Over the last 4 years, I’ve picked up a lot of valuable tips on copywriting.
I’m about to reveal 25 of my favorite copywriting secrets.
These are not your ordinary copywriting tips and tricks
You won’t find them in a generic blog post, YouTube video or from asking ChatGPT.
These tips on copywriting pack BIG “ah-ha!” moments that’ve made me chunks of money from my own in-the-trenches copywriting experience.
Each tip is designed to be read in under a minute & APPLIED to your writing & marketing RIGHT AWAY.
These tips cover a wide range of copywriting & marketing topics – research, writing, specific elements of copy (like headlines), lead gen, sales psychology and so on.
How Can a Beginner Learn Copywriting?
Understand this…
No copywriting tips and tricks you find in a book, blog or course will help you become a great copywriter… IF…. you don’t already know the basics.
The most important thing for beginner copywriters is to build a solid foundation for writing successful copy.
You need to know what makes good copywriting.
You do this by studying the best copywriters who’ve ever lived (most of them are dead or retired.)
Because you need to have a solid grasp on the ever-green, never-changing direct response fundamentals, principles, strategies, sales psychology, etc.
This is what sets you up for success.
Without this rock-solid foundation, you will always struggle to write effective sales copy.
And even if some decent copy slips out of your brain, you won’t know why, what caused it or how to do it again.
How to Become a Better Copywriter – Very Fast
I recommend every raw beginner to read the top 5-10 books on direct-response copywriting.
Plus…
Practice every day. (I wrote an entire post on how to quickly improve your copywriting skills via practicing daily – you can read it here - How to Practice Copywriting for Free (5 Exercises to Improve Your Skills TODAY).
And…
Of course…
WRITE.
Every day.
As you learn, practice and write copy, apply these 25 copywriting insider secrets that have made me a small fortune…
25 Copywriting Tips for Beginners
TIP 1: Research, Research, Research
The real secret to writing money-making copy has NOTHING to do with writing.
It all has to do with what you do BEFORE you ever sit down to write.
I’m talkin’ about…
RESEARCH.
As a good rule of thumb, spend 80% of your time researching and only 20% writing.
Top 3 things to research:
- Your market
- Your product
- Your competition
TIP 2: Talk As You Write
Matt Furey, the Emperor of Email, revealed the secret to writing killer sales copy EXTREMELY FAST.
His secret?
Talk out loud whenever you write.
I’ve been doing this for years and write 5x faster as a result.
TIP 3: Put Your Copy Under The “So what?” Microscope
Readers only care about one thing…
What’s in it for them.
So…
To keep them reading your copy, from headline to close, put your copy under the “So what?” microscope.
As you read your claims, benefits, features, etc.… ask yourself - “so what?"
Do this for every sentence you write.
If you do, you will whip up extremely persuasive copy that opens wallets faster than a cheetah.
TIP 4: The Market Research Goldmine
This tip is worth Blackbeard’s treasure chest.
Because it holds the single best place to find ALL your copywriting hooks, angles, headlines, benefits, etc.
The hidden location?
Reddit.com
Here’s what you do…
Simply search for your market’s subreddit (very good chance there’ll be thousands if not millions of members.)
Then…
Study their unfiltered conversations like a geeked-out college student during finals week.
Then…
Add the golden nuggets you find to your copy.
You’ll be SHOCKED at the shiny gold just lying there in the open waiting to be snatched up by a wise copywriter.
TIP 5: The 10x Rule
Want to know the BEST way to edit your copy?
I learned this handy tip from Ben Settle (email legend).
He explained his process for revising copy.
It’s very simple and very effective.
But it requires some HARD work.
Here’s what you do…
Read your copy, out loud, 10 times.
After the 10th merry-go-round, your copy will read clearer than a crystal and be ready to make you and your clients a whole heap of money.
TIP 6: The One Thing
Gary Keller (author of The Millionaire Real Estate Agent) wrote a book called The One Thing.
It’s all about finding the one thing that is most important to your success.
Then…
Spending the majority of your time working on this ONE thing… before you work on anything else.
Copywriting is your ONE thing.
(I write copy for the first hour of each day, first thing in the morning.)
This reigns priority.
You can do all the other less important tasks AFTER writing copy.
The beauty of this is, even if you get nothing else done for the rest of your day, you will still have a successful day because you are doing what matters most – bringing in the DOUGH through the copy you write.
TIP 7: Consistency is King
There’s a mountain-wide, very successful section of self-help best-sellers teaching the power of habits.
Why?
Because consistency (power of creating habits) is one of the most important skills a business owner can have in their arsenal (yes, as a freelance copywriter you ARE a business owner?
So many copywriters fail miserably simply because they do not stick with it, for long enough.
Plus…
Writing consistently, every day, is the BEST way to improve your writing skills.
TIP 8: Money is Attracted to Speed
One of the greatest marketers of all time, Dan Kennedy, taught and lived by this simple yet powerful concept.
Money is attracted to SPEED.
Kennedy pounded out hundreds of products, newsletters, books, seminars… and made far more money than more talented copywriters and marketers… simply because he realized that money is attracted to speed NOT perfectionism.
Indecision is the death of sales.
So, with all your copywriting projects, set strict deadlines and stick to them.
When you give yourself strict deadlines, you will write better copy, in less time, without getting stuck.
Oh, one last thing…
Ingrain this golden nugget deep inside your noggin - work expands the time given.
The solution…
DEADLINES.
Set strict deadlines to get more done, in less time.
TIP 9: Win on Superior Service
You’ve probably heard of the term – USP.
If not, it stands for… unique selling proposition.
This is what separates YOU from your competition and why clients should choose you over the vast sea of options.
The best way to grow a ridiculously profitable, LONG-TERM copywriting business (or career) is to provide superior service to your clients.
Always put your clients first.
Always look for ways to go above and beyond for THEM.
Being the best at superior service is the easiest and most effective way for you to stand out amongst other freelancers.
Plus, it helps you get repeat work & referrals sent to you on a silver platter - year after year.
TIP 10: Build a Prospect-to-Product Bridge
One of the greatest living copywriters, Doug D’anna, said:
“You always start with your prospects and build the bridge to your product. Not the other way around.”
Meaning:
Talk about your prospect BEFORE ever mentioning a product and it s features & benefits.
You start with your prospect by getting inside their world.
Understanding their pains, problems, desires, wants… then… you simply build the bridge to your product.
I.E. Tie in how your client’s product will help your readers solve their problems & achieve their goals.
TIP 11: Find Your Starving Crowd
There’s an infamous story about Gary Halbert (one of the most successful copywriters & marketers who ever lived) who held a seminar for aspiring writers and asked them.
“Imagine you’re opening a hamburger stand —what advantages would you need most to succeed?’”
The students shouted:
“Secret sauce”
“The best location”
“The highest quality meat”
And so on.
Gary’s reply?
“I’ll grant you all these things, and in return, I only want one thing - A STARVING CROWD.”
This is, by far, the most important lesson that any freelance copywriter can ingrain in their brain and live by.
Listen up:
Your market is EVERYTHING.
When you’re able to pick a market (niche) you’re passionate about, that is filled with high-quality and high-income clients who are STARVING for what you have to offer, you simply can’t lose.
Your job is to find this “starving crowd” and know them better than they know themselves.
This post will show you how to find your own “starving crowd” – LINK TO BLOG POST
WARNING:
If you don’t find a starving crowd to sell your copywriting services to, you will never make any real money… EVEN IF… you have elite copywriting skills.
TIP 12: Relentless as a Lion Follow Up
This one’s for my freelance copywriters looking to gain more clients…
Howard Schultz, the CEO of Starbucks, was rejected by over 200 investors before his business took off.
Point is:
It’s rare as a flying pig to convert new leads into copywriting clients with only 1 (or even a few) follow-up attempts.
You must CONSTANTLY be in contact with them.
Constantly sending them emails, texts, phone calls, DMing & interacting on social media.
The more communication you have with them, on a regular basis, the more likely they’ll work with you.
Realize this…
The contact NEVER ends.
You want to stay in communication with them, ESPECIALLY after they do business with you.
Because they can always order again & refer new clients to you!
TIP 13: The Marketing triangle
Something to keep in mind with all your marketing efforts is to MASTER Dan Kennedy’s marketing triangle:
You want to deliver the right MESSAGE, to the right MARKET, on the right MEDIA (advertising platform).
The tighter you get these three elements, the more successful you’re marketing (lead gen) will be.
Here’s a quick example of a super-tight marketing triangle:
Market: left-handed bowlers
Message: for left-handed bowlers who want to roll strikes every time and make their friends jealous
Media: placing this ad in a magazine for bowlers
Now, if you’re a left-handed bowler who’s tired of losing to friends and are currently reading a magazine for bowlers and stumble across this advertisement, you are FAR more likely to respond than if you were to see a bland ad on TV on “how to be a better bowler”.
Understand the power of this?
Keep this marketing triangle in mind when reaching out to clients & writing copy. Constantly think of ways to tighten this triangle (by making it sniper SPECIFIC to your target market).
TIP 14: Tell Engaging Stories
We are hardwired to be persuaded, entertained and educated by stories.
In fact, entire religions are created by storytelling – I.E. parables about Jesus.
Stories cover all the bases of creating powerful copy - solves problems, persuades, educates, entertains, taps into emotions, etc.
5 types of stories to tell:
- Cautionary tales (of what not to do, mistakes to avoid)
- Stories about celebrities
- Stories about historical figures
- Inspirational stories
- Rags-to-riches stories – related to your market.
BONUS TIP:
The more dramatic and tension-filled your stories are, the more of an impact they’ll have on your audience.
TIP 15: Metaphors and Analogies
Like stories…
Metaphors and analogies tap into our psychology faster than a lightning bolt.
We are wired to be entertained and educated by them.
Some of the most influential and historical figures have used metaphors and analogies to influence their crowd, instill belief and motivate them to take action.
Here’s a few examples:
“All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.” - Albert Einstein
“If you want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.” - Mother Teresa
“A good conscience is a continual Christmas.” - Benjamin Franklin
TIP 16: The “Late to Work” Mindset for Writing Killer Headlines
Here’s one of my favorite “mindsets” to get into when writing copy.
Imagine you are cold calling someone who is your DREAM CLIENT.
You’ve never spoken to them before BUT you KNOW they are in need of your services and that you can provide them value.
Your prospect is frantically driving in his car, late to work.
You only have a sentence to get them to not only not hang up on you, but to get them to pull over to the side of the road and BEG you to tell them more.
What would you say?
(HINT: what you say is FAR more important than how you say it.)
IMPORTANT:
If you spent the time and energy to study your market, you should have a bunch of ideas to get them to pull over and beg you to keep talking. Simply write down EXACTLY what you would say.
TIP 17: The “Day in the Life” Headline
Another mindset to get into before writing killer headlines is to picture yourself as your target audience.
Slip into their shoes.
Live a day in their life.
What are they currently feeling, thinking, going through… when they stumble across your copy?
One of the greatest copywriters of all time – Robert Collier – said:
“You want to enter the conversation your prospect is already having inside their mind."
BECOME your prospect.
Picture yourself as your prospect…
You are bored and mindlessly scrolling through social media (or whatever platform you’re writing for)… what’s the ONE thing you could read that would snap you out of your daze and get you to stop scrolling?
TIP 18: The Magic Pill Solution
Everyone wants the instant, effortless, no-thoughts-required way of doing things.
Everyone wants to take the magic pill.
So…
Stress how easy and instant it is to overcome their problems and achieve their fantasies.
Make this more persuasive by adding SPECIFIC DETAILS.
For example:
Don’t say… “Fall asleep faster”
Do say… “Fall asleep in 5 minutes TONIGHT or you don’t pay a single penny.”
TIP 19: What’s the REAL Benefit?
Believe it or not…
Losing weight is NOT the main benefit that attracts people to get on a diet.
Nope.
The REAL benefit is what the loss in weight will DO for them…
Make them more attractive to the opposite sex… or…
Feel more confident when going to the beach… or…
Be showered with compliments from friends, family and strangers.
Find out what your client’s product DOES for their audience and display it front and center in your copy (headline).
TIP 20: Shower Your Copy with Curiosity
Curiosity killed the cat.
Curiosity also reached out and grabbed your reader’s throat, got them to read your entire ad and click “buy now.”
Sprinkle curiosity into EVERY piece of copy you write.
Think clickbait headlines on social media….
Everyone KNOWS that the article they click on will disappoint them, but they just can’t help to click because of curiosity.
(NEVER clickbait in your copy. This makes readers angry. Always pay off your headline very quickly by making whatever comes next RELEVANT).
TIP 21: The Emotional Headline
What’s the biggest pain point, problem or frustration your audience is dealing with when stumbling across your ad?
Feature it in your headline, in a dramatic way.
Do this and you’ll grab their undivided attention and get them to keep reading.
TIP 22: Ask More Questions
Questions act as giant red stop signs on our brains.
Ask a question that your reader can empathize with or would like to see answered.
The questions you ask should always focus on your reader’s self-interest.
TIP 23: The Power of Contrast
Like questions, contrast gets us to stop and pay attention.
Paying attention to what’s contrasting is programmed deep into our psychology and neurology.
Believe it or not…
This goes way back to when humans roamed the jungle.
If we noticed something different in our surroundings, we’d spring into survival mode (fight or flight) because it could be a predator trying to eat us.
Contrast still has a BIG effect on our brains.
And you can use this sales phenomenon to stop your target audience dead in their tracks and drag them into your copy.
To reap the ripe benefits of contrast, add polar opposites to your copy.
For example:
obese … anorexic.
Poor … rich.
Heaven … hell.
TIP 24: Geek Out on NUMBERS
Humans LOVE numbers.
Humans love LISTS.
Humans love EXACT instructions.
Suck your reader’s eyeballs into your copy and keep em glued by listing the number of benefits, mistakes to avoid, reasons why to take act NOW, and so on.
Tip 25: The PAS Formula
Problem...
Agitate…
Solution…
This is a tried n true copywriting formula used by some of the most successful copywriters and advertisers in the game.
It's very simple and super effective.
Here’s how ya do it…
Problem:
Bring up the biggest problem your prospect is currently facing.
Agitate:
Agitate their problem by tapping into their EMOTIONS.
Tap into their anger, resentment, guilt, embarrassment, fear, insecurity, greed - any and every negative emotion you can muster.
Make the problem larger than life, worse than death.
Get them stomping around their house saying “This has got to stop! I’ve got to do something about this. RIGHT NOW!”
Solution:
Then, offer the (instant, effortless, magic pill) solution to their problem!
Conclusion
There ya go, my friend.
25 copywriting tips for beginners to help you write more persuasive copy.
Apply one or more of these tips TODAY to multiply your sales and grow your freelance copywriting business to Jupiter (and BEYOND!)
If you want more insider secrets to make you more green stuff, drop your email here: