Writing

99.99% of people make these 5 crucial copywriting mistakes: 1. Mistake: Ignoring Customer Pain Points Solution: Regularly engage with your audience through surveys or social media to understand their challenges. Use this information to tailor your copy, focusing on how your product solves these specific problems. Pro Tip: Analyze competitor reviews and Q&A sections to discover unaddressed pain points in your niche. 2. Mistake: Overlooking Storytelling Solution: Collect customer testimonials or craft narratives around your products. Incorporate these stories into your copy to make it more relatable and engaging. Pro Tip: Integrate the 'Hero's Journey' framework in your storytelling to make the customer the hero, with your product as their key to success. 3. Mistake: Weak or Missing Call-to-Actions Solution: Ensure every piece of copy has a clear, compelling CTA. Use actionable language, create urgency, and test different CTA placements and formats to find what works best. Pro Tip: Personalize CTAs based on user behavior or segment; for example, different CTAs for first-time visitors versus returning customers. 4. Mistake: Not Understanding the Audience Solution: Develop detailed customer personas. Use these to create copy that speaks directly to your target audience's interests, needs, and preferences. Pro Tip: Use social media insights and analytics to continuously refine your understanding of your audience's evolving preferences and behaviors. 5. Mistake: Inconsistent Tone and Style Solution: Create a brand style guide. Consistently use this guide to ensure all your copy, across various platforms, maintains a consistent voice and style. Pro Tip: Assign a 'brand guardian' within your team to review content, ensuring all copy aligns with your brand voice and style guidelines.

Most people don’t send thank you notes after an interview. They spend more time trying to give clever answers than getting to know the interviewer. And barely take any notes during the interview, so they tend to forget the conversation. But I know folks who’ve had tremendous success after sending thank you notes. They send all notes within 24 hours after the interview. And typically hear back from the recruiter or hiring manager quickly. Here’s why you should send a thank you note: ⭐ It shows your people skills and professionalism ⭐ It helps you stand out from the crowd ⭐ It leaves a positive first impression I sent this exact thank you note back in 2017 and landed my dream job at one of the largest tech companies in the world. To land this role—I did 6 interviews and needed majority approval. I sent 6 thank you notes, got a unanimous YES, and secured the last spot in that start class. Here’s a breakdown of this note: 🔴 Address the email to the person who interviewed you and make sure you spell their name correctly 🟡 Thank the person for their time and consideration 🟠 Briefly highlight why you want to work at their company 🔵 Call out an aspect of the conversation that was particularly interesting or share a helpful hook to help them remember what you spoke about 🟢 Express your continued interest in the job opportunity I recommend sending a thank you note within 24 hours after every interview. Please reshare this breakdown so others have a better shot at landing a great role ♻ #interviews #hiring #recruiting #jobhunt #thankyou

Do this to develop your copywriting voice: "Ed," he said. "Close the door. Have a seat." I closed the door and sat down. My editor sat across from me. Days earlier, he hired me. It was my first copywriting job. I was a year out of school. "I read your draft," he said. "It’s good—" "Thanks." "—for an English major, I mean, nice and flowery,” he said. “But you're not in college anymore.” I didn’t speak. “You're a professional copywriter now." I didn’t speak. "I guess I saw this coming,” he said, “based on your samples.” He pursed his lips. “You know, you can't write like this anymore, all long-winded, like you're some Alexandre fuggin’ Doo-mah." I sat there, blinking, bracing myself. "You’re a copywriter," he said, "copywriters keep it 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵." He pressed a key on his laptop. "I just sent you an email," he said. “Please go read it.” I went back to my desk and opened my email. There it was: 𝘌𝘥, 𝘐 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘺 𝘐 𝘩𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶. 𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨, 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘵𝘶𝘥𝘪𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯 𝘤𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘦. 𝘛𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘥𝘰. 𝘚𝘰𝘳𝘳𝘺. 𝘐 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘤𝘭𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘤𝘪𝘴𝘦. 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦’𝘴 𝘩𝘰𝘸 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦: In his email, my editor included links to classic sales letters by several direct-response icons, including Gary Bencivenga, Gary Halbert, and John Caples. He asked me to transcribe these letters by hand. Transcribing another writer's work is called 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨. It helps you internalize the writer’s syntax and diction, her punctuation and cadence, her voice: it’s all there for the taking. You just have to slow down to absorb it. (And it's not just for copywriters: Jack London and Hunter S. Thompson and Ben Franklin copyworked their writing heroes, too.) “Do you understand why I’m asking you to do this?” I looked up. My editor was there, leaning on my cubicle wall. “Yeh,” I said. “I understand.” “You have to be more concise,” he said. “You write like a water hose. I need you to be a nail gun." I nodded. “So," I said, "by hand?” “Yes,” he said. “If you type it, you’ll go too fast. It defeats the purpose.” So I did. Want to develop your copywriting voice? Transcribe the greats by hand, slowly, meticulously, over and over. And soon, your work will sound great, too. #copywriting #marketing #creativity 𝘗𝘴𝘴𝘵... coming soon ↴ 𝙑𝙚𝙧𝙮𝙂𝙤𝙤𝙙𝘾𝙤𝙥𝙮: 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘽𝙤𝙤𝙠 → verygoodcopy.com/book

I get 400+ connection requests every week. 99% make the same mistakes. Only 1% get it right. Here’s how you can be that 1%. Before I preach: I’ve also made all these mistakes. I’m no exception. But, by now I’ve learned from it. I hope this post helps you avoid them. ❌ SENDING REQUESTS WITHOUT A NOTE. 99% of connection requests I get have no note. By adding no note, you’re asking the other person to spend at least 30 seconds looking at your profile title, understanding what you do, & decoding whether that’s relevant. Sure, they can do it for 10 people. But not 100+. You’re wasting an opportunity EVERY time you send a request without a note. ✅ SEND A NOTE, EVEN IF IT'S 2 SENTENCES. Forget writing detailed & specific notes. Just write 2 sentences. “Hi Pooja! I enjoyed reading your recent post on how to send connection requests. Now, I’d love to follow along your journey and hopefully contribute in a meaningful way.” That’s it. BOOM. You just 5x-ed your acceptance rate. ❌ ASKING FOR A "20-MIN CALL" No, most people don’t have time for a “20-min call.” I don’t have time for a “20-min call.” Because you haven’t convinced me what’s in it for me. Instead, here’s an idea: ✅ ASK, "HOW CAN I HELP?" That’s it. So simple. “Hi Pooja! I enjoyed reading your recent post on how to send connection requests. I also see you publish regularly. I’d love to follow along your journey. Also, if I can help in anyway, just let me know.” I will 1000% accept a request with such a note. Most people would. Build a relationship before asking for more. ❌ SENDING AN ESSAY FOR A REQUEST By sending long essay messages, you’ve made 3 mistakes: - You wasted your time - The other person probably didn’t read it - Your request got lost in the abyss ✅ SENDING A SHORT, SPECIFIC REQUEST WITH A COMPELLING WHY Make it easy for the other person to help you. Keep your message short, specific, and give them a REASON to help you. “Hi Pooja! I’ve read most of your posts on LinkedIn. There’s so much value in them. Thank you. I aspire to publish my book next year. Can you point me to any resources/tools that was helpful for you? If you already have it written down somewhere, let me know. P.S. I can help you compile a post on this if you’d like!” Now, you’ve given me 3 reasons to help you: - You’ve done your homework in reading my posts - You have a clear goal in mind - You already offered value in your “P.S.” I get it. All this is extra work. It takes time. But, these few minutes will make or break your chance to find your co-founder, next job, or even a best friend. If this helped you, please re-share the post and help your network! 👉 And, follow me if you'd like more of this. I publish a resource every day. P.S. Wanna send me a connection request? Now you know how to do it 😉 #writing #freeresources #unshackled #advice #linkedin

How to write good copy for the internet (a guide). Bad copy kills businesses, good copy makes them. I think we’re entering an era where the best products don’t necessarily win, the best copy does. Most people write copy like they are writing instruction manuals. They got lost in explaining how the sausage is made and no one cares. And even worse they use that same robotic copy in the content they create. 1. Paint a picture Make your reader see, feel, and believe in the world you're describing as if they're living it. It's like telling a story that they become a part of. 2. Conversational tone Write like you're chatting with a friend. It should feel easy and friendly, making your reader feel right at home. 3. Use line breaks generously Space out your sentences like breathing spaces in a conversation. People don't have time to read dense paragraphs when you are competing with TikTok. 4. Hone in on a single focal point Keep your message tight around one big idea. It's like using a spotlight in a dark room to show off the most important thing. 5. Shows credibility with examples Use real stories or examples to prove your point. It's like showing a picture to prove you've been somewhere cool. 6. Anticipates concerns and works through objections Think ahead about what might bother your reader and talk it out. It's like answering their questions before they've even asked them. 7. Entertaining Keep things fun or interesting so your reader enjoys reading. It’s like adding a dash of spice to make a meal tastier. 8. Know who you’re trying to reach Write for someone specific, like you know exactly who they are, what they like, and what they need. It’s like picking out a gift for a friend. 9. Show how the product works Explain how things work in simple terms. It’s like explaining a game so everyone can play. 10. Has clear calls-to-action Be clear about what you want your reader to do next. It’s like giving clear directions so someone doesn’t get lost. 11. Don’t be a robot Put some personality in your writing. It’s like wearing your favorite outfit instead of a uniform. 12. Be different than your competition Stand out by being yourself. It’s like choosing to dance to your own music when everyone else is dancing the same. 13. Use positive words Use words that make people feel good and hopeful. It’s like smiling through your words. 14. Avoid exclamation points Use them sparingly. It’s like not shouting in a conversation. 15. Clear and concise Keep it short and sweet. It’s like telling a story without adding unnecessary details. 16. Safe copy is risky copy Dare to be different. It’s like taking a new path through the woods instead of the worn trail. 17. Be interesting, be brave Write something that grabs attention. It’s like telling a story that no one wants to end. 18. Every word matters Choose your words carefully. It’s like picking out just the right ingredients for a recipe. I hope this guide has been helpful.

18 months ago, I thought "copywriting" was a legal term. Now I’m convinced copywriting is *the* most powerful skill you can develop. So here's the 3-step learning process I wish I had (that you can start using today): Looking back, 99% of the things I did were a complete waste of time. But 3 were life-changing: 1. Immersion into 1 copywriter's worldview 2. Reading 3 foundational copywriting books 3. Practicing copywork (to see what great copy *feels like*) Let's dive in: In the beginning, I had no clue where to start. So I tried to: • Read every book • Take every course • Study every sales letter • Research every technique This was overwhelming and a huge mistake. Instead, you should pick 1 copywriter and immerse yourself. Here's how: I picked Craig Clemens and dove in headfirst. I downloaded: • 10 sales letters he wrote • 10 podcasts he spoke on • 10 presentations he gave And I inhaled all of them–trying to reverse engineer his techniques and distill them into a 1-pager. Total immersion into 1 copywriter's worldview led to a solid foundation. I learned the jargon, the fundamentals, the psychology, and I got to *see* and *hear* what great copy looked like and sounded like. Choose one and dive into their interviews & sales letters. Some legends you could start with: • Ann Handley • David Ogilvy • Gary Halbert • Joe Sugarman • Eugene Schwartz With that foundation set, it's time to read up on the craft. After reading 30 copy books, here are the 3 worth your time: • The Boron Letters • Writing That Works • The Adweek Advertising Handbook Pick up all 3 and keep them on your desk. I recommend just 3 books because it's easy to feel like you're progressing by *reading*–but at a certain point, it's 100% procrastination. With the fundamentals down, the only way to learn is to write–A LOT. And that's where the 3rd step comes in: Writing copy is like working out–it's all about reps. But, there's a little-known technique that will accelerate your progress more than anything else–copywork. Here's how it works: You're going to take 10 legendary pieces of copy and write them out, by hand, word-for-word, start-to-finish. "Seriously?" Yes. It's wild, I know. But it works! Here's why: As you translate the page, your brain starts to *feel* what good copy looks & sounds like. And the best part? The results are *instant* Do this a few times and your writing will improve. Fast. Boom! Just like that you've: 1. Learned the jargon & built a foundation with immersion 2. Learned the fundamentals from 3 classic texts 3. Practiced and *felt* what it's like to write silky-smooth copy This is the *exact* playbook I would follow if I started all over again. But there is one important part I didn't mention: Having a project that *forces* you to *write* copy – and analyze its effectiveness. Nothing will teach you faster than figuring out how to make a poorly-converting page better. So it's time to stop reading and start writing.

Any great cold caller can be a great cold emailer... My top 4 cold caller --> emailer mindset shifts: 1) Remember the 1st question When you pick up the phone and call someone - the 1st question is always "who is this" The question for cold email is "what is this" Don't confuse the two. 2) Would you really say that? Read your cold email out loud... would you feel awkward reading it to your friends? Think about it like being at a conference. You've been dying to meet this person. Are you going to read that email out loud? Find your voice. Put those words to paper. 3) Write like you talk - then edit. We tend to speak in run on sentences. Chop them up. Each long sentence hurts reply rates by 17%. Kill the commas. Kill the big words. Choppy copy. 4) Conversation > Conversion "Sell the meeting" doesn't work if they haven't picked up the phone yet. Think of your cold email like trying to get them to pick up. The only goal is to get a reply. Starting a conversation will get you 2x as far as trying to book the call. *Bonus* 5: 1:1 > Volume Personalized emails are seeing 13x more replies. When the name of the game is getting someone to pick up the phone - it makes a ton of sense to "dial more" When you're trying to get someone to reply... the goal should be to write something that's worth responding to. My advice for this? Be very clear in answering why you're reaching out. Show your homework.

Here's my 90-minute writing process. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗲𝗱𝗜𝗻 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘀: 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟭: Open a fresh Evernote or page. I start in a journal. It limits distractions. Coffee is a must. My writing brain works best in the morning. This 90-minute block lives on my calendar. Nobody can schedule calls during this time. Not even my Mom. Noise-canceling headphones in. Lo-fi focus playlist on. Ready, set, write. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟮: Aim for 5-7 posts in 90 minutes. Maybe you’re aiming for 3 or 10. Maybe you take a little longer. That’s okay. Set a goal and stick to it. Be imperfect. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟯: Write down 1-2 topics to focus on. “𝘓𝘢𝘴𝘵 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬 𝘮𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘱-𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘴 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘶𝘳 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢 𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘵. 𝘔𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵." I write the words "Entrepreneurship" and "Writing" at the top of the page. This reminds me of the topics I’m writing about when I inevitably get stuck. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟰: Start writing hooks. A lot of hooks. And rewriting hooks. And rewriting more hooks. • Use words that evoke emotion. • Use "You" to speak to 1 person. • Don’t be boring. • Use numbers. • Use repetition. • Don’t be boring. After 5-10 tries, I find a hook I like. I say something that surprises the reader. They need to click “read more”... Now I write the rest of the post, delivering what I promised in the hook. Relief for their pain. Answers to their questions. Present a solution to their problems. 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝟱: Do this 5-7x in 90 minutes Congrats! You have a week’s worth of LinkedIn posts. When my brain feels tired, it’s time for rest. Close the notebook or Evernote. Give your writing time to settle before rereading it. Preferably 24 hours before editing. It’s easier to see ways to improve or strike non-essential words after 24 hours. 𝙒𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙚𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙘𝙚𝙨𝙨 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚?

Applying for graduate school? 🎓🙌🏾 I recently attended the Harvard Graduate School of Education Open House to learn more about the Doctor of Education Leadership program. I'm not an admissions counselor but here's my advice informed by all that I learned: 1. Clarify Your Vision: Take time to define your educational purpose and passion, articulating your goals in alignment with the ethos of the institution. Your vision should reflect your genuine commitment to making a positive impact in your chosen field. 🚀 2. Research Professors & Programs: Delve deep into the works of the institution's faculty and explore the diversity of programs offered in the department. Identify professors whose research and teaching resonate with your interests and objectives. Connecting with the academic community in your application demonstrates your dedication to becoming an integral part of the institution. 📚 3. Demonstrate Impact: Present tangible examples of your past experiences, highlighting instances where your contributions have made a significant difference. This not only underscores your potential but also shows that you are already a proactive agent of change. Let your application tell the story of your real-world impact. 💪 4. Craft a Unique Story: Your statement of purpose is your canvas to share a narrative that stands out. It should authentically represent your experiences, challenges overcome, and your passionate pursuit of personal growth. Uniqueness in storytelling captures the reader's attention and makes them feel your fervor for education and change. 📖 5. Connect with the Community: Reach out to current students and alumni to gain insights into the campus' culture and values. Networking with the community fosters a sense of belonging and mentorship. Building these connections early not only provides you with valuable guidance but also showcases your proactive approach to being part of the community. 🤗 Do you have other tips? Comment below!

If your content isn’t doing as well as you wish it would, it’s probably because you’re focused on the wrong person…. You. The biggest mistake I see on social media is that many people use it like a megaphone instead of a mirror. They shout their news, their wins, their updates, but they never stop to think about what their audience actually needs or wants. If you want people to care about what you post, you have to make it about them. Here’s how to do that more consistently: ✅ Speak to a pain point: Instead of posting “I was promoted,” say A lot of people ask how to stand out and get promoted faster. Here’s what helped me the most. ✅ Be useful: Share what you wish you knew sooner, what others ask you about, or what you’re learning in real time. That’s the stuff people bookmark and come back to. ✅ Lead with the takeaway: Don’t bury the value under three paragraphs of background. Start with the point. Hook them early. ✅ Be generous with what you know: If you learned something the hard way, say so. If someone else taught you something, give them credit. This builds trust and it travels farther. ✅ Stop announcing: You’re not a PR firm. You don’t need to “announce” every event or accomplishment. Talk about what it means and why it matters. ✅ Talk like a human: Banish the corporate speak. If you wouldn’t say it out loud to a colleague, don’t write it in a post. ✅ Earn attention: We are never entitled to engagement. If people are scrolling past your content, ask why. And then fix it. You can still share your story. Just make sure it actually connects with the people reading it. Which of these do you need to start doing? #PersonalBranding #LinkedInTips #LegalMarketing