My apologies for not mentioning that copywriters can make $65,000 per year on average, and some of them can go beyond six-figure earning per year. So, allow me to ask,
What makes you so fascinated about copywriting?
What makes you feel attracted to this profession?
Is it about the 6-figure sum that motivated you to learn copywriting?
Do you think you’re good at it and want to give it a try?
OR, perhaps you don’t know a thing about it, but circumstances bring you here.
- You’re not getting the right job that matches your qualification
- Making enough money is impossible with the field you’ve graduated in
And now, the news about copywriters who are making more money than doctors and lawyers brings you here. Is it so?
The best part is…
You know what? It doesn’t matter what brings you to this post.
And honestly, nobody in the digital marketing world cares about your past. And that’s the best thing about copywriting.
- You don’t need a graduate degree to enter this profession. Anyone can be a copywriter.
- There are no special requirements or skillset needed that you cannot avail by staying in this profession.
- All you need is a basic-level understanding and a keen eye on killer marketing pitch.
Great, isn’t it?
So, now, it’s time to dive in and go deep into it!
What is Copywriting?
Yes, it’s COPYWRITING – not COPYRIGHTING
The name itself is tricky enough to confuse people, and that, at times put many copywriters in trouble. People tend to confuse ‘Copywriting’ with ‘Copyrighting’. And for us, the copywriters, it’s a sensitive issue.
Even Google asks twice,
Julia McCoy from Express Writers took it so seriously that she wrote a whole blog post explaining how Copywriting is different from Copyrighting.
Copyrighting is something legit, and it aims to provide the government’s protection to the creator of the original product. So, if anyone coming up with the same thing can be held responsible. Here, the word ‘Copy’ means to duplicate.
Suppose you created a movie and gained its copyright. Then you can sue anyone who copies your movie, or anything in it – like background music, dialogue, or scene maybe.
Whereas, Copywriting is defined as…
An occupation of writing stuff – really cool stuff – that advertises, promotes, even sells a product.
Here, the word ‘Copy’ means ‘the product’ and it’s a written content that creates awareness and entices the reader, listener, or viewer to buy the product (or take the desired action).
Do you get it right? If you’re starting to think about the skills needed for copywriting, you’re going in the right direction.
What Skills You Need as a Copywriter
Qualification wise, absolutely nothing.
Just asking for the sake of my own interest: Is it, by any means, possible to include Copywriting in the academic syllabus? Most of you would answer “No!” and that’s quite true.
According to The Writers Bureau,
“There are no formal qualifications needed for being a copywriter. Much like other forms of writing, copywriting is democratic and accepting of all walks of life, levels of education, background, and so on.”
See, copywriting is so dynamic and creative, that you can hardly design a syllabus. There are no rules, no age limit, and no set principles, except for the following attributes based on your personal skills.
Remember: these are not the primary requirements, these skills will only make your copywriting task easier.
Language Skill
Some say a high level of English is a must-have. But that’s partially true. Good, intermediate skills can also help you create acceptable copies. By High-Level English, they mean:
- Use of correct sentence structures
- Proper grammar
- No spelling mistake
- Punctuation
Even if you think you can write an essay on “Myself” or letter to your friend without making mistakes, you’re qualified. The rest depends upon how good you are with web surfing and finding helpful sites.
Attention to Detail
That’s a crucial thing. You don’t want any errors in your copy if it’s meant for professional purpose – marketing promotion or advertising campaign. You need that keen eye to spot the mistakes in your work and revise your copies.
By becoming a good proofreader you’ll have more opportunities to excel in this field. In the later stages of your career, when writing seems like a burden to you, your proofreading skills will help you become an editor and copy checker.
Wide Vocabulary
How many different synonyms can you make with the word “Good”? There will be quite a few, right?
If you use the same word on different places in your copy, it will lose its effectiveness. Your wide vocabulary helps your copies to become more interesting and attention-grabbing. But don’t go over the reasonable limit that the general public finds hard to understand.
You’re not a novelist, mind you.
Curiosity
As a copywriter, you need to include curiosity in your copies. What motivated you to research and find information for copywriting can also motivate others to read the text. Find a way to excite people so that they continue reading, right towards the end.
Keen Eye to Highlight Beneficial Features
Why should people buy your stuff when they have so many choices available? Always be in a search mode to find answers to this question. It’ll help you see the product from a different perspective, something that no one has covered before.
Dig it!
Curiosity, wide vocabulary, attention to detail, highlighting hidden features, all are connected to one major skill – research. If you know how to carry out research and build up a brand reputation, you’ll be able to come up with enticing material every time.
Your research skills will also help you ask the right questions to your clients so that they may be able to provide you with handy resources and in-house information.
Listening Skills
Patiently listen to what your clients have to say. What exactly they want from the ad copy? Often clients expect professional copywriters to ask relevant questions. If they don’t ask, clients get the impression that the concept has been communicated – no questions asked. This can be a big mistake for first-timers especially.
If you’re a newcomer in this field, you need to ask probing questions that will lead you to the page your clients are on. Probing is an important part of listening, you know that, right?
Copywriting Purpose
The core purpose is to sell the product, or what is written in the copy. And here are some connected ones.
- Increase interest
- Persuade the reader
- Motivate the reader
- Improve his knowledge
- Provide a solution
All of these are aimed at getting your audience to a point where he makes a decision to act according to your requirements.
Conclusion
Quite simple, isn’t it?
- Copywriting is an art of selling, and this art can be learned.
- The best thing about copywriting is, you have plenty of internet sources to learn from
- But you can only succeed if you write continuously and steadily.
Share your experiences in the comments below.