Copywriting for Dummies

Joshua Garcia
Sep 2, 2018 · 3 min read
Figure out how to turn your words into cold-hard cash.

What is Copywriting?

Copywriting (no, it has nothing to do with copyrights) is the art of writing words (copy) that sells. It’s basically convincing people to take out their credit card and make that purchase that they’ve been wanting to make already. Once your copy is out there, anybody who comes in contact with it is liable to being persuaded into buying whatever you got for sale. It’s a superpower that few know about, and even fewer people are capable of wielding.

Want to learn a bit more about it?

Well let’s get jiggy with it then.

Rules of Copywriting

The following “Rules of Copywriting” are taken from the late great Eugene Schwartz, one of the highest paid copywriters of all time, who produced copy that turned a hefty amount of readers into customers. His writing put money into his pockets, and following these rules can turn your money into cash.

Be the best listener you ever met

Knowing what to write starts with knowing what your customer wants to buy.

It really is that simple.

Your job as a copywriter is to get those customers that are leaning into making a purchase, and pushing them into spending their money. You’re listening to their:

  • People’s problems
  • What keeps people up at night
  • What are people’s fears
  • What are peopleworried about
  • How can people’s lives be easier
  • Where do people already spend their money

You’re providing people the solutions to their already existing problems.

I repeat.

You’re providing people the solutions to their already existing problems.

To know people’s problems, you have to listen to them talk about them. This is why you have to be the best listener you’ve ever met.

Work extremely intensely — in spurts

This rule is all about your ability to produce as quickly as possible. Just make sure to focus on one thing at a time. One big problem, one big idea, one big solution. After you finish one step, move on.

Never create. Know the product to the core and combine the details in new ways.

You can’t add new features to a product that’s already made. What you can do instead is know all of the product’s strengths and combine it in a way your audience hasn’t heard about yet. That way, it’s fresh and new, and it’ll attract more people to buying it.

Write to the chimpanzee brain, simply, directly

Don’t use big words. Your customer isn’t you. They don’t like reading academic jargon.
You should be writing as simple as possible. That means no fluff. Cross out any unnecessary words.

You should have a clear target of who you want to write for, and be as direct as possible in your writing to hit their emotions.

Channel demand, never sell

You’re not creating desire within your audience. You take an already existing desire, and channel your product as a solution to that desire. That way, you have a higher success rate because people already want it.

Think about what your product does, not is, and demonstrate this

Don’t sell products, sell results.

Nobody cares about the product itself, they care about what it will do for them.

Your main purpose in copywriting is to explain what buying the product will do for your audience. Which leads into the next rule.

Make gratification instantaneous

The moment your audience purchases your product, they should instantly feel gratification. Your writing is meant to build up the solution to your audience’s issues to be as simple as clicking that purchase button.

Failing often and testing big differences shows you are trying hard enough

You need to put yourself, and your copy, out there to get some skin in the game. That’s the only way you’re going to improve.

Wrapping it Up

These rules set down the foundation of a copywriter’s mindset you should have before even attempting a lick of copywriting. You can use all the wacky tactics online goo-roos claim will make you a million dollars by yesterday, but if you don’t have these rules implanted into your brain, and into your writing, they’ll all fail.

If you want to keep on receiving tips on how to learn copywriting, even if you’re new to the subject, be sure to keep in touch with my blog as I will be posting issues on how to solve your copywriting questions.

Welcome to a place where words matter. On Medium, smart voices and original ideas take center stage - with no ads in sight. Watch
Follow all the topics you care about, and we’ll deliver the best stories for you to your homepage and inbox. Explore
Get unlimited access to the best stories on Medium — and support writers while you’re at it. Just $5/month. Upgrade