Guest Post by Cindy Baade at Harrisco
Back in the early 2000s, anyone who could write decently could get jobs as a copywriter. Nowadays, clients seek out copywriters nearby who can spin about any topic into genius content.
While there is no such thing as the perfect copywriter – there is a clever kind of copywriter, and here is what it takes:
1) Research Skills.
A clever copywriter does not just accept a topic and writes a copy. He takes the client’s subject and researches everything possible – the who, what, when, where, and the why. For example: if the topic is Organic Produce for Health – an exceptional copywriter researches not only the effects of organic produce but the effects of inorganic products, the cons, and pros of both sides, etc., to understand both parties and not blindly write what comes to mind.
2) Curiosity and Creativity.
The copywriter should be eager to discover and poke through the product’s features to provide solid work. A copywriter who remains innocent and curious when diving into a project can navigate it in a new light, with new ideas and selling points. Curiosity keeps you on your toes, enabling your creativity to shine through in any given copy project.
3) Understanding audience(s).
As a copywriter, one must comprehend all sorts of audiences and followers – because it will vary for each of the different brands you’ll work with. Understanding people leads to creating honest and sincere relationships with them – not just to shove products down at them.
Finding the audience’s wants and needs helps you, the copywriter, formulate heart-based copy work to inspire them to act towards what will benefit them (in this case, the brand’s product/course/service). And it also helps you choose the kind of language and words that the audience will relate to and resonate with.
4) Conversational Skills.
Whether speaking or writing – conversational skills are primordial as a copywriter. It serves when communicating to both your client and their audience.
You can be profound, philosophical, and esoteric all you want – but it is always best to make it simple when communicating with a large audience. You want to be clear, inspiring, and moving with your tone; not so much thought-provoking but action-provoking.
To finish off, you may be naturally agile and talented (or not), but just like any profession and endeavor, the learning never ends. A copywriter is not born with all the skills – their skillset grows with dedication and determination over time.
Stay focused, remain goal-oriented, keep an open mind, do your work honestly, and you will thrive.