Copywriting, Goals, and Ad Strategy
Hello, readers and fellow Praxians! Have you ever bought a gift for someone that suited them so well that you couldn’t wait to give it to them? I have, and it’s part of why I’m so excited for Christmas next week. However, I had to stay focused on copywriting this week.
Improving My Old Copy
After listening to and reading some new material on copywriting, I applied what I’ve learned over the past weeks to improve my writing. For example, I rewrote a LinkedIn post I made a few weeks ago.
Original hook - “Here are three things you should keep in mind when creating a social media campaign.”
Improved hook - “Launching a social media campaign? Don’t just wing it—strategize!”
The next sentence of the post should immediately highlight the value you’re providing.
Original post - “These are lessons I learned that helped me create valuable posts for Toasty-Mallows' campaign.”
Improved post - “Here are three key lessons I learned while creating posts for Toasty-Mallows that made the campaign more engaging and impactful.”
You can see all of the changes I made here.
One Page Advertisement
I created a simple one-page ad for a local business. I styled it as though it would be a flyer to hand out.
Let’s break it down.
Headline: Sometimes, I can think of a good headline easily, but this time, it was a challenge. I brainstormed 25 headlines and kept deleting or editing them before settling on one (shoutout to Lily for her feedback!). My goal was to make it short, intriguing, and brand-accurate.
Sub-headline: I used short sentences to expand on the information in the headline and kept the focus on value.
Storytelling: I included the owners’ story to help people feel invested in the business. For a local business, showing how the owner contributes to the community can build a sense of kinship.
Practical Value: To provide tangible value, I listed specialty drinks on their menu. Since it’s a coffee shop, I wanted potential customers to see what might interest them.
CTA: For a clear call to action, I added a “visit us” section. The entire ad builds up to this final piece, giving readers reasons to visit the store.
What’s Wrong with My SMART Goals?
I’ve learned about SMART goals in the past. For anyone unfamiliar, these are:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Relevant
Time-bound
During a workshop this week, we did an interesting journaling exercise. We realized almost everyone there had a pattern of leaving out the time-bound element. Some people did this to procrastinate, but for me, avoiding deadlines meant I didn’t have to acknowledge failing to meet a goal.
