The skills you need to be a freelance copywriter

The young typist

Interested in becoming a copywriter? Here is my take on the skills required to make a living as a freelance copywriter. This is purely the result of my experience, and it’s worth remembering that other copywriters succeed by other means, and rely on skills that I don’t have.

Copywriting skills

Naturally! If you’re going to make a living by selling a skill, it should be one you’ve got. But don’t despair if you feel less-than-expert. As long as you’ve got an understanding of what you’re doing, a solid grasp of grammar, a degree of writing talent and a willingness to learn, you’ll go far. Besides, most copywriters only become great because they work past the stage where they’re not-so-great.

Versatility

You can specialise, and only seek copywriting jobs in your preferred industry/format, but you’ll still need to be able to shift gears and adjust to new subjects or clients. And being versatile enough to adapt to new challenges is hugely beneficial when you get started, and may be grateful for whatever opportunities arise.

Marketing nous

Your work is all about helping your clients with their marketing. But you won’t have many clients if you can’t do your own marketing. Unless of course you’re famous, or do something revolutionary that clients clamour for. But the reality of the copywriting world is that there are plenty of good copywriters out there, and when you get started you’ll need to raise your profile in order to succeed. My book Brilliant Freelancer includes an informative chapter on marketing (you can get a free chapter if you follow that link).

Personability

Copywriting projects vary wildly, and where one client wants you at arm’s length, others will value collaboration and want you in their office. You’ll need to be easy to work with, and good at fitting in with new people in new environments.  Your clients may want to meet you before you start work, so you’ll need to be friendly, cooperative and able to demonstrate that you know what you’re doing.

A thick skin

The copy you write for clients is not poetry or art; it’s a business tool, and it’s a tool that your clients will consider carefully before putting to work. So your clients will doubt, question and clarify anything they don’t like. And after you’ve obsessed over every word, a client’s questions or deletions can be hard to stomach. But you’ll soon learn to distance yourself from your copy, to view it objectively and consider its strengths and weaknesses, and to debate them without prejudice.

Web smarts

If you’re writing for the web, you need to ‘get’ the web. Watch what web designers and developers are talking about, because their discoveries and breakthrough build the web you write for.

 

What you don’t need to be a freelance copywriter…

You don’t need to pay for a copywriting course. You can learn it all from books that cost a fraction of training fees. Or why not do a few voluntary copywriting projects?  Or attend a workshop if a copywriter gives one, but don’t focus on formal education. Learn by doing.

The fine art of copywriting: be friendly

Good copy is communicative, and good communication happens when there’s a rapport between the communicators. You can build rapport with your readers by creating a cordial atmosphere.

Here’s how you can write copy and make friends:

Have respect. Friends respect each other. Don’t patronise your reader, or try to hoodwink them. Give it to them straight.

Remember your readers are human. Your reader is an individual, a human being just like you. So address them directly.

Be nice. You might be selling enterprise communication solutions (WTF?) but you don’t have to spout jargon.

Be helpful. How can you help your reader? What information might benefit them? What links could you offer them to make their life easier?

Use nice, friendly words. ‘Killer’, ‘eliminate’ and ‘destroy’ may seem appropriate when describing Mrs Crumbles Kiddie Café, but there are probably nicer words you could use instead.

Want to join the Drivvel team?

Drivvel.com, the website that gathers the best copy from around the world, needs your help.

Are you…

– a copywriter, a designer or someone who works with words?

– interested in creating a community?

– able to give a little time to the Drivvel project?

Drivvel needs:

– a few regular posters to add great copy that they find (or write)

– help spreading the word

In return for your support you will be able to influence the direction of Drivvel and feature prominently on the site as part of the team. If you’re interested, please email info@drivvel.com

Thanks!

The fine art of copywriting: be easy

Easy is an important word for copywriters. It’s a word we can use and it’s a word we can heed.

Be easy

Your readers are more likely to follow your instructions, or be tempted to buy or vote, if you make it easy for people to respond.

Your copy must be easy to read, easy to understand and easy to act on. As a copywriter you must work through the ramifications of your words. If you’re asking readers to enquire by email, are you making it easy for them to do so?

If you’re giving instructions, are they correct? Have you tried following your own instructions? Is every other part of the business and website correct, and as you describe?

Lead your reader down an easy path, free of obstacles.

Use ‘easy’

Easy is also a brilliant word to use. People love it! It’s short, optimistic and encouraging. So never shy away from this humble, yet powerful, word.

The fine art of copywriting: be quick

 

People are busy. So get to the point.

This advice is so obvious and so commonplace that I hesitated to include it in this series of blog posts.

BUT… I realised that people often lose sight of what is really meant by this advice, so here’s my view:

  1. Great copy gets to the point immediately, not just ‘quickly’.
  2. Great copy puts the point first, at the start of the first sentence.
  3. Great copy doesn’t let you miss the point, or allow it to get buried in a deep sentence.
  4. Great copy doesn’t waste words on welcomes, greetings or platitudes.
  5. Great copy doesn’t state the obvious.

As all good journalists know, you should tell people what you’re going to tell them, and then tell them what you’re going to tell them in more detail. Begin with the big point, the sexy whizz-bang nugget of fun that your reader wants to hear about. And then explain why your thing is better than competitors’ things.

Fine art of copywriting: be interesting

Copywriters easily get wrapped up in rules, and lose sight of a fundamental part of good writing: being interesting. It’s no good offering benefits, writing actively and compellingly, addressing the reader directly and appealing to their deep-seated desires if your words are boring.

‘Being interesting’ is a vague challenge. What is ‘interesting’ anyway? There’s no simple answer to that question, but I think interesting writing can be defined as:

  • Energetic – free of tired clichés and full of the writer’s energy. If you feel flat and miserable writing about something, that mood may carry over into your copy. Sometimes using a slightly unusual word or a familiar phrase (a cliché!) is enough to make copy interesting
  • Different – sometimes being weird is all you need
  • Appealing – it’s easy to write interesting copy if your clients have interesting products
  • Humorous – making your reader smile is a good thing, though it’s tricky to get right
  • Resonant – chime with your reader’s experience to get them on your side
  • Honest – bullshit-laden copy is rarely interesting
  • Timely – give people the right information at the right time. The question of timing and ordering content is one of the trickiest bits of being a copywriter. What should you say first? And then…?
  • Appropriate. Similar to being timely – make sure your copy is also relevant to your reader. Help your readers determine if your content is appropriate for them with clear signposts and labels.

A place for copywriters to find inspiration…

Screen This is a quick follow-up on my blog post, “Where do copywriters go for inspiration?“…

The website I had in mind when I wrote that post is up and running, and a few keen copywriters have been adding examples of copy.In a few weeks, once the big wrinkles have been ironed out, we’ll go public!

So what’s this website for?

  • It’s a place for copywriters to share great copy. Scratch that. It’s a place for anyone to share great copy. Anyone interested in building a better web, or anyone interested in marketing and advertising, can share great examples of words in action.
  • It’s a place for copywriters, web workers and marketing types to find inspiration
  • It’s a place for copywriting to be discussed and considered
  • It’s a place for copywriters to show off their own best work – and maybe even find clients

If you like the idea of having a dribbble for copywriters, send me your email address.

Fine art of copywriting: write active copy, not passive

In this blog post series I consider some of the finer points of copywriting – the little things that make a big difference; the tricks and touches that lift copy and make it more persuasive, better at selling and more likely to create a good impression.

How to write active copy

Great copy is active, not passive. Good copy is about doing things, and the strongest, clearest way to explain an action is to put the actor centre-stage.

Here are some examples of the passive voice getting in the way:

“There are first-class web design skills at Digital Solutions”

“More surfaces can be covered in less time with Whoople Paints”

“We were awarded the FML Award for 2011 by Spoxk Magazine”

Put the actor first, at the focal point of the action, to create sharper sentences. Here are the same sentences in the active voice:

“Digital Solutions offer first-class web design skills”

“Whoople Paints cover more surfaces in less time”

“Spoxk Magazine awarded us the 2011 FML Award”

Active vs passive

Writing in the passive voice isn’t always wrong, but the active voice can make your copy more direct and clear.

Groupon copywriting: half-wit and misguided humour

Groupon has a distinctive way of communicating. Their copy is often discussed in favourable terms and the business seems to be doing well. However, I think their copy could be better.

Here’s an email I received recently:

Groupon emailMy main objection with Groupon’s attempts at humour is that (in addition to being lame) they get in the way of communication. A space that might have told me where the gym is, or what equipment they have, is given over to wordplay. A space that might have told me about the treatments offered by the spa is full of rambling nonsense.

Groupon’s copy is not copy, it’s a surreal dump of teenage wit. To find out the details on those deals you have to click the link and visit the website. But I shouldn’t have to – it could have all been there in my inbox.

Humour is welcome, but it should have some connection to the offer – and it should not take the place of informative content.

How tone of voice and brand language workshops can simplify content production

2011 Port Strategic Planning Forum

When writing copy for businesses, it can be difficult to get everyone to agree on what is ‘right’. As a copywriter, your words may be reviewed by several stakeholders, all with slightly different ideas of how their company communicates.

Copywriters can either muddle on, hoping to assuage multiple stakeholders and get their copy signed off after a bit of a slog, or you can unify your reviewers by getting them to agree a canonical tone of voice for their brand.

Bring together representatives from every department and get them talking about brand language. Get them to share their view of the company’s voice. And then write it all down, and get them to sign it off.

A short workshop can be enough to make everyone feel heard, and can be enough to produce a tone of voice document that everyone can agree to. Once the tone of voice is in black and white, and no longer an ephemeral mish-mash of beliefs, you can get writing. Not only will you encounter less resistance from your reviewers, but you will also have a framework to fall back on, should anyone challenge or question your copy.

Indeed, you’ll no longer be arguing about the tone of voice, though you may find yourself discussing whether your copy is in keeping with the documented brand voice – which is a far easier conversation to have!

When to use brand language or tone of voice workshops

Not every business needs to run a workshop. For small clients and startups it’s often quicker and easier (and cheaper for the client) to decide a tone of voice by simply talking about it.

However, brand language or tone of voice workshops are great for…

Companies that have grown

Many of my clients need help because they’ve grown from a small company doing one thing to a larger company doing several things, and during that growth they lose the ability to clearly explain what they do. Different ideas about the business compete for prominence, and often it’s easier for an external agency to bring some clarity.

Companies with several strong departments

Copy can easily become the battleground for corporate turf wars. Warring factions fight for control of areas of strategic importance (like the home page). Engender a spirit of cooperation and peace by bringing the warmongers together, and getting them to play nice.

If you’re interested to know how a brand language workshop could help your organisation speak with a clear, consistent voice, get in touch!

The art of copywriting: be positive and optimistic

 

Copywriters have a job to do. We have to write the words that do the business. In this blog post series I’ll consider some of the finer points of copywriting – the little things that make a big difference; the tricks and touches that lift copy and make it more persuasive, better at selling and more likely to create a good impression.

Here’s the first part of this series:

Be positive and optimistic

Good copy carries energy and makes statements with positivity and certainty. Bad copy stumbles the reader over hiccups and hillocks, depositing turds of negativity along the way, subliminally suggesting disaster while promising unearthly delights.

Let’s look at some examples of how to fill your copy with energy.

Don’t write:

This training programme is designed to teach you everything you need to know about psychiatry. After three years of hard work you should be equipped to treat the worst conditions of the human mind. There’s no doubt that you will be able to command a killer salary after completing this training.

The example above contains hesitancy (designed, should) and negative words (hard, worst, doubt, killer) which, when assembled together, leave the reader with a vague feeling of failure. Even when the overall message is positive, these bitter tastes of negativity remain. So when you want to sell something, and create a positive feeling in your reader, chose your words carefully.

Do write:

This training programme teaches you everything you need to know about psychiatry. Completing this course will qualify you to treat a wide variety of psychological conditions.

You’ll also notice that replacing ‘designed to teach’ with ‘teaches’ creates a much more compact and direct sentence. As a writer you should be on guard for phrases like ‘designed to’ or ‘gives you the ability to’ because there’s a good chance they are slowing down your sentences and dulling your copy.

Where do copywriters go for inspiration?

Web designers love to show off, and they love to share inspiring design. There are many sites that help designers share the good stuff, and I’m jealous!

When I want inspiration as a copywriter, where can I look? When I find fantastic copy, where can I share it?

Nowhere. Or so it seems.

So how about I set up a simple site, give you (as a copywriter) your own login details, and then we can fill the site with great copy!

Let’s spend more time complimenting great copy and less time criticising the bad stuff.

What do you think?

ADDENDENDENDUM: Following such a positive reaction to the idea, I set to work and created drivvel.com – a place to share and discover inspiring copy and content

Copywriters wanted for upcoming projects

Do you write copy?

Kendall Copywriting, in partnership with The Copy House, is looking for talented and experienced freelance writers – especially those who ‘get’ the web.

You can see our job ad on WiredSussex, but here’s the summary:

As a copywriting and content agency based in the centre of Brighton, we devote ourselves to creating finely crafted copy and content for major brands all over the UK.

As well as being a team of writers, we work with brand language consultants, content strategists and user experience specialists to make sure each piece of writing we produce is strategically sound, creatively endearing and forms a healthy part of the bigger picture.

Some of our end clients include YMCA Training, Fitness First, NHS, The Film Council and Unison Trade Union, as well as several London and Brighton design agencies.
Job description:

To build up our portfolio of writers for several upcoming projects in association with Kendallcopywriting.co.uk, we’re on the lookout for a set of exceptional individuals who have:

Over 3 years experience

  • tried and tested method for getting to the heart of the story
  • A down-to-earth and rigorous approach to writing
  • A strong track record
  • Savoir-faire for giving clients strategically targeted copy
  • Hawk-eyes for the tiniest details

Skills Range:
We’re looking for:

  • a content writer
  • a content editor
  • a content strategist
  • a brand language specialist
  • a concept and ad copywriter
  • a web copywriter with strong UX awareness
  • an SEO writer

Missing information and missed opportunities

IMAG0022

I saw this van in Hove recently. So, ‘Hove Paints’… what do they do?

They probably don’t do painting, although they could do painting.

They probably sell paint. But what kind of paint? Is it paint for artists? Or paint for children? Is it paint for your living room? Or paint for factories? Do they sell to ordinary people? Or are they just a trade supplier?

If you’re going to create a mobile advert by painting your van, why not be clear about what you do, and who you do it for?

Error message in the real world

IMAG0021

Love this example of an error message in real life. It’s a 404 page in the real world.

We accidentally put some glass beer bottles (some rather excellent Belgians if you’re interested), in amongst all the paper and plastic, so the curbside recycling collectors put some message tape over our recycling box, making us aware of the problem.

The nice thing is that it’s light-hearted. My wife and I spend ages cleaning, sorting and saving recyclables, so I appreciate the council not berating us for getting something wrong. Instead of making us feel stupid, we get a gentle reminder on the correct system:

IMAG0020

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