professional, you need to get the knack of filtering information and basically, cutting all the nonsense out.

You need to think like the customer and give them a copy they would really want to read. Something straightforward enough to catch their attention even when they’re only casually browsing through.

Doing this isn’t rocket science, really!

Whenever you write a new copy, ask yourself, “What’s in this for the customer”?

If it doesn’t look like something that will excite the customer, then maybe you need to rephrase what you’ve written, or even start afresh.

Polish Your Writing Skills

Source: wideinfo.org

You can’t expect to be a good copywriter if you have subpar writing skills.

Fortunately, this is something you can work on!

Start by reading something every day. It can be something simple like a magazine article, newspaper, journal or even a brochure. You will develop a good sense of grammar and polish your spelling as well.

Don’t forget to cut out the fluff.

In copywriting, it is important to be brief and stick to the point because you are trying to sell something to your audience.

Use words that highlight the product you are selling and catch the reader’s interest.

Look at the works of different copywriters or creative writers. Analyze their writing to see how you can improve.

If you want to go the extra mile, you can also take copywriting courses online to brush up your skills.

Be Open To Feedback

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You should be open to feedback from editors and people who work with you especially when you are just starting in your copywriting career.

This is often difficult to do for many copywriters because they believe that their ideas are perfect. If they are told to write from a different perspective, they might take it as a threat.

There are several reasons why editors ask you to change the way you have presented a certain product or idea. It could be for practical reasons or they might feel that the customer wants to be told something different.

You should learn to accept that you might not be right all the time and be willing to make edits and changes if necessary.

This doesn’t mean that you always have to make changes when asked. Defend yourself when it feels appropriate to do so.

Learn Extra Skills

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As we mentioned earlier, copywriting isn’t just about writing.

There are several skills every seasoned copywriter must possess especially when product or service promotions are involved.

For example, you must be proficient in SEO to optimize your content for search engines.

You should also be up to date about the latest trends in email marketing, digital advertising, digital marketing, blogging and online writing platforms.

Deal With Writer’s Block

Oh, the time when you’ve got a deadline looming but the words get really hard to come by!

Nothing unusual in a copywriter’s life, but definitely something worth watching out for.

There are some tips that you can follow to quickly get over writer’s block. Shut down the laptop and try writing in a notebook instead.

Also, never move from your desk once you’ve got the ideas flowing. Just put the words on paper immediately.

If you’ve written something earlier and didn’t particularly like it, go back and check the archives. Going through your past work may spark a new idea, or you might just find something useful there that can be used as it is.

Be Committed

It might take years to become a successful and established copywriter.

When you are starting out, you will be given a lot of work with less pay. It takes time, dedication and patience to commit to this job especially when you are dealing with rigorous editors and bosses.

There will be a lot of situations where you have to work under pressure and a rigid schedule.

This is a part of your job so don’t get into copywriting if you can’t shed a little blood and tears along the way!

Conclusion

Always be on a mission to hone your skills and never stop learning.

Take advice from seasoned copywriters and learn about their experiences to get a taste of the actual job.