Professional writers need many skills to excel in their chosen industries. Writing and SEO skills are critical. Less obvious are the soft (or human) skills you can develop to become a great copywriter. At F4S, we've identified 48 traits that influence your motivation and energy levels for tasks at work. Understanding these traits can help you choose a role where you can thrive.
An inquisitive nature
Writing copy requires learning more about the topic. You may need to do extensive research to inform yourself about the industry you're writing for. Furthermore, you may need to get to know your client's target audience. If you enjoy learning new things, you may find copywriting very rewarding. At F4S, we call this motivation Difference.
Attention to detail
You'll need an eye for detail to succeed as a copywriter. Successful copywriting often means editing, including:
- Editing for spelling, grammar, and punctuation
- Proofreading for errors in your work
- Ensuring content accuracy
- Fact-checking
You will also need to follow brand or editorial format and guidelines. Careful attention to detail can help you see out exactly what your client wants and apply it to your work. We call this motivation for detailed information Depth.
Communication skills
Affective communication skills allow you to take a close look at what the other party is saying. It's not only the verbal or written communication you receive. You also need to look at the things that people say without actually saying them. For example, you might need to look at things such as tone of voice and body language, intent, gestures, and more.
Communication skills help with two key details. First, they offer the ability to understand others. When you receive assignments as a copywriter, you must intuit your client's wants. Effective communication skills can help you understand their specific expectations.
Second, they allow you to convey the information you want to share in a way that your readers can understand. You must listen to your clients to interpret their vision. Then, you'll need to write for their intended purpose. This requires excellent verbal and written communication skills. Persuasive writing skills are a valuable part of your communication efforts. At F4S, we call this Affective Communication.
Creativity
Creative thinking and problem-solving are vital skills for copywriters. You need to be able to produce content from the perspective of your clients. This is not always your own perspective. Furthermore, you need to be able to produce content that looks at elements that others may not see. You may have to find alternative paths around the challenges you may face as you write. You need to be able to look at situations from different angles. Your work may need you to pull together different pieces of information. Creative thinking helps guide these steps.
At F4S, we call this motivation Lateral Thinking. Lateral thinking helps you seek out more ways to approach a problem and deal with it.
Self-motivation
As a copywriter, you will often need to work on your own. Copywriters often have to juggle deadlines and may work with more than one client at the same time. You may need to remain motivated to meet deadlines despite little oversight. At F4S, we call this Work Independently.