Where Does Copywriting Begin?

A strange question?

When do you think it begins?

• When you start writing?
• When you get your assignment?

Would you be surprised to learn that the majority of copywriting is done before a word is written?

Getting the ground work done

If you pick up an assignment, read it through and then start writing – you have missed the point. And not just slightly missed it, you’ve overshot the runway by a mile and ended up in the river.

The real work of copywriting begins by getting to know the product or service you are selling. Think about:

• What is it?
• What does it do? – especially for the customer
• How does it differ from other similar products/services?
• What makes it so desirable?

But that’s not all…

Getting to understand the product or service is the first step – then you have to get to know your customers. After all how can you possibly sell something to someone without knowing what they are looking for?

Think about:

• Who they are?
• What do they want?
• What are they looking for in life?
• What will make them buy?

Real copywriting is about understanding your product and customer – who, what, why, how – by spending time to find out these factors, you will have a wealth of ideas to draw on for your copy.

Be warned…

Going into a copywriting assignment without this knowledge will probably end in disaster – how can you create a compelling sales message to attract customers without it?

Sally Ormond  – freelance copywriter