Persuasive writing is part process, part skill and part talent. This interactive course teaches you the processes and skills behind great copywriting, and develops your talent through practice. The course mixes theory and practice to teach you how to write commercial copy for different media including websites, emails, brochures and product descriptions.
During the masterclass, you’ll learn everything from how to write persuasively, to how to brief copywriters and review their work. Importantly, you’ll also learn how to write for different audiences, ensuring that you grab people’s attention, sustain their interest and nurture their desire to act.
The course includes practical exercises where you will work on two pieces of copy that you want to write or commission, with opportunity for group discussion and feedback. Altogether, it’s the perfect primer for anyone who wants to improve their understanding of commercial copywriting and the skills it takes to turn pro.
This course is for you if…
- You’re a group of journalists looking to learn how to apply your skills to copywriting
- You’re part of a small business or marketing team that wants to improve the quality of communication materials and product descriptions
- You work in business and want to learn how to commission copywriters and review their work
- You work for a charity or non-profit organisation and want to learn how to write or commission written materials
Course content
- How to write for different media, including emails, newsletters, websites, advertisements, product descriptions and marketing materials
- How to convey the key aspects of a product or service through copy
- How to profile an audience: what do they currently think and feel about a product or service?
- Planning your content online
- Ten persuasive writing techniques
- AIDA: attention, interest, desire, action
- Empathy techniques
- How to establish an appropriate tone
- Top five copywriting mistakes and how to avoid them
- Advice on how to get copywriting work
- The commissioning process – how to brief copywriters and review their work
- Practical exercise: attendees work on two pieces of their own copy, with opportunities to share their work with the group and receive feedback
- Q&A and group discussion
This comprehensive course can be tailored to the needs of your team. Please contact alastair.price@theguardian.com with the name of this course in the subject line for more details.
