Copywriting Quest: Leveling Up Writing in A Month
Copywriting? Quid Est?
Copywriting: The art of creating copy. ‘Copy’ includes all that’s written for advertising. Even the spoken lines in commercials. Copy is written to inform and persuade others.
Last month, I dived into Copywriting. Why? It seemed like a natural extension of my writing skills. It also provided fun insight into human psychology. Not to mention that it's complementary with Sales, which I did the month before (see here).
Here’s My Quest in Copywriting by the Weeks:
Week 1: What is Copywriting? The Intro to Copywriting. I learned by observing the best.
Week 2: The Ten Laws. The Theory of Copywriting. These are the rules that makes copy stick. I also saw them in action in emails. I even wrote my own welcome email.
Week 3: Applied Copywriting. The Execution of Copywriting. I started by checking out more real-world examples and workshops. Then I revised old works with pro tools. Finally, I wrote a new copy.
Week 4: The Swipe File. The Collection of Copywriting. I recorded copy I found effective. I also reflected on Copywriting as a whole.
I will be giving a broad overview, focusing in particular on what I produced. You can dive deeper into each item as we go along. I’ll also leave a repository of links here (at the bottom of this page).
By the end of the month, I…
Learned to Recognize the Ingredients for Successful Copywriting
Broke down 2 welcome emails and 1 website
Wrote my own welcome email for my newsletter
Revised two previous works with Grammarly
Created Copy for a Local Business: Both the Writing and Design via GIMP
Created a Swipe File with over 25 pieces to reference
Ingredients of Good Copy
What makes copy good copy? Remember the goal of copywriting. You see it on ads, flyers, or mail delivered to you. You are trying to reach an audience and getting them to act on your words. As with Sales, this can be done ethically too.
To reach someone, you must understand how they think before you can influence them. Thus, the psychology of copywriting demands three main things:
You must understand and capture your audience.
You must give a clear and concise message.
You must prove your benefits.
These are common threads found in Dave Gerhardt’s Ten Laws of Copywriting. Below are the laws in their entirety. I’ll explain the laws, too.
The Ten Laws
You must know how people make decisions. People make decisions emotionally, then justify them with logic. Emotions are intuitive, logic takes processing. Emotions can even be logical– Wouldn’t you be worried about food or finances? Therefore, something that addresses those concerns well would be a logical solution to your problems.
You must uncover the selfish benefit. People will shrug if you say “It can do this”. People will be interested if you say “You can do this with this”.
You must learn to tell a great story. Give your copy purpose with a story. It engages the audience. It leads them in. And of course, it sets it apart from the others. “There’s a thing” here is not as impressive as “This thing all started when… And now, it can be yours!”
You must write like you talk. Colloquial is key. It’s friendly. It’s intelligible.
You must use their words, not yours. Show how “you get them” with word choice. Be it jargon or gut feelings.
You must write short, choppy copy. Each sentence should lead to the next. You understand quickly. You can scan the whole copy too.
You must be specific. Would you sell premium meat to vegetarians? Or alcohol to teetotalers? And why MacIntyre’s Meat Market over the grocery store? The point is: Be specific about what you offer and who you offer to. It’s how you connect and find those looking for you.
You must nail the headline. This is the first thing people see. Make it count.
You must back everything up with social proof. Social proof tips the balance in decision-making. It gives trust and credibility.
You must address the objections upfront. How could people listen to your arguments if they are worried about one aspect? Give them that last push.
Sometimes these laws can overlap. Objections or worries affect emotions and decision-making. Same with stories. You must keep your message brief, but friendly. And understandable. And relatable.
You don’t need to follow all these laws for every copy, but these guidelines will make your writing shine. Follow them when you can.
Now, with these laws in mind, let us see how they might be put in action. Below are both works I referenced and works of my own.
Week 1: The Intro to Copywriting
Copywriting is best learned from studying the best. In fact, Copywriting often revolves around taking Copy that works and applying it to your own projects.
Thus, my Copywriting quest began with reviewing good copy. Most copy comes in print. But there’s copy in videos, too.
Copying From the Best
I had the opportunity to survey a variety of copy— From copy that has stood the test of time to some fun viral ads from today. For me, this was my introduction to some iconic items. One of my favorites is the Avis No. 2 Ad. It uses the elephant in the room to its advantage. It’s written honestly and colloquially. And it gives a final call to action that flows all too well.
Of course, among other classics, the Rolls-Royce Silver Cloud print gets its own treatment. To learn, I copied it by hand. I took note of font sizes and effects in particular.
What makes this copy stick? In sum, you can find…
Effects Being Sold, not the product (luxury experience vs. “a car”)
Attention to detail given for the processes.
Addressing Objections: The radiator is presented as virtually unaltered. They also present driving a Bentley as an alternative.
Despite its bold claims, it still presents itself as trustworthy and reliable. This is a car made by people. It’s very high quality, but it’s a man-made machine.
It empowers the audience. There is plenty of agency with “you” followed by features. When they said “owner-driven car”, they meant it.
The headline is a testimonial.
I have some more to say here, and so do many experts. You can see my thoughts and other’s commentary here.
The Original…
…and my hand copy. (I wasn’t confident about drawing in a short amount of time.)
Week 2’s Welcome Emails
Reviews
The next items to review were Welcome Emails. What does good copywriting look like in email? The format may be different, but the principles are the same.
Fittingly, I had just subscribed to Carla’s Found in Antiquity newsletter. And choosing a Marketing Advice newsletter would be fitting.
Below are overviews of the emails, with some updates. You can find the initial impressions here. Click on the images to find the Full Swipes in my Swipe File.
Found in Antiquity
What Worked:
Colorful. The images break up the short text.
Delivered the offered good as promised with positive reinforcement (“all 30,000 words”)
Offered more value: Benefits like Updates and a Second Freebie
Made it colloquial and personal- “I hope you enjoy reading Vergil with me”
Nailed the header (email body). It uses “Salve” (Latin greeting). Literally speaking our language!
What Could Be Improved:
Stronger CTAs: Follow Me, Learn More Here, etc.
Email Headline: Not bad, but can be improved. Not as specific as the body header.
Roy Furr: Breakthrough Marketing Secrets Newsletter
What Worked:
Social Proof… combined with a live demonstration. The testimonial also doubles as a story.
Plenty of benefits.
Colloquial with a sense of humor.
Scannable despite its length.
What Could Be Improved:
Headline. It works. It points out the gifts. But there might be another option.
Lacks images. Images would help break it up.
My Turn!
After reviewing those emails, it was my turn to make my own. Though I like the results, my current Substack Plan unfortunately doesn’t include a custom welcome email like this one.
If you’d like, you can find a doc version of My Welcome Email here (same document as the Email Breakdowns).
What Worked for Me:
Colloquial tone. It’s very spoken with my quips thrown in there.
Simple writing. Yes, it was written in my standard freeform. But it
The P.S. Post scripts are the second most read part in the average email. It’s set apart at the bottom after all.
What I can improve:
Specificity: I could have gone further about what exactly this newsletter is. It’s pretty general, even with the subjects listed. And the sprinkled Latin.
For that personal touch, I could add a portrait.
Some sentences can be cut down while still maintaining my voice.
Week 3: Putting It Into Practice
In Week 3, I reflected on how Copywriting can level up my career as it did for others. Some switched mediums and provided value via writing. Others developed different portable skills to take with them. As for me, I might leverage Copywriting as a pivot point in my career. I can use it to connect with people professionally or personally. If you’d like me to go into further detail, please read my thoughts here.
I also analyzed Rich Dad’s website. I saw the laws and tricks of the trade in action with the bold headlines, Robert Kiyosaki’s honest and colloquial writing, and the Rich Dad team’s clear sympathy and promises to get you out of the rat race and onto the fast track. You can find my observations on Rich Dad’s pages here.
Finally, I revised two of my old writings. One was a newsletter I wasn’t satisfied with. I thought felt mechanical at first release. The other was about the lessons from a restaurant I struggled to share. If you’d like, click on the links and compare the pieces. I’m sure there’s something else I should add.
But by far the most significant thing I made this week was…
A Copy of My Own
I put my skills to the test by writing my own copy. I wrote for Beacock Music, who started and served in my hometown for decades.
You can read my brainstorming notes here.
What Came Naturally
The Headline. It did take time to brainstorm, but it all worked out.
Font formatting. I already have a habit of bolding, italicizing, or underlining for emphasis. I also knew where to place the headers or other sections… albeit with some challenges.
Visual editing. Via GIMP, I added a stock photo of some piano playing and a transparent text box. It took some time, and I had to settle with a visible logo in a position different than intended.
What Needed Adjusting
Length. I ramble when I write. Even when partially cut, it can still be too much. It’s even more important when you’re working on limited space.
Text formatting. I needed to organize my arguments while cutting them down to size. Some lines made more sense together than others, so they had to be moved and partially rewritten.
Results?
What Worked
I presented the value of the features to the audience. I uncovered their selfish benefit.
I took care of the elephant in the room for a final push.
All the while I stayed organized and scannable.
What Could Be Better
I wish I explored Beacock’s history. It’s been a local business for decades now- That’s asking for a story. Alternatively, I could paint a picture of one’s musical journey.
On that note, I could have pointed out the rewards that spring from taking lessons. Especially with emotional rewards (“victorious feelings”, “rejoicing in making music”, etc.)
I had no specific audience besides “People who want music lessons” and “people with financial worries”. I could have even played up the local aspect, too. But I kept it general.
All that said, the final product amuses me. Putting it together felt like making a silly fake ad years ago. Yet this time it fits in a real store. For a real store. It might help people get started with lessons.
By the way, I showed it to my cousin once removed (“niece”) without saying it was mine. She thought it worked and liked its response to the objection, but didn’t make any other notes besides its consistency for the service offered. I would have to agree. Perhaps I’ll whip up a second draft.
Week 4: The Swipe File
The last project (besides what you see here) was making my own Swipe File. Professional Copywriters and Marketers keep an archive for reference. It can contain advice or examples from any medium. Copy is meant to be copied.
If you know me, I need examples to follow. Not in the plagiaristic sense, I only have trouble getting started. Besides, nobody (except God) creates in a vacuum.
Why don’t you check out the copy that I saved? Check it out here (and swipe it, too!)
They vary in age. From today’s email with nice testimonials to an 80s commercial that expands upon its headline. Why settle for the headline itself when this classic commercial sends it home?
Some of the items were my favorites among recommendations. Others I stumbled across. I shy away from the more crass and blunt ones, so they tend to be older. Some favorites in the collection include…
“Think Small” by Volkswagen
Avis No. 2
FedEx (with John Moschitta)
DePaul Street Corner
Reflections
What can I do going forward?
With Gathering Sources…
It’s a matter of diligence. Copy is all around us. Even the “no-copy copy”.
I can be more confident in swiping copy if it works. If I can say “This aspect was good”, it’s worth remembering. If I can’t, it isn’t. I can always break it down later.
On My Copy, I Can Improve With…
Social Proof. It’s huge, and yet I haven’t used it before. In a future project, I can use Social Proof as my base.
Storytelling. It doesn’t always need to be a full story. A train of thought with a hero, a conflict, and a solution will do. But I should try tapping into stories more.
Tailoring to an audience. I only kept my writing for a general target audience. I can’t say I made it more specific. (Above example: “musicians already thinking about lessons” versus “solo and ensemble students”)
Other Things I Would Do Differently
Test the copy and get feedback. If the whole point of copywriting is reaching people, shouldn’t I see if I… actually do?
Final Thoughts?
Copywriting has become harder and harder to unsee. I run into websites and think “I should save this.” I look at emails and think “Could this be better? I don’t want to be too critical, but I think…” Nevertheless, I’m glad to have started with the Copywriting Quest. There’s a lot to explore here. I feel there’s more for me here. In fact, I think it might be clicking with me faster than Sales, but we’ll see how it turns out in the long run. I looked back at my old mock sales email earlier today and I felt like revising it. There’s more to be had… So let’s see where else Copywriting takes us!
Project Links
Week 1:
Week 2:
Week 3: All Documents Here Include:
My Thoughts on How Copywriting Can Level Up My Life
Revisions 1 and 2 (links to earlier drafts included)
Web Copy Breakdown: richdad.com
Planning Sheet for the Beacock’s Copy
Week 4:
Tools Mentioned: