When it comes to writing copy, do you feel like…
- It takes too long to write
- Coming up with ideas is hard and time consuming
- You don’t have a reliable process for quickly writing effective copy
- You’re working against the clock – which stresses you out & makes the problem worse
- You procrastinate because you don’t know what else to do (which also cuts into your time)
You’re not alone!
When I first started out as a copywriter 10+ years ago, I felt overwhelmed when it was time to write.
Back then, I relied on instinct and “creativity” for copy ideas (a bad behavior I learned while working at advertising agencies).
I would just start writing and hope that I would eventually find my way (maybe you can relate?).
As you can imagine this process was not only slow and inefficient, it was stressful!
Every time I started a new project I would get this sick feeling in my gut like, “am I going to be able to do it this time?” – and instead of writing, I spent a lot of time nervously chewing the skin around my nails.
Contrary to what people might think, feeling stressed and anxious does not produce good writing. It makes you work “scared” – and when you’re scared, you can’t fully focus, think straight, or make good decisions.
Back then, it took me 10+ hours to write a single page. Today, I can write a 10+ section page in 1-3 hours.
While some of that is practice and experience, a HUGE part is having a reliable process that focuses less on the actual writing and more on the “pre-work” that makes the writing process 10x faster.
If you want to write better copy in less time and learn how to speed up the copywriting process, follow these SUPER SIMPLE, YET HIGHLY EFFECTIVE tips below.
Tip #1: Interview your clients (or interview yourself)
The way your clients describe their products, differentiators, customer pain points, goals, etc = copy GOLD!
This is a HUGE time saver. I mean, think about it. Why write from scratch when you can use their words verbatim or as a jumping off point?
Not sure what to ask your clients? Check out my Discovery Questionnaire which includes 30+ questions you can ask while interviewing clients.
Don’t work with clients? The questionnaire works great for business owners, too (in fact, I used it myself recently – I’m revamping my website and the first thing I did was fill out the questionnaire!).
Tip #2: Research the target audience
Researching your customers is one of the fastest ways to get TONS of copy ideas.
Ask customers questions to uncover their goals, pain points, wants, needs, etc. Read through reviews or social media comments to see how they communicate, describe the product, etc (all of this “data” = copy ideas).
Not sure what to ask? Check out my FREE customer interview template.
Tip #3: Use AI to sort research results faster
Once you’ve wrapped your research, put the findings through a tool like Bard which can help you identify the recurring themes in order of most → least important.
This will help you figure out what kind of content you need and how you should arrange it – so you’re not wasting time staring at a blank screen.
(This process is a little tricky, so lmk if you want more info on this; I can create a video tutorial or something similar)
Tip #4: Put all research findings in one clear, easy to scan place
Instead of flipping back and forth between various notes, survey results, interview transcripts, etc (which wastes time), you’ll have all of the important stuff in ONE place.
I have a specific “Insights Report” template that I use for this – and it saves me a ton of time and hassle (plus, it makes it easier when I have to return to it later, like if a client hires me for another project, etc).
That template is available in my customer research course.
Tip #5: Map out the page/content sections BEFORE writing
Don’t just open an empty word doc and start writing.
First, map out the content for whatever you’re working on (whether it’s a website, a single landing page, an email, a blog post, etc) so you know exactly what to focus on in each area.
Again, this will save you time. You won’t have to think about what you need to write because it’s right in front of you (ideally with high-level bullets or ideas you can use as a starting point).
If you want more info on this, check out this article which takes you through my information architecture process in more detail.
Tip #6: Refer to your VOC doc
During the research process, put all of your favorite quotes from your clients, customer surveys, reviews/testimonials, and interviews into ONE doc.
Before doing any copywriting, review your VOC (Voice of Customer) doc 1-2+ times and use what you see as copy inspiration (this saves time and makes the copy more effective).
Tip #7: Start from the inside out
Instead of starting with the homepage (which can be really intimidating and cause copywriters to freeze up), start with a more detailed page (like “Why us” page, a service page, an audience-specific page, etc).
And don’t start with the hero copy, either.
Start working on a section that focuses on selling points, differentiators, product details, or a process. Pick stuff that has a lot of detail.
Focusing on the details first makes it easier to write about “the big picture” later.
Plus, you’ll likely end up writing content that will end up on the Homepage (and on other pages) anyway, making the whole process faster/more efficient.
If you follow these tips, writing the actual copy will become the FASTEST part of your process.
After doing all of the “pre-work” (like interviewing yourself or your clients, collecting customer research, using AI, etc) you’ll never sit at a blank screen wasting time ever again.
You’ll know exactly what to write and where it should go – and you’ll be able to do it 10x faster than if you skipped the steps I just mentioned above.
Yes, writing effective copy can still be a lengthy and sometimes time-consuming process.
But writing the actual copy itself doesn’t have to be the part that takes forever. 😭⏰
What are your tips for speeding up the copywriting process?
Are you a copywriter who writes blazingly fast? Or a business owner who has a secret writing productivity hack you want to share?
Tell me all about it by commenting below or by reaching out directly: annie1maguire@gmail.com
As always, thank you for reading ❤️If you found this article helpful, please share it with a friend.
