Copywriters Forum

Do you want to learn the secrets to great copywriting?

Because I sure do!

Hi I'm Atsali and I'm looking to get into copywriting. Here's the story with me so far:

I have a background in education, but I've always greatly enjoyed writing (especially stories). A few years ago a friend asked me to help him with the marketing for a driving school. We brainstormed the tactics and business concept and I ended up writing the text for the website. We basically did it for fun, but it turned out to be really successful.

Since then I've been involved in writing website texts for two energy companies, both on multiple occasions. They heard about me through that same friend but I ended up getting along with the management and staff rather well. Every time, my work was received with gratitude and praise, which rather surprised me, seeing as I was just making it up as I went along. In fact, it turned out later that a competitor had copied part of my text outright! I felt cheated and flattered at the same time.

One of these companies has now asked me to do a project for them that's bigger than anything I've done before. Rewrite the website, write copy for the webshop, create a wikipedia-like index with information for curious customers (researching the information about the various concepts and materials myself), and write automated emails.
I really wanted to do a good job on this one. So I started reading articles on copywriting and writing commercial text for websites. I started watching youtube videos. As I was going through the materials and examples, I thought to myself: "Man, I could really use some more nuanced advice if I'm going to develop as a copywriter."
I googled for copywriting forums and now I'm here!

Something else was going through my mind as well. I've been looking to move away from teaching, but I've been uncertain of what to do instead. As I went through the articles and videos, I noticed that I've been applying many of the basics already. I enjoy doing it, and I think I might become good at it. So maybe becoming a copywriter over time is a good alternative.
Upon reading, I realise this might sound a bit arrogant, but I'm fully aware that I don't really know anything yet. So far I've been lucky to work with companies that were, perhaps, inclined to be merciful (but also didn't pay all that much as I didn't see it as a serious way of making money for me yet). I'm here to learn.

Anyway, glad to be here!

Hello Atsali - Welcome to the forum.

Atsali wrote: ↑March 11th, 2022, 11:10 am
it turned out later that a competitor had copied part of my text outright! I felt cheated and flattered at the same time.

I know how you feel because I've had my work copied too. When we post anything online there's not much we can do to stop others from copying it. If we catch them we can file a DMCA, but trying to track them all down can turn into a full time job.

My best advice is to focus on the flattery and try to move past the cheated.

Atsali wrote: ↑March 11th, 2022, 11:10 am One of these companies has now asked me to do a project for them that's bigger than anything I've done before. Rewrite the website, write copy for the webshop, create a wikipedia-like index with information for curious customers (researching the information about the various concepts and materials myself), and write automated emails.

Congratulations on landing what seems like a sizable job!

The main thing I would focus on, at first, is keeping a uniform brand message across all your copy. If your client wants to be seen as friendly then keep that tone in mind when you're writing the copy If they want to be professional or authoritative then shy away from the chipper cheerleader copy and stay more "as a matter of fact" with the copy.

You can follow all the best practices, like selling benefits not features, as long as you keep in mind that these days brand authenticity is becoming more important than ever before.

One last thing - Remember you are the bridge between the company and the customer. Your client knows everything about their business but the customer only knows what they want from your business.

Here's a quick post written by another member on this forum The Curse of Knowledge -vs- The Knowledge Gap that shows the difference between what a business knows and what the customer understands.

Atsali wrote: ↑March 11th, 2022, 11:10 am Something else was going through my mind as well. I've been looking to move away from teaching, but I've been uncertain of what to do instead. As I went through the articles and videos, I noticed that I've been applying many of the basics already. I enjoy doing it, and I think I might become good at it. So maybe becoming a copywriter over time is a good alternative.
Upon reading, I realise this might sound a bit arrogant, but I'm fully aware that I don't really know anything yet. So far I've been lucky to work with companies that were, perhaps, inclined to be merciful (but also didn't pay all that much as I didn't see it as a serious way of making money for me yet). I'm here to learn.

It sounds like you're off to a great start. Keep learning the basics while staying true to yourself and you should be fine.

Thank you Franklin for your kind words!

And thank you very much too for the link to the knowledge gap article. This is one of those basic concepts that I was aware of (it could be applied to students as well) as we want to reach as large an audience as possible. So, our writing should be as accessible. That's how I applied it before. The index I will be constructing will be done giving a simple explanation first, followed by something more in depth for those boffins who want more in-depth information.

I love those examples he gave in the article, making the concept much clearer in my mind, I must say. I see informative posts of Sa and yourself all around this website and I've already learned so much just by lurking.

You've piqued my interest talking about brand authenticity and messaging!

You see, the company is quite young. They have been around for about three years now, but they have been very succesful so far, to where they're making large profits and employ about sixty people directly.

So, they want to build the authority of their brand. That is their main goal besides sales, because they want to become the peers of the mainstream, (inter)national energy companies.


So can you tell me more about brand authenticity and how I can work around that with this company?


Thanks again!