The Ultimate Copywriting Practice Guide

The Ultimate Copywriting Practice Guide

Do you think the skill of copywriting is something you’re born with or can it be taught?

 

 

The answer to both questions is yes.

There are natural born copywriters whose words flow masterfully.

Then, there are others who have powerful ideas but just need a little help polishing everything up.

No matter what your copywriting level, there is always room to grow and improve.

That’s why I put together this Ultimate Copywriting Practice Guide.

Because the more you write the better you will become and the faster the ideas will flow.

Here are 10 tips to get you started so let’s dive in.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #1 – Get Into the Mind of a Good Copywriter

Find pieces that inspire you – a magazine ad, a landing page, a direct mail piece. Something that motivated you to stop and read it or even make a purchase. Then, write down the copy word for word and include every piece of punctuation. You want to get into the mind of a successful copywriter to understand why they chose that headline. Or, why they decided to use a comma or period to create pause or used certain words to make an impact.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #2 – Write Every Day

Exercise your copywriter brain daily. Just like your body needs exercise, so does your mind. Write every day and be specific. Write 3 new headlines each day. Take a social media post and turn it into a full-page newspaper ad. Re-write blog posts and web content from your favorite brands and make it better. The point is to write something every day even if it’s a sentence about your day.

 

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #3 – Be a Copywriting Pack Rat

Save every piece of copy that inspires you. Do it electronically if you don’t have space but organize it so you can find what you need when you need it. If you’re clearing out your email inbox and see a great intro email message, then save it. While checking your snail mail save that direct mail piece that made you stop before you threw it in the trash. Powerful headlines, eye-catching copy, great closes should all be saved and ready to inspire you whenever you need it.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #4 – Focus on Something Bigger

Don’t just describe what you’re writing about but look at the bigger picture. Details are great but make sure the details aren’t boring. Remember consumers want to know what’s in it for them and how the product or service you’re writing about can benefit them. Do you want to stay at a 4-star hotel, or do you want to be pampered while staying in a tropical oasis sipping on champagne while swimming in your very own private infinity pool? Words have meaning so delve deeper and go big.

 

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #5 – Less is More

While you’re delving deeper and going bigger, it’s also important to remember at the same time that less can be more. People are busy and attention spans are shorter. Sometimes there are too many words, and you the reader can get lost. Know your audience and give them the information they want.

It has been said that you have 8 seconds to grab someone’s attention. This equates to about 40 words. Practice hooking someone in 40 words or less. Take a 1000 word blog post and cut it down to 750 words that conveys the exact same thing in less words.

Take a product and write a 60-second spot. Then, sell the exact same product in a 30-second spot. A good copywriter practices being versatile to meet client needs and can get to the point in as little or as many words as needed.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #6 – Make Your Words Come to Life

Practice making your words come to life. Take a simple object, like a pen, and give it characteristics, basically superpowers. This pen glides across the page. The ink flows like silk. Words fly effortlessly across the page. Copywriting doesn’t have to be hours of studying, all work and no play. Copywriting practice can actually be fun.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #7 – Practice Being Pitch Perfect

You only have seconds to make a good first and lasting impression, so your headline is the start of the show. During your daily copywriting practice, work on 3 headlines that are sure to impress. Don’t forget about the closing. You may hook them with the headline, but a good closing will steal the show.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #8 – Tone is Everything

A good copywriter can write in any tone and style, but that takes practice. Take one piece of copy, let’s say a blog or a web page. The first time, write in an informational and serious tone. Then take it a step further and take the same information and make it humorous. Finally, be bold and write in a way that may shock and surprise. Throw in a curse word, be unconventional, grammatically incorrect or just plain out of the norm. The point is to practice making an impact in various ways because every audience is different, and a good copywriter can write for them all.

 

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #9 – Read With Your Ears

Our eyes can play tricks on us, especially when we’ve been up writing all night long. Read your copy out loud or have someone else read it to you. Better yet, use the read aloud function in Word to read back what you wrote. You’ll be surprised at how many words you missed or mistakes you made. A good copywriter listens well so practice reading your copy out loud and truly hear what others are reading.

 

Copywriting Practice Tip #10 – Get a Second Opinion

You may think you have written the next best-selling novel of copywriting, but it’s important to let reality prevail. Get a second opinion. It’s hard to take critiquing of any kind, but that is how we grow and improve as copywriters. Ask fellow copywriters, friends, peers, co-workers, family members or even complete strangers to read your copy and offer their advice. Ultimately, they are the buyers of whatever you are writing about so their opinion truly counts. Share your copywriting practice with others and make sure you get feedback.

 

Copywriting Practice Bonus Tip – Find a Practice Partner

Staying motivated is hard so the best thing you can do is find copywriting practice partners. You can learn from each other, practice together and bounce ideas around. Join our copywriting community today to find your partners and start your copywriting practice today! For more copywriting practice ideas, check out my new online course and these helpful resources.

 

If you are looking for more copywriting tips you can check out this article. 

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