Do you find this ironic?

11 replies
How many times have you heard a copywriter say, "My family and friends still don't understand what I do..."?

I've heard it a lot and find it ironic.

Really? You're a copywriter and can't effectively communicate what you do?

Here, I'll help you out,

"I write the words in advertisements."

Then show them an example of your work and say, "See these words? I wrote them."

Problem solved.

Alex
#find #ironic
  • Profile picture of the author Efficacious
    Well, copywriters write much more than only ads texts. So it is difficult to explain in a nutshell what you do.
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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    Alex,

    For the 14 years I've been online, my parents STILL have no idea what I do... other than they know I do pretty darn well.

    I used to try to explain copywriting... now I just say "I write the words that sell stuff"

    I love Gary Bencivenga's explanation... where he said "I help businesses get new business"
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    • Profile picture of the author Alex Cohen
      Originally Posted by shawnlebrun View Post

      Alex,

      For the 14 years I've been online, my parents STILL have no idea what I do... other than they know I do pretty darn well.
      Don't bother them with low-level details. Give 'em the view from 30,000 feet.

      Take them over to your computer and bring up a sales letter you wrote. Point to the words, say "I wrote these" and read them out loud.

      Scroll through the sales letter, point out other words, and also read them.

      Continue down to the order button and demonstrate how it works. Explain that after a person pays, the money goes into your bank account.

      That should do it.

      Alex
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    • Profile picture of the author sethczerepak
      Originally Posted by shawnlebrun View Post

      Alex,

      For the 14 years I've been online, my parents STILL have no idea what I do... other than they know I do pretty darn well.
      My Dad finally knows what I do now.

      It took 16 years.

      He started watching "Madmen..." last year. Two weeks after he started watching it, he asks me:

      "Are you a Copywriter?"
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  • Profile picture of the author JohnRussell
    Alex...I think most copywriters can't answer succinctly because they are not focused. They don't even know exactly what they do because what they do changes like the weather.
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  • Profile picture of the author splitTest
    I say "You know the junk mail you get everyday?... People write that!" Then I tell them the kind of products I sell through my writing and to whom.
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