Copywriting Masterclass

At the end of this course you will be able to:

• Understand the science behind how people read copy and how to use this to your advantage
• Define and articulate the real value in a sales proposition
• Use emotional drivers that are more compelling and persuasive than intellectual and rational reasoning
• Structure, write and adapt your copy to suit all of the primary marketing media and applications
• Ensure that design, graphics, images and typography work with your copy and not against it

Who should attend:

This course is designed for you if you are required to write effective, focused copy to communicate, inform and sell products or services.

Previous delegates include:

• Marketing Manager (Gladstone)
• Direct Marketing Executive (Concern Worldwide)
• Copywriter (Ice Blue Marketing and Design)
• Marketing Assistant (Pitney Bowes International)

Learning to become a salesperson behind the keyboard

• The science behind how people read and react to your copy
• How to define and articulate the real value in a proposition
• Practical Exercise: Developing value propositions and value statements
• The magic formula that adds up to a sale
• The “killer questions” every prospect asks before they buy
• When to sell features and when to sell benefits

Copywriting best practice

• Emotional drivers that motivate people to respond or buy
• How to achieve personalisation with very little customer knowledge
• The importance of adopting the right tone and language
• Long copy or short copy: what works best, when and why?
• Perfect grammar and punctuation: friend or foe?
• Using “Power” words and avoiding “Spoiler” words
• Valuable tips that boost response and results
• Recipes for disaster and how to avoid them all

Direct response marketing: the foundation for all great copywriting

• Why sales letters often get great results where other mediums fail
• Why 90% of your direct mail letters hit the bin within five seconds
• 10 ways to write headlines that grab the reader’s attention
• Practical Exercise: Developing compelling headlines
• How to write envelope messages and response devices that boost results
• The last thing you should put into a direct mail letter
• Practical exercise: review sample sales letters

How to write copy for brochures, flyers and marketing collateral

• Creating a narrative flow that’s right for the way people actually read
• How to combine your copy with graphics and images to boost results
• Understanding the power of sub-heads, captions and screamers

Copywriting for the digital medium: email and websites

• How to adapt your copy to sell to online customers
• How to write compelling email subject lines
• Practical session: reviewing participants' own copy

Paul Chuter F IDM is one of the UK’s leading sales communications practitioners. Since 1991, Paul has provided communications advice and copywriting to leading international business enterprises, not-for-profit organisations, government agencies, professional bodies and academic institutions.

Clients past and present include Ericsson, Hitachi Data Systems, the IDM, Institute of Directors (IoD), Institute of Fundraising (IoF), Juniper Networks, Logicalis, Rocket Fuel Inc., Security Industry Authority (SIA), TradeDoubler, University of Leicester, University of Loughborough and Warner Bros.

Paul also advises UK and international advertising agencies on new pitch and client campaign strategy, and is a regular contributor to industry journals and blogs. He is a highly experienced speaker who delivers training that is extremely practical, applied and proven to be effective in the “real world”.

"Outstanding tutor - I can now write and justify our literature. I had never understood how much science goes into copywriting."

Jonnie Cook, Truro College

"An essential crash course in writing effective copy whether you're new to marketing or simply want to banish bad habits and enhance your technique."

Robbie Cooke, Pearson

"Thanks to Paul's lively delivery and the combination of practical exercises and enlightening theory, I spent the day flexing a different cerebral muscle. The simple truth is that the Copywriting Masterclass has already made me a better copywriter."

Katie Kirk, Totemic Ltd.

"I no longer fear the blank white paper. I have tools to help me write copy to meet my requirements!"

Hannah Cowan, Donor Development Manager, Against Breast Cancer