Hint: it’s more than just the writing
I remember flicking through the pages of Joseph Sugarman’s The Adweek Copywriting Handbook, allured, inspired, and ready for the challenge.
There in the opening chapters was the question, ‘what makes a good copywriter?’ and to my delight, plenty of traits I recognised in myself that gave me the confidence boost I needed. The transition from marketing generalist to copywriter, I was sure to be a smooth one!
Well that was the beginning, and although I’d taken short courses, the real theory was yet to be learnt.
So you ask, what makes an epic copywriter? I learnt quickly – it’s not just about the writing, it’s the way you think! And most important of all, it’s having the ability to tap into the way others think, feel, and behave.
Here are a few skills and attributes that good copywriters have in common…
Having a curiosity about life, people and experiences
According to Sugarman (The godfather of copywriting) having a natural curiosity about life and people is a solid foundation for understanding behaviours, tendencies, weaknesses and motivations.
These are core to what makes us human, and it’s our experiences that shape our perspective. For copywriters, these are just a few of the things we can tap into to understand the drivers for consumer habits and desires.
Having a good understanding of what makes people tick means that when it comes to identifying problems, we’re already thinking about how we can offer solutions, to solve the problem and bridge the connection between your product / service and the needs of your ideal customer.
Having empathy and a good ear to identify the important messages
To be able to write about the least inspiring or most exciting of subjects, we have to be able to put ourselves in the shoes of the people that need or want these solutions.
Is it a need for recyclable packaging for an eco-conscious company that is sick and tired of having to use disposal plastics? Or is it a crazy busy business owner that spends more time doing admin than their actual job because they haven’t discovered the best automation software that can do the job for them?
Whatever it is, understanding the ‘pain points’ and really listening to what our clients are telling us means that we can target the messaging to resonate with the very people who need to hear it.
Being lateral thinkers
Quite often clients are searching for a content writer when they actually need a copywriter for the particular project, or they want a sales page writing when in fact it’s a landing page they need.
Having the ability to anticipate the object of the goal and being able to explain the benefits of our suggested approach is all part of good client management. We need to think ahead to help navigate the process and give clients the confidence and assurance throughout.
The same goes for our copywriting process. The copywriting brief is a huge part of the success of a project. Yes, the 10 pages of questions may seem excessive. But it’s in gaining these insights and analysing the responses that our brains can run wild with the number of ways we can approach your copy project, until we land on the one that fits.
The completed copywriting brief provides background and context so that we can gain an understanding of the problem / challenge / need, and identify what the goals are. Only then can we begin concepting on the most effective ways to convey the message in order to move towards your goals.
Being an epic researcher
Market research, competitor research, keyword research. Again so much of this has to happen before concepting, to make sure that your message is succinct and stands out in the market.
This is why defining your point of difference or USP is so important early on in business. Because we need to understand what things you do the same/better/differently and how they set you apart from your competitors. This is what gives you the edge and appeal to your target audience.
By the way, your copywriter spends almost as much time researching as they do writing!
Copywriting skills
Course a good copywriter needs to have writing skills – and specifically the copywriting kind. I’ve actually touched on some of them already, but that’s for another blog.
Believe it or not, content writing and copywriting are two entirely seperate skills. Content writing is less formulaic, whereas effective copywriting requires a psychology based approach and uses formulas and frameworks that are proven in consumer psychology.
Unlike content writing, so much of copywriting is in the concepting: the ideas and angles you could come from that will resonate with your target audience. This happens before you even write a word.
Then first drafts are usually an outline of those concepts and flow then we spend a lot of time editing and refining, and refining, refining, refining…
The aim of the game with copywriting is to get your points across in the most clear and concise way possible, to invoke a response from your target audience.
The ability to identify the need and connect the reader with the solution
There’s a common misconception that copywriters create the need for a product or service, when in fact the need is already there for most things. It’s a case of writing to connect the ideal audience with a product or service.
Just remember, good copywriting shouldn’t be salesy or pushy.
In my opinion, good copywriting is actually something you don’t often notice, because there’s nothing about it that offends you. You take it or you leave it.
Or you read it and you think, “ah that’s clever” or “ha, that’s me in a nutshell” or it makes you laugh out loud – I used to love my tube commute to work each day for this reason!
TV these days is a bit dry…
Bad copywriting on the other hand, think: health insurance adverts or charity appeals, which use scaremongering/shaming tactics that either make you feel bad or manipulated.
These are shady tactics and are not cool at all.
Helping you reach your goals
In the end what makes a good copywriter is:
- The ability to help our clients identify their objectives (if unclear)
- Being proactive in guiding our clients through the creative process
- To produce copy, in-line with our clients’ expectations and objectives that move them closer towards their goals
Key takeaways
- It’s not all about the writing
- Having a natural curiosity about life, people and experiences helps
- Being able to empathise and really listen is key
- Thinking laterally comes with practice
- Being great researchers is a must
- The ability to write, yes of course!
- Identifying the need and connecting the reader with the solution
- Ultimately, it’s all about moving the client closer towards their goals
Reach out
If you’re looking for more clarity or direction for your project, reach out. I offer free 20-minute discovery calls where I can help you get clear on your next steps, and you can go away with implementable actions.
Click here to book one in.