When I got started in copywriting, I took the long, uphill battle. I decided I was too good for the copywriting courses out there (and perhaps too cheap), and turned instead to all the books I could buy (at bargain basement prices) on Amazon.com.
And honestly, I’ve done pretty well for myself. I quickly got a job in a marketing department, writing copy regularly, and helping out with other marketing activities. I then transitioned to sales, where I could continue to hone my copywriting abilities while earning a commission selling my company’s products.
And all along, I chased secret after secret to copywriting success in cheapo books from Amazon.
But, let me tell you a little secret.
I wouldn’t do it that way again. In fact, in the last couple of years I’ve changed my approach a bit – and shortly thereafter, I broke out on my own as a freelance copywriter, and have started working with some of the biggest names in direct marketing as a result.
What change did I make? Well, in short, I started investing in copywriting courses as well as the books. I’ve let loose a little bit, and told myself that because I’m investing in my business and my career, I can afford to stretch to take courses that will help me become a better copywriter, and run a better copywriting business.
And, the copywriting courses have helped. A lot.
What You Get From Copywriting Courses
That You Won’t Get From Books
Let me tell you a little bit about books, before I move on to copywriting courses.
Most copywriting books are advertisements for the copywriter’s services. It’s a not-so-secret secret. Write a book, be seen as an expert. Be seen as an expert, get hired – and at higher prices, too.
Sure, there are some good books. Ones I strongly recommend other copywriters read. Yet, most books seem to fall short by quite a bit when it comes to becoming successful as a copywriter. Because those books are designed to show off all that the copywriter knows about how to write good advertising. They’re not designed to show you all the thinking you need to have to succeed as a copywriter.
Yet, it’s the thinking that sets great copywriters apart from good copywriters… And, this thinking is what I’ve found to be the biggest takeaway from the best-of-the-best copywriting courses out there.
So, let me answer three of the most common questions around the copywriting courses out there… With the hope that I can steer you in the right direction for a successful career.
Question 1: “How Do You Evaluate Copywriting Courses?”
When it comes to copywriting courses, I look to the teacher of the course as my single-biggest factor. And, I have one big question.
“Do they walk the walk?”
Let me use a quick story to illustrate. A famous copywriter got a call from a new potential client. This client was trying to sell a book about “How to get rich with your own mail order business.” The advertisement wasn’t working well enough, so he turned to this copywriter for help.
So, this copywriter asked, “Have you gotten rich with your own mail order business?”
Can you guess what the answer was? “No.” He hadn’t. How much stock could anyone put in his advice, then? What was the value of learning how to get rich in mail order, from someone who hadn’t done it themselves?
There are crooks and charlatans all over the place who talk the talk, but who don’t walk the walk. When I’m looking to invest in a new copywriting course, I ask, “Have they done it? Have they succeeded as a copywriter?”
If the answer is, “No,” that’s my answer to buying the course. Yet, if they have… If the copywriter who’s teaching the course is an already-successful copywriter… Then I can make the investment confidently.
Beyond this, when you’re evaluating copywriting courses, I recommend looking for courses that teach two additional items beyond just how to write a good advertisement.
Deeify 