Creativity v Technique: What makes a great copywriter?

What makes a great copywriter?

The interesting thing about good copywriting is that it’s a combination of creativity and technique ‒ and one can’t exist without the other. A copywriter without creativity will write without flair; a copywriter without technique will write without purpose.

But when you get the alchemy right, great things happen.

So, how do you teach it? It’s easy to explain copywriting techniques ‒ it’s a formula anyone can learn. But creativity’s a different story. Some will say you’re born with it, others will say it can be stoked, like a fire. We fall into the second camp, which is why our team are constantly encouraged to feed their imaginations, try new things, challenge the status quo, and take nothing at face value.

Fostering creativity needs its own blog post, so we’re just going to focus on copywriting techniques here. So, let’s get down to the nitty-gritty with a nice, neat list.

Focus on the benefits, not the features

It’s no secret that consumers buy with their emotions. So, when you’re selling a product or service, talk about how it will benefit their lives. Don’t be shy to use emotive, aspirational words and phrases ‒ vernacular that will pull on heart strings and inspire action. Once you’ve convinced your audience that your product will change their lives, it’s time to talk about the features. It’s a simple technique that every good copywriter uses and is why we all buy way more than we need to!

Give your writing rhythm 

As with all creative writing, rhythm is everything. Poems, songs, prose ‒ they all share a cadence that rolls off the tongue naturally. It’s the same with great copywriting; good rhythm will carry your reader to the end of the sentence, and beyond. So, use short, snappy sentences and choose words that sit comfortably together. Whilst it’s an intuitive process to some degree, it does take practice. 

Stay true to tone

Some will say great copywriting uses a relaxed, conversational tone. But that only works for certain brands, and in certain situations. If you’re writing social content for a lifestyle brand, for example, you’ll want to keep it casual. If you’re writing website content for an aerospace engineering company, however, it’ll need to sound professional and polished. Discover the brand’s tone of voice and stick to it, no matter what.

You, you, you

The most effective copywriting speaks directly to the audience. So, avoid passive voice and use second-person pronouns (you, your, yours). This activates your reader’s interest and makes them feel part of the story. It’s a simple technique that has a huge impact on audience engagement and, ultimately, sales.

Love the editing stage

It’s amazing how much you can achieve in the editing stage. But don’t throw yourself into it straight away ‒ take time out to detach yourself from the writing. With fresh eyes, you can approach it from a different perspective, reducing copy, switching out words, and generally making sure it flows beautifully.

Of course, there are many more copywriting techniques, but these five are the headliners. Get them right, and you’ll be well on your way to crafting audience-driven copy that engages and converts.

Ready to supercharge your brand?

We’ve helped a plethora of amazing clients drive awareness and sales through compelling copy by inspiring their customers to engage. You can have a read of our case studies here.

If you’re not quite ready to take it into your own hands and are looking for brilliant copywriting that boosts audience engagement and supercharges your brand identity, get in touch with our team today.