When you are approaching a project and have a blank page in front of you it can be overwhelming, so starting with a jumping-off point for your project is key. The creative brief will act as a road map for the project.
In this episode, Nicki and Kate discuss how to best use that road map and what tools CCA students have best convey the message and achieve the goal that has been laid out for them.
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A Sneak Peek at the Episode
[2:30] When you are approaching a project and have a blank page in front of you it can be overwhelming, so starting with a jumping-off point for your project is key. A creative brief can help you combat blank page syndrome!
[4:25] A creative brief is essential for every project, it is your map for your project!
[5:45] What kind of project are you working on, what is the medium? Copy is found everywhere; billboards, mailers, emails, on product packaging. The type of project will dictate the amount of literal space you have to work with.
[7:45] Different copy elements aren’t necessarily going to apply to every medium, like subject lines in emails. Something like customer experience can even impact what the medium is, there are so many aspects to consider.
[10:30] If our goal as copywriters is to get consumers to take action, we need to put ourselves in their shoes and figure out what is this journey that they are on, and how do we most effectively lead them from point A to point B.
[15:05] Focus on the message you are conveying about the product in an email or sales page, and how long it takes to get that message to consumers.
[20:30] As a copywriter you have a toolbox full of tools and skills. You have to think about which pieces make most sense to use for the medium and audiences and the message you are trying to convey. It’s going to vary based on your brief, and knowing what elements to use to help you achieve the goal laid out.
[24:20] Something else that often trips copywriters up is the copy doc and how to structure it. It’s a gray area and that causes copywriters to overthink it!
“And I think we need to underscore the fact that no one is ever going to read all your copy. And I know you’re like ‘yeah, right.’ No one is ever going to read everything that you write.” – Kate
“Always comes back to the brief because that is going to guide you and not just when you’re planning it out but as you’re evaluating your work. Copywriting is not just writing, editing is a big part of it.” – Nicki
“Every copywriting project is going to come back to the fundamentals and that is where you need to start with every copywriting project.” – Nicki
“If it were a simple, pretty, little answer, we wouldn’t command the rates that we do for the high value work that we deliver. That’s why we’re not afraid of ChatGPT, this episode sums up why. Best of luck robots.” Nicki
“But if you start to passively consume things and realize ‘oh wait, I just deleted that, why did I just delete that email?’ Did you delete it before you even opened it because the subject line didn’t grab your attention? Did you delete it once you opened it because it didn’t in that first line capture your attention? Or maybe you got to the end of the email, and you deleted it because the call to action wasn’t relevant or the message didn’t land with you, you were the wrong audience … Start to notice as you analyze that copy what made you do what you did.” – Kate
Mentioned on this Episode
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About the Build Your Business Podcast
Ready to turn your love of writing into a successful copywriting career?
Join professional copywriters Nicki Krawczyk and Kate Sitarz to get the tips, tools, and training to help you become a copywriter and build a thriving business of your own. Nicki and Kate have 20+ and 15+ years of experience, respectively, writing copy for multi-billion-dollar companies, solopreneurs, and every size business in between.
Whether you want to land an on-staff job, freelance full-time and work from wherever you want, or make extra money with a side hustle, the best place to start learning is right here.
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Ep. 136: Copywriting Transformed Her Quality of Life – Amy’s Story
Last Updated on September 12, 2023
