5 Tips to help with your copywriting
It’s not always easy keeping up with the writing demands of your business and all of us sometimes find ourselves staring at a blank page wondering what to write or how to write it so that it packs a punch. But there are a few very simple tools which should ensure you always have something to write about and can write about it well, whether it is your blog, your newsletter or your social media posts.
1. Keep a swipe file.
We all receive or read magazines, newsletters and direct mail shots on a fairly regular basis. Cut out, print and keep those advertising pitches, headlines or articles that you found effective and interesting as well as ads that made you cringe. That is absolutely not to say that you should copy your favourites but study them and work out how and why they worked, then use them as inspiration.
2. Keep a note book about you at all times.
Good ideas often come at unexpected moments and they are very easy to forget if they come in the middle of a hectic day or worse still the middle of the night. It takes just a moment to jot them down and whilst you might not use that idea immediately, it is always handy to have a bank of ideas to fall back on.
3. A thesaurus, dictionary of idioms and a few books about your service or product.
A dictionary of idioms can be a great source of material for catchy headlines and titles and a thesaurus of course ensures not only that your vocabulary is varied but can send your mind off on all sorts of adventures. It’s also worth having a few books perhaps about the history of your product or other related material. Research is is so easy these days and provides an endless source of ideas but again don’t copy and remember to check your source for accuracy. Use what you learn as inspiration and then try and see a unique twist or perspective.
4. Join a few online groups or forums relevant to your target audience.
Easy and free what better way to learn about what your potential customers want and like.
5. A dog or a bike.
Granted this may be unnecessary but whenever i’m stuck for an idea, phrase or headline, I take the dog for a walk. I can guarantee by the time you get home, after a bit of fresh air and a change of scenery, the creative juices have started to flow (normally in the middle of the walk for me hence the need for a notebook). It is justifiable and useful time spent away from your desk so don’t feel guilty.
