Lessons from the "TeSA Practical Writing Skills Specialized Class": Writers should also use the right combination to win by surprise

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The author of this article is Mr. Zhang Yuquan (https://www.facebook.com/chang.chiuan) (Gary), who is currently studying in the Department of Political Science at National Chengchi University and is also a volunteer at the TeSA lecture hall.

This article is based on Gary’s experience in participating in TeSA’s internal training recently. He reviewed himself from the “TeSA Writing Practical Skills Class” course taught by Vista Cheng, and hopes to continue to improve in writing in the future.

“[It is very important to develop good habits. I am used to going to Quanlian for candy, ice, and Quanlian.] (http://store.gvm.com.tw/article_content_29501.html)” This is not to help Quanlian advertise, but to see such good copywriting, which makes me envious and jealous. I also open a store to sell things by myself, but why can’t I write unforgettable copywriting?

I think this is something that people who have been in marketing find troublesome. But after finishing the class, I felt that copywriting is not illusory, but systematic and methodical learning or conception.

It is not only necessary to write copy, but also to accurately write the value and meaning behind it. We often see copywriting or slogans of big brands that can outline clear values ​​and positioning in a few sentences, and we take it for granted. For example, NIKE’s “Just do it!” is familiar to everyone, and McDonald’s “I’m lovin it.” is also very attractive.

I think that such a text title is very simple or easy, and I think that after buying NIKE sneakers, I will naturally wear them; and who doesn’t love the delicious McDonald’s? Little do they know that there is a lot of knowledge behind the words, such as product positioning, price and values, etc. It is by no means a random selection. In short, copywriting should “see the forest for the trees”. On the one hand, it must clearly explain the essence of the product, and on the other hand, it must tell its characteristics.

In fact, “writing is like marching”. Good copywriting must be paired with a comprehensive strategy, and through the organization of tactics, combat skills can be expressed; that is, there must be a clear main body of the writing strategy, coupled with a clear and logical outline, and finally a sincere and relevant story package, so that the writing can become the focus of everyone’s attention. However, would it be right if we just follow the method of “starting, continuing, transferring, and combining”? Of course, not only that, articles in newspapers and magazines need to start with key points; but the narrative style can have more elaborations. As Sun Tzu said in The Art of War: “Any warrior must use the right combination to win by surprise.”

Articles are naturally changeable, and different methods can be used to respond to different readers and needs. For example, sometimes you can get straight to the point, and sometimes you have to use the “inverted pyramid” method to write. Everything depends on the purpose and ultimate value trend of the article. It’s just that when most people think about copywriting, what they think about is “What should I do if I don’t have good writing skills?”, or “I’m not very good at writing” and so on. But as everyone knows, writing is only one part, it only needs to be smooth, and the structure of the article and the strategy of publishing it are the key points. I believe that through constant polishing, everyone can write suitable copy.

So specifically, how to proceed? I think if you can make good use of the FAB rule and BRIEF structure mentioned in the class, you can roughly handle 80% of copywriting.

The FAB rule emphasizes that in the communication design of copywriting, you must first understand the characteristics of the product or service. What is the concept or function of the product? All this should be expressed clearly. Then explain your advantages (Advantage) and establish the brand’s positioning and differentiation. In the end, it is tempting to benefit, which is to strengthen the benefits that the audience values ​​​​(Benefit).

After all, there are so many products, why choose your own brand?

Of course, for a more detailed analysis, you can also use the BRIEF structure to look at it: that is, Background, Reason, Information, Ending and Follow up.

Consumers are faced with a dazzling array of products. According to consumer behavior research, the eyeballs only focus on new products for 2 to 5 seconds. How to create unlimited opportunities in this electric moment is the key. What I gained in the class was that “I was not only given a fishing rod, but also taught how to choose fish, as well as the key issues of why we can only eat fish.”

Learning various methods may be important, but choosing to use the correct method is even more critical. This is also what I reflected on most in this class.

Modern people are in an age of multi-tasking, and there are thousands of media for exchanging information, including traditional letterheads, online social media, or common news channels on television. Different vehicles have different ways of using them. How to write product copy, correspondence, public relations documents, or even press releases all require different styles and techniques to stand out among the same articles.

Vista, who has experience in industry, government, and academia, also uses abundant examples to clearly explain and teach in detail. It is also reminded that in the era of self-media, only you can speak for yourself. How to build your own information database or public relations media contact database so that you can use it when needed in the future. In this era of messy information, it is undoubtedly more important.

After the class, as soon as I got home, I immediately picked up the copywriting I used to do for online shooting and reviewed it carefully, and found that there were indeed many immature aspects. But at least it’s clearer how to think about it in the future? I believe that writing is not illusory, but has methods and systematic structures. Through continuous practice, I can write the most suitable copy.

★ This article was originally published on TeSA website. Thanks to the author for permission to publish it.

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Further reading

• “Brand Copywriting Workshop” Course Experience: Write articles with warmth and emotion
• “Content Marketing & Copywriting 6-hour Practical Class” Course Experience: Master Guidance
• “Content Power Advanced Copywriting Workshop” Course Experience: Master the key points and writing is so easy

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