I hear this a lot. “I’m interested in copywriting, but I don’t want to trick people or force people into buying anything.”
And I definitely get that. A lot of people get put off by the idea of selling and pushing things on people. No one wants to feel disingenuous or pushy.
Well, good news!
Copywriting Is About Connecting, Not Selling
First, that’s not what copywriting is. Copywriting is about connecting people who have a need with the best solution to that need and doing it by writing in a way that connects with that audience. That kind of push-push-push selling isn’t effective and isn’t what copywriting is about.
Sometimes the “need” will be a big, important one. For example, parents with a diabetic child may need to find a specialty hospital for that child and the copy on a hospital’s diabetes center web page helps that family understand that it’s the exact right hospital for them.
And, of course, sometimes it’s a lot less “significant” but still important to the person with the need. A person who needs a quick, healthy snack in the middle of the day but is allergic to nuts finds the answer to her needs when she sees an ad for a low-sugar, no-nut energy bar. She got the answer to her problem via good copywriting.
Some people think “advertising” shows up as the crummy direct mail pieces that get immediately thrown away or “BIG BLOWOUT” newspaper ads.
What Is Copywriting?
And yes, all of those are copywriting (albeit often bad copywriting) but copywriting is so much more. On a daily basis, pretty much anything you read that isn’t a book, an article, or a blog is generally copywriting: web pages of a company, emails you receive, good direct mail pieces that get you interested in the product, and useful ads that make you think, “Oh wow, that’s exactly what I need! It’s like they read my mind!”
Copywriting is about creating genuine connections by writing in a way that connects with the exact right target audience for a product/service and helps them understand that it *is* right for them and solving their needs. It sounds simple and straightforward but not that many people can do it well. That’s why copywriters are so valued and paid so well.
Your Turn
How do you take the “selling” out of copywriting? Let us know in the comments below!
Last Updated on March 21, 2024
Great points!
Hi Ed,
I’m glad you liked the post! Thanks for commenting!
Nicki
Interestingly, the last time I purchased a car from a dealership, the salesperson said, “Since all my customers can look up the dealer invoice online, my job has changed a lot. I am more of a customer service representative than a salesman.” So, he learned during the course of his career what GOOD copywriters already knew!
Hi Susan,
I agree – the stereotype definitely doesn’t always hold up these days. Good for them for evolving! 🙂
Thanks for commenting!
Nicki