How to almost double* your brain power without pills

Everybody’s busy. You’re too busy to read this, I’m too busy to write it. But some things should be shared – especially when they can make a difference.

Everyone who runs a business or is involved with marketing is hammered for time.

…Crushed under the weight of limp processes and worst practises.

…Changing tack as events muddy the path – Brexit/competition/staff shortages...

…Reports on progress. Reports on morale. An endless snowstorm of reports.

…Non-stop meetings (often about reports).

…Emails… social feeds… phone calls.

But a copywriter doesn’t need to go to meetings which are not an interrogation of relevant facts. And they don’t need to write endless reports.

So they have some time away from the hubbub, but it’s not empty time – because 30-40% of what a copywriter does should be thinking. (Research/writing about the same.)

Thinking about the audience and what they want. What suitable products or services you have to lure them. The often-hidden nuggets of a product or service that set you apart. Whose name should go with the message? How fast can we get some scrummy testimonials? What channel or media might work best? And on and on.

Thoughts – which lead to questions – which lead to answers – which lead to words that can make a difference.

A decent copywriter should be seen as a right-hand sense-check for anyone who has to make marketing decisions – because it’s all too easy for you to get swamped in managing people and processes. Or looking after your customers from day to day.

And they can also help you to avoid the thinking traps of availability bias (where recent or vivid information influences how we think) and confirmation bias (where we rely more on views we already hold, despite data to the contrary). Not to mention our natural tendency towards overconfidence…

Writers have a close connection to the reader. They think about them constantly as they write to them. They wear their shoes and often much more.

Consider a valued copywriter as an extra thinking cap – not just someone who bluntly etches words on a screen or page. A copywriter should have the spirit and outlook of a business person.

Because if you want to write to people you want them to do something. And that’s worth thinking about.

 *Almost, because (a) flattery works, and (b) no sane copywriter would insinuate they have the mental vigour of a harried business owner or marketer.