What Skills Are Needed to Be a Successful Copywriter?
Many people call themselves copywriters. Not all copywriters are successful, however. Copywriting requires a specific set of skills unique to the field. Some of these skills can be learned. Some are inherent.
For example, to work as a copywriter you must be able to write. Sounds funny, doesn’t it? However, no matter how strong your desire to work as a copywriter, if you don’t possess great writing skills – not basic skills, but great skills –you may 
want to look for another profession. We’ll talk about common errors many copywriters make in another post, but this is a crucial point.
Successful copywriters are excellent multi-taskers. You’ve got to be, because you’ll manage several projects at one time, especially in the beginning, when you’re just getting your feet wet and your rates are on the low side.
Copywriters set their own hours…this may sound like your dream job, especially if you’re currently slaving away for a boss. But there is a downside if you are not highly disciplined. Additionally, you must be available to handle an occasional off-hours panic call from a distraught client. It doesn’t happen a lot, but it can happen. So, the successful copywriter must be flexible.
Additionally, you must be strict about meeting deadlines. When you miss a deadline, your client may miss deadlines others have set for him or her. This sets off a chain reaction, but the finger will always point back to you! Not good for business…so always set deadlines you can keep.
The successful copywriter is confident in his or her abilities. Clients want to be assured that you can achieve the results they seek…the results you’ve promised. This industry is not for the faint of heart!
Copywriters are independent professionals. You’ll likely work out of your home, and you’ll wear many hats: copywriter, business manager, customer service professional, accountant…it goes with the territory. So, along with great writing skills, you must have good business management skills. This skill set can be learned over time, but you need to know some basics to make sure your business doesn’t crash before it gets off the ground.
If you’re just getting started and need help getting it right, drop me a note.
21 Responses to “What Skills Are Needed to Be a Successful Copywriter?”
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A skill as important to copywriting as writing – listening. It helps get the writing right.
I think it takes something that most are born with… Becoming a writer is not a thing that You pick up in life but rather a thingy You would be most likely to be born with!
Ps.. Like Yourself!
Thank You
Norman Flecha
Straight Talk
A successful copywriter has the insight, or willingness to gain the insight, into what will give the best possible result for the client; whether it is converting leads into sales or skeptics into believers.
Creative and skillful copy is worth little if the client does not get results.
Copywriters must be “storytellers,” creating copy that draws the reader in, creates a rapport/establishes a level of trust and credibility with the reader, and gives the reader an easy way to respond via an appropriate call to action. Like Victoria said, it sounds easy. But it takes practice, a willingness to edit oneself, and a passion to be an advocate for the end-user – not the client. Just because the client likes it doesn’t mean it will provide results. Yes, Lars,”results” are our yardstick. It can be difficult to measure up!
Victoria,
Thank you for sharing this. You have articulated well. I also like Steve’s comment about listening. Focus is on the target market, what they are saying and feeling what they are feeling is so important.
Kennon Fort
The number one skill for successful copywriting? Knowing what motivates people to think, feel, and do things they would not have done if they had not read your copy. I’m not sure this skill can be learned, but I do believe you can sharpen your observations of human nature and thus become a better copywriter.
Another very valuable skill is to be able to push through writer’s block. When you’ve got a deadline to meet, “no good words” just doesn’t cut it.
Although I focus on technical copywriting, a lot of the info on my Copywriting That Sells High Tech blog is relevant to any copywriter. In particular:
Becoming a Technical Copywriter: http://writinghightech.typepad.com/blog/becoming-a-technical-copywriter.html
From copywriter to content developer: http://writinghightech.typepad.com/blog/2009/03/from-copywriter-to-content-developer-.html
What technical writers know that copywriters don’t:
http://writinghightech.typepad.com/blog/2009/06/what-technical-writers-know.html
Thanks, Janice! Great stuff on your blog, and I appreciate you sharing!
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Margie, there’s another school of thought that says ‘writer’s block’ doesn’t exist. What do you think of that line of reasoning?
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Renne, I completely agree that this is one skill you can sharpen, but if you don’t have the basic ability to begin with, it’s difficult or impossible to teach. Some people just don’t think this way. They are ‘wired’ differently
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Thanks, Kennon. I appreciate you taking the time to drop by and comment!
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Mary Beth, much has been said and written lately about the storytelling aspect of copywriting…so I’d have to agree with you that the ability to craft a story that draws the reader in and then creates the buying atmosphere is crucial to copywriting. And it sure does take practice! But once you’ve got it, things get easier.
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I think Curiousity is a very important copywriter trait. You have to be interested in learning about all sorts of things that you probably never considered. You also have to be curious about people and what makes them tick.
Lars, you are correct in that copy which looks ‘pretty’ or is ‘well written’ has nothing to do with conversions. It’s the same with websites. Statistics prove than an ‘ugly’ website which gives consumers what they want sells more than a pretty website that makes it difficult to find products or to buy. As I’ve said many times, the more important skill is knowing what people want and giving it to them, not assuming what you think they want and giving them that.
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Thanks, Norma! I do agree skilled writers have certain inherent traits that can be difficult to translate to those who simply don’t have them. Effective creative writing can be taught, and proper English language usage can be learned, but the skill to create copy that persuades and motivates (the core definition of copywriting) is a talent one either grasps easily or…well, there’s always technical writing!
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Steve, listening is vital! In fact, my good friend and UK life coach Judy Barber has written a book entitled Good Question! The Art of Asking Questions to Bring About Positive Change. It makes the point that only by asking well- thought out questions and listening carefully to the answers can we really move forward- whether in coaching, in life or in working with a client. When I coach new writers, one of the most common missteps is not listening and asking enough questions before beginning the assignment, which usually leads to poor results and difficulty finding success at the start.
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Excellent points! Meeting deadlines is a must. It helps if you schedule your projects. This way you’ll be on time or even ahead of time.
Aside from being able to write well, all the things you mentioned as important skills – multi-tasking, a willingness to work off hours, the ability to meet deadlines and confident in one’s abilities – are qualities that most any employee should have.
IMO, knowing how to write well is not “inherent” or something you’re born with. It requires hard work and practice. Being a big reader from an early age is also very helpful in exposing yourself to different writing styles and characteristics.
Some of the more important qualities in a writer are the ability to tailor one’s writing to a specific audience, using the right tone and language. If you don’t understand your audience, or the purpose of your writing, it’s not going to have much impact. Logical and concise thinking will also help organize your writing and create natural segues from one thought to the next.
Dawn, I appreciate your thoughts on this topic. I agree that hard work and patience are needed to develop one’s writing skills. However, many who enter the field, lured by promises of ‘making millions for sitting at home and typing’, do not have the personal characteristics or verbal abilities to be successful as writers of any type. Therefore, one must have a love for the craft of writing, a lust for learning, and a strong desire to improve to become even mildly successful. Hard work and practice are not activities undertaken by someone who’s only in it to make a quick buck. Especially since there are no quick bucks to be made in this business!
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Rebecca, I’m disturbed by so many copywriters who seem to blow off deadlines, so I am happy to hear you say this. To me, a deadline is a promise, and breaking that promise is a slippery slope to poor business growth. To ensure your deadline promises are kept, set them carefully, taking into account your other obligations. Don’t overpromise and underdeliver- underpromise and over deliver! That’s how to build a strong business.
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