Jeff Sexton, one of Roy H. Williams' Wizard of Ads affiliates, writes:
Copywriting skill usually progresses along 3 stages:
Stage 1: Understanding the Mechanics — The untrained copywriter can become exponentially better in a day’s worth of training. It really is that easy. And a copywriter that’s made that minimum effort can get results, right away. That’s why a lot of A-List copywriters will tell you that you don’t have to become a great writer to make money copywriting.
Stage 2: Learning the Psychology of “Salesmanship in Print” — Semi-decent copywriters won’t continue to get better without at least a few month’s or a year’s worth of continued study and practice. That’s because they’re moving from the core mechanics and basic mindset of copywriting, to applying effective sales psychology to their writing.
Stage 3: Becoming a Serious Student of Advertising Artistry — Moving from seasoned, journeyman copywriter to true pro DOES require that you become a better writer and a better director of the “movie in the mind” of your prospect. This requires artistry above and beyond the previous two stages and it naturally takes a lot longer to learn.
Why should you care?
You’ll get better faster if you understand what stage you’re in and what resources will help you the most for any given stage. That’s not to say the components of each stage don’t overlap or feedback into the other stages, but that you shouldn’t spend too much time, say, trying to learn rhetorical flourishes if you haven’t mastered the basics of WIIFM, substantiation and proof, etc.
The List appears to be a work in progress, suggesting that it will become increasingly valuable as time marches on, hence, its inclusion here.
If you find something particularly helpful to you in Jeff's list, please take a moment to share it with other RSC members. And be sure to thank Jeff, as well!
