Hi there!

I’ve spent the last month taking a deep dive into the subject of copywriting.

Let me show you what I made,

Week One

In week one, we spent time laying down our foundation–ultimately understanding that good copywriting speaks to psychology and sales.

Here is an impactful quote I saved:

“Effective copywriting is powered by the psychology of decision-making. Copywriting meets people where they’re at and guides them to a decision. And in order to do the same, you must possess a keen understanding of people, how they make decisions, the psychological cues and triggers that guide behavior.”

After this content-oriented week, my exercise was to rewrite David Ogilvy’s famous Rolls Royce ad word for word. Thinking about the “why” behind his word choice while completing this activity.

Week Two

In week two we learned the ten foundational laws of copywriting.

Here I have laid them out with a few additional notes:

Law One: You must learn how people make decisions

• People buy with emotion and then justify with logic

Law Two: You must uncover the selfish benefit

• Put yourself in the customer’s shoes and ask “what’s in it for me?”

“People can be coaxed but not driven. Whatever they do they do to please themselves. Many fewer mistakes would be made in advertising if these facts were never forgotten.”

Law Three: You must learn how to tell a great story

• People Need a Story

Apple Founder Steve Job’s Story Framework:

1. Tell a story to capture audience
2. Pose a problem
3. Offer a solution to that problem
4. Describe the specific benefits for adopting that solution (and show examples)
5. State the Call to Action
6. Profit

Law Four: You must write how you talk

• Your goal is to be understood, not grammatically correct

Law Five: You must use their words, not yours

• Ditch the marketing speak. Describe your product the way your customers would.

Research into what your customer base thinks. Pay attention to feedback.

Law Six: You must write short, choppy copy

• The goal of your first sentence is to get them to read the second sentence. And so on.

Law Seven: You must be specific

• Specific words create specific images and specific outcomes.

Law Eight: You must nail the headline

• You only get one chance to make a first impression. “On average, five times as many people read the headline as the body copy.”

Law Nine: You must back everything up with social proof

• It’s not enough to make a claim about your own product. Show what other people are saying about your product.

Law Ten: You must address objections upfront

• Address the elephant in the room before it stampedes you.

Week Three

In week three we graduated to practical application.

I designed an ad for my business of choice, a local health food store. With two different hooks:

Newsletters

Throughout this month, I have continued to write weekly newsletters on Substack.

In order,

Week One: Words That Sell, Tell, and Compel

Week Two: Crafting Messages That Resonate, Linger, and Drive Action

Week Three: Approaching the Blank Canvas

Personal Projects

This month was the first month that I also completed multiple personal projects outside of Praxis.

Two Additional Newsletters:

I’m Starting a Business With My Mom

One Impactful Growth Trap That Has Warped My Perspective

I began sharing some work on social media for the first time. Here is a tweet I made on X.

I also applied what I’ve learned about copywriting this month in the business venture I’m starting with my mom. Here is the first draft of our shop description that I wrote:

“We’ve heard you say “I can’t draw a stick figure.”

We’re here to show you that isn’t true.

We’re Studio Two Fifty, a mother daughter duo with a ceaseless curiosity about life and passion for creating. Amy is an artist who has owned multiple businesses, hosted classes, and has an innate ability to turn anything into art. And Olivia is a young individual who loves all things marketing, copywriting, and content creation.

Here’s why we love what we do: we’ve seen firsthand how creating with others drives connection and strengthens relationships.

Let’s take a step back from what the world tells us–you don’t have to be a master to have fun and create something beautiful.

As you can see, we’re willing to place our reputation on it.

For the willing amateur,

Amy and Olivia”

I will revise this as I continue to learn and strengthen my writing skills.

Video Summary

I began this month interested in writing and excited to soak up as much information as I could. After completing this module, I can confidently say that I’m on the way to being a better writer and marketer every day.

Thank you for reading about my month-long pursuit of copywriting.