Everyone’s got their own favourite tips for writing copy. These are 3 simple tips I use regularly and they’ve worked pretty well for.

1. Get all the “must-haves” out of the way: Branding, pay-off lines, product benefits – write them all down and get them out of the way. Do this before you start crafting the actual copy. Not only does it make sure you don’t miss anything (great for when you’re writing long copy) but for some weird reason it sets your sub-conscious on a path that acknowledges these check-boxes and works around them. Yes, it’s very holistic and new age. Maybe it has something to with the elves mentioned in the next point.

2. Be provocative: Some people say open with an anecdote. Others say ask a question. My suggestion: don’t write according to the formula. Write the stuff that will keep you interested. If you’re not excited about the intro, chances are your target won’t be interested either. Were you looking for the bit about the elves? Yup, being provocative still works like a charm.

3. Write tight: No, that doesn’t mean you should get drunk. That only really worked for Hemingway and he didn’t have deadlines or clients. It means you should be economical with words. If you need one word, use one word. If you can get away with less syllables, then do so. If you can lose buzzwords and jargon, even better. Write simple, sincere copy that will get results.

There you have it. 3 simple tips that will have an immediate and positive effect on your copy. They’re pretty much common sense but they work like a charm. Hope you can use ‘em…if you’re not already. If you are, why not share your favourite tip?

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