Most business owners and marketers are familiar with the term “copywriter,” but not too many know exactly what it means or how to go about becoming one.
A copywriter is someone who takes ordinary copy — such as the copy on an advert or website — and makes it more persuasive and interesting. In other words, they make it “copy.”
The main responsibility of a copywriter is to make the reader want what the advert or website is selling, whether this is a product, service, opinion, or thought. To achieve this, the copywriter must possess certain skills, which in my opinion can be categorized into five broad groups:
1. Vocabulary
When writing, you will encounter words and phrases that you have not encountered before. It is essential to learn a thesaurus, a word processor’s dictionary, and a phrase book.
The former will help you find synonyms for words you do not know, while the latter two will enable you to build your own words and phrases. These three items will undoubtedly help you become a better writer.
2. Grammar
Grammar is the study of the “rules” of grammar, such as what constitutes correct sentence structure, how to use commas, and the difference between capital and small letters. Although there is no set formula for learning grammar, you can start by reading publications by famous grammarians, taking a class in English grammar or punctuation, or even watching English-language films and TV shows.
Grammar is important because it makes a writer sound credible. After all, if you are writing about a particular subject area, you will inevitably need to research that area and become familiar with its vocabulary and rules. In other words, you will need to learn grammar or at least be aware of it.
3. Style
A style is simply the manner in which you write. In general, you should try to write in a confident and straightforward manner, using simple, everyday language.
You do not need to be constrained by any particular style in terms of spelling, grammar, or vocabulary, as long as you are able to write in a way that makes your message easy to understand. For example, if you are writing about an expensive piece of wine, you might want to write formally and accurately, but if you are just writing for your friends, you can get away with spelling mistakes and slang.
In most cases, you will need to consider what style you need for your specific situation. You might want to write a formal, business-like letter to a vendor, while you might want to write a more informal email to a friend. In each case, you would need to adapt your writing style to match the nature of your correspondence.
4. Research
When writing, it is essential that you do your research. You will need to ensure that your ideas are supported by evidence, and you will need to find the right research to support your opinions. If you have never written a formal letter before, but have always written something on your own, then you should consider taking a few days to study academic and business letters. This will help you become more confident and competent in your writing.
In some instances, you might need to do extensive research into an area of expertise you possess. For example, if you are writing about mortgages, you might want to look into the existing literature on the subject. In other cases, you might need to do some research into a company you are writing about. You can find many companies’ contact details online and, if necessary, call them up for a comment.
5. Coherence
Finally, you should always check your work for coherence. In other words, you should ensure that your writing makes sense, and it all fits together well. You can use several methods to check for coherence, such as asking someone to read the draft you have just completed and pointing out any sentences that do not flow together well. In most cases, a good rule of thumb is to edit out anything that does not fit within the context of the conversation you are having.
For example, if you are replying to a lengthy email and you write: “I understand what you mean,” although this might be true, it is probably not the best idea to write this in a letter. On the other hand, as a reply to a shorter email, it would be proper to write: “I understand what you mean.” With coherence, you always need to consider the receiver of your letter and the nature of the conversation you are having when you write.
In summary, the ideal candidate for a copywriting role will be someone who is confident, capable, and authoritative. To get started, simply follow these five simple tips.