Do you want to become an effective copywriter?
The biggest secret to becoming an effective copywriter is the same as becoming a cricketing great, winning an Oscar, or attaining any other desirable skillset, trait, or career.
Many would argue that the world’s greatest copywriters people are born naturally talented and skilful. Although natural talent is a factor, what long-term success comes down to is practice, practice, and practice.
So, in today’s post, I will share 5 simple exercises that you can do every day to become an effective copywriter and write words that attract people like magic!
Disclaimer
There are hundreds of methods through which you can become a great copywriter. However, I find that sticking to a few powerful ones helps me stay consistent and I can practice them whenever I want.
So, let’s jump in!
What Is Copywriting?
Copywriting is the art and skill of creating written content that persuades and motivates people to take a specific action.
It involves crafting words and messages that capture attention, conveys information, and ultimately drive the reader to respond in a desired way.
Here’s a simple example: Imagine you own a bakery, and you want to promote your delicious chocolate chip cookies.
A copywriter might write a short and engaging description like this:
“Indulge in the ultimate chocolate lover’s dream! Our freshly baked, melt-in-your-mouth chocolate chip cookies are a divine combination of rich, gooey chocolate and a perfect hint of sweetness.
With every bite, you’ll experience a symphony of flavours that will leave you craving more. Treat yourself today and discover what true cookie bliss tastes like!”
In the above example, the copywriter uses descriptive and enticing language to evoke emotions and create a desire for the product. The aim is to persuade the reader to visit the bakery and purchase the chocolate chip cookies.
Similarly, the copy that you write should get the reader to take a desired action.
How Do I Start Copywriting?
One of the most frequently asked questions is: How do I become a copywriter with no experience?
In the video below, Alex Cattoni, my favourite copywriter answers this question in her ever-so-charming way:
I am sure after watching the above video, you will learn 5 ways through which you can start copywriting.
How Do I Become A Better Copywriter?
Now, I will share 5 simple exercises that you can do every day to become an effective copywriter and write words that attract people like magic!
Exercise 1: Behave Like A Copywriter All The Time!
Let me ask you something. If you want to become better at, let’s say, Python programming, how many hours a day would you practice?
3 hours? 4 hours? 6 hours?
If you are committed to your goal, I bet you will put in at least 4-5 hours to practice and hone your skills meaning, isn’t it?
Similarly, if you want to become a better copywriter, you have to keep your eyes open and look for copy everywhere!
Yes, everywhere!
Why?
Because the truth is, copy is everywhere!
You will find copy on billboards, product packaging, bus ads, YouTube ads, Instagram ads, outside restaurants, in newspapers, etc.
You have to keep your eyes open and recognise that copy that is hidden in plain sight. Once you start doing this, you will get new ideas and get better at crafting words.
What I usually do is whenever I come across appealing copy while browsing the net, I take screenshots and store them in a folder on my phone or MacBook to analyse later when I have time.
However, when I am on the go and see something that grabs my attention, I take a moment to stop and read the copy.
After reading the copy, I think about:
- What is it trying to accomplish?
- Who is it targeting?
- Why did it grab my attention?
- How could I make it better?
This is the easiest exercise, according to me, because it took me zero effort to craft it. I simply read and analyse it.
Exercise 2: Rewrite Headlines
I think rewriting copy is one of the most powerful ways to become a better copywriter. Rewriting headlines is better and easier than sitting down and trying to come up with your headlines.
Why is that?
Because you already have headlines that are working and you only have to read them, analyse them, and make them better, or craft them for your target audience.
But where can you find attention-grabbing headlines?
When it comes to finding headlines to rewrite, I visit websites that are popular for writing headlines with a high click-through rate (CTR). For instance, websites like Medium, Swiped.co, BuzzFeed, or Cosmopolitan.
I visit the aforementioned website and pick headlines that catch my eye. Then, I analyse and rewrite them in my own words, for my target audience.
You can start by rewriting 3-5 headlines every day.
Make sure to rewrite the headlines for your target audience and niche. While rewriting, you can ask yourself the following questions:
- Who is my target audience?
- What am I trying to accomplish?
- How could I make it better?
Remember that all appealing headlines speak to a target audience – directly or indirectly. So, start with a catchy hook and include an open loop to pique curiosity.
How I usually rewrite headlines is by:
- Rewriting for my target audience
- Rewriting for a goal that I want to accomplish
- Rewriting for piquing curiosity
I feel this way, I am not just changing a word or two, I am using the headline and completely reworking it into something entirely new.
Exercise 3: Rewrite Ads
As I shared in “Exercise 1: Behave Like A Copywriter All The Time!”, when I get time, I analyse the ads or copy I came across and rewrite them in my own words.
Here’s a little secret: If I have to find ads that caught my attention on Instagram or Facebook, I go to Facebook Ad Library.
On the Facebook ad library, I enter the name of the page and see all the ads they are running.
Then, I open my notebook and rewrite the entire ad in my own words.
Another powerful platform to find ads is Swiped.co. Just type in the ad or ads in the search bar and then pick from hundreds of ads in their database.
Try and start by rewriting 2-3 ads every day.
Exercise 4: Go Through Your Email Inbox
Just like me, I know you’d be receiving 10-20 emails every day. Instead of ignoring every email, you can utilise them to improve your copywriting skills.
You can open 1 email that catches your attention. Go through and analyse it and rewrite it in your own words from the subject line to the entire email body.
So, all you are doing is turning an email into a copywriting exercise. Just like in Exercise 1, ask yourself the following questions:
- What is it trying to accomplish?
- Who is it targeting?
- Why did it grab my attention?
- How could I make it better?
Exercise 5: Learn Every Day
Learning every day? I know it’s tough to spare even 30 minutes in our busy lives. But it is something that you ought to do!
Whether you are watching a video on YouTube, listening to a podcast, or going through an online course, spare only 30 minutes and dedicate it to learning something new.
Why?
Because the more you learn, the more ideas you can come up with. And, it need not be related to your niche.
If I have to write curiosity-piquing headlines or copy, I watch fiction.
If I have to write funny headlines or copy, I watch stand-up comedy.
In the same way, you can learn from anywhere!
Even listening to your favourite childhood stories can help you get your creative juices flowing. That’s because listening to well-crafted and well-delivered stories teaches you a lot about human psychology and the art of capturing and grabbing and holding attention, which is essential in copywriting.
Conclusion
So that is how you can start copywriting and become a better copywriter.
I’d like to end this post by saying, “It will take time! Please don’t get demoralised if you do not see your copywriting skills improving in one month. It takes months and even years to find the perfect blend of words to write copy that grabs attention.”
Now, I am curious to know how you will improve your copywriting skills.
Will you rewrite ads?
Or
Will you rewrite emails?
Either way, let me know in the comments box below.
As a bonus, I would love to invite you to my elite community for Affiliate Marketers!
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