Those freelance bidding sites where you can submit quotes on copywriting projects seem like a great deal. You get to just scan through listings, submit a quick proposal and quote to potential clients, and land tons of work. Great, right? Wrong. Freelance bidding sites are great for clients ... and a waste of a good copywriter’s time. How Freelance Bidding Sites … [Read more...]
How to Add Urgency to Your Copywriting When Things Aren’t Urgent
When you’re crafting a call to action for a project, you want people to take that action as soon as possible. But what do you write when your target audience doesn’t have to take that action immediately? No marketer (at least, no marketer with a soul) wants to be pushy, right? We’re not here to force our products down people’s throats, we’re here to help them find solutions … [Read more...]
Can an Introvert Be a Successful Copywriter?
Maybe it’s because writing itself requires so much time alone, but it seems that a lot of people who love to write also require solitude to recharge their batteries. That's one of the reasons copywriting is one of the most flexible careers for introverts. A lot of a copywriter’s job involves crafting copy by oneself. You just can’t write good copy without spending at … [Read more...]
How Do You Write for Translations?
In today’s global economy, there’s a good chance that your copy may not just remain in its language of origin. You won't be the translator (thankfully), but you will need to write your copy so it can be translated. How? Here's what you should know about writing copy that will be translated. First, one caveat: I’m talking mostly in the “translating English to another … [Read more...]
The Copywriter’s Creativity Problem
When people think about the advertising industry, the trait they’re most likely to associate with it is “creativity.” That worries a lot of would-be copywriters. Are you creative enough to be a copywriter? Will that get in the way of your success? But the truth is that if the success of the ad industry rested on creativity, it would have folded long ago. And there's … [Read more...]
How To Distinguish Your Client From the Competition
In every client’s mind, their own product or service is legendary. But how can copywriters convey that same momentousness to prospective purchasers so that they just can’t resist buying it? Conveying a product’s (or service’s) unique selling point (or USP) and benefit to the consumer are crucial to helping your target audience understand why they should make the … [Read more...]
How To Change Minds With Your Copywriting
Persuasion is key to effective copywriting. But influencing people is easier said than done. Or is it? Here we talk about the secret to turning heads and changing minds. The purpose of any piece of copy is to get people to take action. That action might be to buy a product or it might be to sign up for an email list or to send a letter to their congressperson or even to … [Read more...]
Why Copywriting Formulas and Templates Are Absurd
There are sites and sources that promise "the perfect copywriting template for effective emails!" or "the formula for copy that converts!" And that sounds great, right? But not only are "formulas" not great, they're both full of crap and bad for copywriting professionals. You'll often see sites and opt-ins that try to sell you on formulas or templates for killer ads and … [Read more...]
Why You Should Make Your Audience Anxious
Writing to your target audience is crucial for writing effective copy. You love your target audience! But sometimes it's also wildly effective to make 'em squirm a little. You understand that you have to convey the benefits of a product when you write about it, but is there anything else you can do to make that benefit more powerful? (Don't you don't know the difference … [Read more...]
The Key to Writing Irresistible Product Descriptions
Product descriptions can be a great opportunity for copywriters. They offer a lot of work that can be fairly steady and may also be done remotely. But if you want to wow potential employers and land the job, there's one key you've got to know. Despite the fact that some companies put in the bare minimum of effort on product descriptions, they're actually some of the most … [Read more...]