Do you know the first thing we copywriters reach for before we write a single word? A pen? Paper? No, we reach for the toolbox.

Okay, it may not be fire-engine red and fitted with trays that fold out, but a copywriter’s toolbox is every bit as real, functional, and essential to the job as those you’d find on a construction site. It helps us work efficiently, keeps things consistent, and empowers us to do more significant work. Like Batman’s utility belt, it puts everything we need within reach, so we can obliterate the boring and construct the compelling.

It’s rich insights and a smart approach nailed down in a deep-diving Content Strategy Session. It’s the brilliant hooks and SEO-optimization that makes for great web copy. And it’s the final polish and proofread that makes it all shine. The copywriter’s toolbox ensures you walk away with killer content that builds a bridge to your target audience—and converts. 

But, Isn’t Writing an Art?

While penning copy is indeed an artistic endeavor, it’s also one that relies on solid craft to be successful. That’s right: we’re craftsmen and craftswomen at heart. And as such, we must bring solid ideas and concepts to the job and then execute them with impeccable craftsmanship.

Let’s say you hire us to write the content for your company’s brand new website. Wouldn’t you prefer us to build it in the same way a good house builder constructs a home—with solid foundations, a well-planned layout, and enticing design? 

Wright, not Write

Every wonder they’re called playwrights and not playwrites? The archaic English term for a builder or craftsman (as in boatwright or cartwright) refers to someone who has “wrought” words, themes, and other components into a dramatic form—someone who “crafts” plays. Shakespeare’s contemporary, Ben Jonson, is said to have coined the term as an insult to suggest a mere tradesman fashioning works for the theater, as opposed to “poets” like himself.

While the term eventually lost its negative connotation, it does acknowledge that writing is real, tangible work. It takes toil and labor, with equal parts wright-ing as writing. So, let’s take a look at how powerful content is “wrought” with the right tools.

Some Tools for Inspiration

The Shovel (aka Razor-Sharp Strategy)

Before we write word one, we conduct an in-depth Content Strategy Session to mine your mind for golden nuggets and thoroughly familiarize ourselves with your industry. This involves a shovel of sorts, as we dig up insights about your company and your audience to develop a razor-sharp strategy that cuts through the noise of the marketplace.

The Blueprint (aka the Outline)

Just as an architect’s blueprint details every aspect of the building, a copywriter’s outline maps out the content. After the Content Strategy Session, brainstorming, and research, writing an outline for the copy, including headlines and themes, helps navigate the content.

Needle-Nose Pliers (aka Word Choice)

As our founder and topSmith is fond of saying, most words are filler. With surgical precision, a copywriter will pluck the perfect pronouns, arresting adjectives, and vivid verbs in our lexicon and weave them together in a progression that’s pleasing to the brain.

The Level (aka the Style Book)

Is your bookshelf straight? Check it with a level. Should you use oxford commas? Check with your style book. Whether our clients prefer AP Style, the Chicago Manual, Strunk and White, or something else entirely, grammar style and usage are standardized. A copywriter will reference it often to ensure our copy gets straight As across the board. 

The Saw (aka the Red Pen)

Sure, a saw may not fit in most toolboxes—but if you’re going to hack through some strong wood, you’re going to need it. Similarly, a copywriter needs a handy red pen to banish bland blather and ready a revision. Like certain horror movies that find creatives uses for saws (often involving limbs), editing your copy can really hurt. But it pays off, so a good copywriter isn’t afraid of the red pen. 

The Screwdriver (aka the Reward)

Oh, you thought we meant the tool? No, no. A Screwdriver is the celebratory cocktail we reward ourselves with when we nail a project. Alright, the reward might not be a cocktail (at least, not during work hours). But whether it’s a chunk of chocolate or just the pleasure of a job well done, this is the tool that refreshes us and refuels our excitement for the next thing we write.

Whether you’re a do-it-yourselfer or want to hire a copywriting vendor with all the best tools, the copywriters (or should that be copywrighters?) at MarketSmiths can build on your foundation. Bring us in at any stage of your project, in any industry, at any location, and watch words do the heavy lifting. Let’s get to work.

This month, the rivers of our major cities will run green, folks in green top hats will fill our pubs, and shouts of “sláinte!” will be heard from town to town. No, it’s not an alien invasion. It’s the one day of the year when we’re all a little Irish—St. Patrick’s Day!

And as we all don our greenest garb and stand in solidarity, we’re reminded of one of the traits the Irish seem to share. From the happy babbler at the end of the bar to such notable scribes as Yeats and Oscar Wilde, the skill of spinning yarns and spouting witticisms seems to be passed down through the generations. So, in honor of St. Paddy and the writers whose words sound even sweeter uttered with a brogue, let us celebrate the adages of the Old World (and then apply them to copywriting principles just for fun!).

Irish Copywriting Proverbs

Say little but say it well.

As any faithful introvert would attest, saying much with just a few words is a skill. This should also be the goal of any writer, whether you’re writing a blog, website or advertisement. A company that cuts unnecessary words and consolidates ideas engages readers easier and faster.

Time is a good storyteller.

… and copywriting is storytelling. Just as a good story is memorable, a great word, phrase or brand story is, too. In order to make your ideas, services and products sticky in the minds of consumers, conversational content with a narrative arc told in a human voice delivers lasting marketing impact.

A questioning man is halfway to being wise.

What’s the purpose of your blog post, email or video? What action do you want the reader or viewer to take? Establishing an objective is one of the first steps of copywriting. If you’re not sure of the answers, your target audience won’t be either.

Every eye forms its own fancy.

Marketing can be subjective. What breaks through for one audience may not for another. This is why writing effective copy is not only a talent, but a science. It involves constant education, testing, trial and error, improvements, predictability and discovery. Understanding your audience and adapting to them is the key to effective, reliable results.

Idleness is a fool’s desire.

Once you’ve put your content out into the world, don’t just sit there. Track and analyze! Make the most of your marketing efforts by evaluating them from creation to distribution. Are people seeing your content? Are they engaging? Are you making conversions? From basic consumption to interactivity to lead generation, there are plenty of auditing techniques and metrics tools available to guide your overall strategy.

Remember, you’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind. If you have big ideas but need some brilliant copywriting to bring them to life, MarketSmiths is ready to captivate.