You've been asked to do a copywriting job pronto - but you don't know where to begin; how do you kick-start your creative processes instantly?
Which ads work best for you? Chances are they're the ones that tell you something you want to hear, something to your advantage - something that's going to make your life better. So next time you've got a copywriting job to do and don't know how to get that blank computer screen filled, ask yourself: If I was a member of the target audience I'm writing for, what would I want to hear about the products or services I'm selling? How will they make my life better? How will they enrich me? How will they make me happy?
The answer to those questions is where you start your copywriting: attention-grabbing headline first, summarising all those benefits in one well-polished, well-rounded, memorable statement - followed by introductory copy that communicates emotionally-led benefits; in other words, telling people what they want to hear.
Once you've done that, you're free to tell them all about the facts, figures and features of whatever you're selling - but never, ever lead with that information, because you're making the classic mistake of telling your target audience what you want to tell them, which won't necessarily be what they want to hear. How many times have you seen a TV ad which starts, for example: "At National Consolidated Bank, we've got a great new product..." They've lost me already. They're telling me what they want to tell me about a product. What they should be saying is: "Finally, at last, you can relax about money. Stop worrying and start living - because here's a great new National Consolidated Bank product that's going to make your life so much easier..."
See the difference? Up-front, they're telling me something that appeals to me, something that presses my big green I'm Interested button, something that's to my advantage. Good copywriting can be as simple as that.
Of course, there's a lot more to great copywriting, which is where the Introduction to Copywriting course can help; you'll learn a lot, you'll enjoy yourself, you'll meet fellow professionals with whom you can share experiences - and you'll get to practice your latent creative skills in a stimulating environment (see? Lots of benefits up-front!) - so come and join us, get savvy about good copy, and lose your fear of the blank computer screen forever!
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