Know-How Exchange : Copywriting

COPYWRITING is the creation of a verbal message, usually one crafted to inform and persuade.

In advertising/marketing, it is creating the text and expression of an advertisement, for example, or the words used to communicate a brand's (or a company's) positioning promise in a direcT mail solicitation, brochkure, broadcast commercial, print advertisement, opress release, on a website, etc.

Is that what you wanted?

Apropos of the subject, but not the question:

A copywriter dies and goes before St. Peter, who offers him a choice between Heaven and Hell.

Naturally, the copywriter would like to choose Heaven, but asks if he can see Hell first.

St. Peter opens an iron door, behind which naked copywriters are chained to desks, banging away on broken manual typewriters while demons lash them with red-hot whips screaming, "The client needs copy by Noon!"

Shuddering in terror, the copywriter opts for Heaven.

Within moments, he is naked, chained to a desk in front of a broken manual typewriter while an angel lashes him with a red-hot whip screaming, "The client needs copy by Noon!"

"I don't get it! This is just like Hell!", he screams.

"Oh, no," says St. Peter, "You see, here in Heaven, your work gets produced ..."

As I wrote on an article on my writing services site...

Did you know that in the land of advertising and marketing the word copy refers to content? In the strictest sense they mean an advertisement, but copy can also be a sales letter, a brochure, or web content or any written material the business needs.

The shear notion of copying anything smacks of plagiarism. No one wants to do that and risk a law suit. Each human and each business is a unique entity. When you communicate about the original nature of your product and service to your customers they’ll remember you when it comes time to place an order.

It's as much about what it's not as what it is...it's not scribbling whatever comes into your head and it's not about chaining yourself to a desk (despite the interesting joke). It's so much more simple, yet complex. It's about creating the words that fit the need, whatever need that may be. It could be as simple as a single word to launch a multi-million dollar marketing campaign. It could be as complex as creating the documentation to go with the newest version of a software application. Without words, there would be no sales and no answers to customers' questions. Go forth and write...the pen is truly mightier than the sword!

Good Luck,
Debi Brady
Writing and Marketing Consultant

Hi there,

In the simplest sense I believe I heard one of the ancient guru's of copywriting call copywriting "Salesmanship in print".

Another way to look at it is if you're just writing advertising that's not making money you're just writing but if you write advertising concepts that cause your viewers to purchase products and services then you're copywriting...And what's even more funny is you'll began to notice others copying your writing...(LOL)

Is there anything else I can do for you?

Your Servant, Deremiah, *CPE (Customer Passion Evangelist)

C-opy P-owerful E-xamples