Virtually Meeting a Real Copywriter.
Introduction to Copywriting - Short Course
City - University of London
I found this course on a simple Google search. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) was in good working order then. The audience for the course was wide-ranging. From small business owners, to marketing professionals, to people who wanted to improve their skills (me). As it was only a two-morning online course, it chose to focus on websites, social media and packaging.
Initial concerns were that I may not be able to keep up with people on the course whom I would deem to have experience in the field. There’s that imposter syndrome again. But then considering the only thing I had to do to prepare for the course was to bring an item of packaging with copy on it…
It reminded me of when I started at University of Bradford in 1999. The first lesson was an introduction to the library, and IT. My school only had two computers hooked up to the internet, and I’d never seen or read an email before. Entering that room full of computers at university with a bit of trepidation, the teacher held up a small plastic box attached to wire and said, “for any of you who don’t know, this… is a mouse.” This anecdote reminded me that I’d be fine.
I’d done more than most anyway. Probably. I’d already read one of the books from the recommended reading list: Tom Albrighton’s ‘Copywriting Made Simple.’
13 other faces greeted me on Zoom. A couple were at the same level as me, which was nice. In fact, one was an NHS Nurse who had just had enough. The course leader, Maggie Richards, was excellent. She taught us exactly what it was, what qualities were needed, and put these into context with examples.
Breakout rooms were then called upon. A group of 3 of us, to come up with a new idea for an app. Create a name for it, a headline (7 words), body copy (22 words) and call to action (3 words). This was like being on The Apprentice now. Slight issue was that I’d never met these people before, and we had only 20 minutes to do and then present it. Another issue was that my partners didn’t really speak very much. Just say something. Anything. Eventually we came up with an animal adoption app. It was terrible, but the feedback from Maggie was already the most valuable part of the course.
On day 2, people were more talkative. One in particular took up a lot of air time to ask for tips about her upcoming job interview to be social media content manager for a school. Someone reminded her to swot up on GDPR. She didn’t know what that was, so she wrote it down. Good idea. I really hope it works out for her.
Someone else then told us she had spent 2 hours trying to decide between 2 words for her piece of copy during the week at work. In comparison, I’d spent 2 hours that week trying to free a doubly incontinent old lady from the floor, who was wedged between a bed and chest of drawers. Took me and 3 paramedics to pick her up with a rolled-up blanket before tipping her on to the bed. The lady was fine by the way. I admitted her to a community care bed for some rehabilitation to help her get strong enough to return home safely.
After tearing apart an Instagram post from a well-known food delivery service, it was back to the breakout rooms. Paired up. Write the copy for Earl Grey tea sold in Harrods. We had to write it alone, in 8 minutes, then come back and analyse each other’s. The person I’d been paired with hadn’t done it because she couldn’t think of anything. Not useful for me or her really.
Back in the main room, but didn’t have time to get mine properly analysed. I’d used words like ‘quintessential’ because I assume the people shopping in Harrods don’t just want ‘a mug of tea.’ The person who did get chosen to read hers out, talked about the history of Harrods. Rather than truly listening to her, I watched for other peoples’ reactions. In particular, I saw Maggie at the end of the copy go, “ahhhh.” A noise that all British tea drinkers tend to make when they take a sip of a good one. Maggie was there, eyes closed, drinking it in through the words. So in my mind, she was taken to the place, and it made her want to try it. It worked.
Maggie initially seemed surprised by my feedback, but was then very much in acknowledgement that I was coming from a different angle. And it may have been a way of looking at it that she hadn’t thought of. Who knows? But I want to bring something different to this copywriting table.
It’s funny how, reading back over the website now, I’m analysing its own copy. Headline, aims, audience, benefits, call to action. Between the 2 days, I nearly crashed my car while studying billboards on the ring road. I’ve become obsessed, and this course has thrown fuel on it. So thank you City, and especially thank you to Maggie.
City: University of London; Certificate of Completion; Introduction to Copywriting.