Want to improve your copywriting? Here are 3 places to find inspiration where no one is looking!
Copywriting is called salesmanship in print. It’s the art of selling with words. I read something about copywriting that stayed with me.
“A good copy is not written. It is assembled.”
I agree with that, 100%. For assembling a copy, you need a ton of research. Agreed. What you also need is resources for information. The treasure trove of material you can get inspired from.
The fact is, to find your own voice as a copywriter, you need to see how others do it and then add your style to it. Your style becomes what you consume and, for that, you need to gulp down a big glass of research first.
Now, the problem is most people want to start from zero in the hope of being original. I think this needs to be said: You can still be original even if you take inspiration from other’s work.
So, to take the inspiration you go to Google type in your keywords, and you get bombarded with content.
I’m not gonna say it’s wrong. Blogs, courses, and ads kinda content are the conventional ways to learn about copy. It’s downright amazing but, you’re looking where everyone already has. It’s still great, but to stand apart, you need to research where no one looks.
In copywriting, one word, phrase, or sentence can instantly change your copy. If you want that to happen, start with what people already love and consume.
So, I’m gonna share 3 of my favorite unconventional resources for copywriting.
1 Cinema
Now I’ve always been a movie buff, so this source comes naturally to me, but most people do watch movies. Don’t they?
You too, right?
The visual experience of watching a film on the big screen is great. What’s also great are the dialogues or quotes that get etched into our brains.
Think about it. The dialogues in the screenplay of a movie are copywriting examples.
They are:
- conversational,
- creative,
- and they tell a story.
Exactly how copies should be written.
It is an underrated source of information because most people don’t look at movies that way. I beg to differ.
A film has a lot of moving parts, but the screenplay and the dialogues are crucial.
If you look at a movie in the form of a product, your perception will change. The ticket sales are revenue, a copy is the screenplay, and the entire film is a product.
So the better the product, the more it sells, and a good copy is as usual a key factor in driving sales.
I still use phrases in my copy from movie quotes. It adds a unique taste to my copy and, it’ll sound more relatable because I used the words of the masses.
You can pick words, phrases, or untapped vocabulary that feels real as well as relatable. That’s the beauty.
2 Song Lyrics
Another pop-culture biggie that can contribute big-time to your copy is songs. The lyrics soothe you and are easy to stay on your tongue while you’re humming the tunes. It isn’t a surprise that those are “just” words but, they make an impact.
Songs have a rhythm and a beat to them but, lyrics are the biggest takeaway. You can relate to them, feel them, repeat them, and derive so much value out of them.
The best part?
You already do all the things mentioned above. Now, you just need to mold those to your liking and sprinkle that vocab into your copy.
The value you get out of using lyrics is:
- They have a sense of flow.
- They tell a story.
- They are easy to say and read.
Isn’t there a striking similarity between how a copy and a song is written?
I think there is and, I’m guessing you’re seeing it with me too.
Your copy research can be a long and winding road so, make sure you look in places you’re familiar with. After all, it’s your inspiration, and it shouldn’t be confined to a box right?
P.S The metaphor above, “long and winding road,” is taken from one of my favorite Beatles songs of the same name.
A good example, right? Let me know in the comments when you get there.
3 Non-Fiction Books
Books can be considered a conventional resource. It’s true.
I’m not guilty, though.
If you have been reading for a long time, great. Fiction or novels are a great resource for increasing your vocabulary and imagination.
Here’s the problem, though: It is much harder to learn from something that you could not relate to. Fairies, fantasies, and magic are lovely but, if you don’t see it out of your book life, it is harder to get inspired by it.
You still can, don’t get me wrong. It’s just that you’ll have to search more.
It’s precisely why I’m more interested in non-fiction books. The autobiographies, self-help, actionable and, practical-tips-providing books of the world. It’s even better if they are written by a non-writer.
At this point, you might ask, why non-fiction books?
Well, here are three reasons why:
- These books are written for the masses. It’s important to write in a way that can be understood by most.
- Most of these books involve storytelling; a technique used in copywriting.
- It has a simpler vocabulary and is meant to send across a message.
Most non-fiction books are an example of copywriting itself. It feels like the writer is talking to you, one-on-one, directly. That’s where the magic happens.
How to get inspirations:
Document: No matter what you think, see or feel, it’s better to write it down and/or share it with the world. Getting it out of your head and on paper will help declutter your mind. You can think better then.
Spend “Me” time: I don’t care if you’re watching a movie, taking a walk, listening to music, or anything else. Just be alone with your thoughts for a while to see what ideas come to your mind.
Spend “We” time too: Bouncing ideas off of each other’s heads is a great way to be more creative. Observe what and why people say something and, if you like it, note it down immediately.
Organize: Keep all your inspiration safe and organized in a physical or online folder. It ensures that you’ll have access to your favorite inspirations on tap.
Conclusion
Learn to define research for what it means to you. Not what others say. Bring inspiration from a variety of resources but, make sure most of them are where you wanted to look, not needed to.
Yes! It still requires your creativity but if you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change!
I hope you learned to look at new sources for inspiration but, more than that, I hope you learned to look at research in a different shade.
Defy convention.
So,
