Want to know the secret that taught me how to become an effective copywriter?

It was the development of my public speaking skills. I gave my first speech in 2017. Since then, I’ve given hundreds of talks to thousands of people. In fact, at one point, I flirted very heavily with the idea of a public speaking career. However, I never went all the way with that profession.

As a result, it simply remained a glorified hobby.

But the skills I gained as a public speaker were invaluable to developing my copywriting abilities. Keep reading to learn how pubic speaking made me an effective copywriter.

1. Real Audience Reactions

Most copywriters work in a vacuum, especially if they’re freelancing.

Other than the occasional client meeting or discovery call, they work alone, study alone, and write alone. And hey, no judgment, here. In fact, I’m quite an introvert myself. But if a copywriter doesn’t have real-life experience influencing people (whether on a stage speaking or maybe even a door-to-door sales job), they miss a valuable opportunity to understand persuasion on a deeper level.

And this limits their ability to be persuasive when it comes to their marketing copy.

And this is because they miss those real-time audience reactions to their persuasion attempts. My job as a public speaker is the same as my job as a copywriter—to persuade people to my line of thinking and get them to take a particular action.

For this reason, I use the same persuasion tactics and psychological triggers in my copy that I use in my speeches. And guess what?

This gives me the unique ability to see, in real time, what people do (and don’t) respond to. The result? I have a competitive edge over other copywriters who, while they may write great copy, often lack the real-world experience of seeing what people genuinely respond to.

2. Objection Handling

There’s a telltale hallmark of an experienced and effective copywriter…

It’s the ability to predict and handle objections in their advertising copy. As a public speaker, audience members routinely question certain stances I take or beliefs I hold—not in an antagonistic way, but in a way that reflects genuine disagreement or curiosity on a topic.

This has helped me develop a sense of when people may hold objections, and then how to counter them.

And this is not done by using misleading information or sneaky rhetorical strategies, either. It’s done through a deep understanding of my subject matter and knowing how to communicate effectively.

And this has served me quite well when it comes to writing effective ad copy.

3. A Deeper Understanding Of Rhetoric And Persuasion

The job of a public speaker and an effective copywriter is the same: To persuade an audience.

As a result, my years as a public speaker have given me a deeper understanding of rhetoric and persuasion. In other words, these complementary skill sets have enhanced my communication abilities. And this shines through in a few different ways when it comes to writing effective copy:

• The use of rhetoric: I use literary techniques, rhetorical devices, and debate tactics to formulate bulletproof arguments in my copy. This makes my writing more dynamic and robust.

• Ironclad argumentation: Copywriting is more than just text on a screen; it’s a form of argumentation and debate. It’s stating your case and supplying evidence as to why the stance you’re taking or the claim you’re making is the right one for your audience to align with.

• Psychological levers of influence: Psychology is the bottom 90% of the copywriting iceberg that most people don’t see. As a result, it’s a critical factor in persuasion. And I’ve extensively studied the core psychological principles of persuasion and influence.

Understanding rhetoric and persuasion on a deeper level is essential to becoming an effective copywriter. And that’s the process that has taken place with my own development in my career.

Wrapping Up

There’s a lot more to being an effective copywriter than stringing words together in a Google Doc.

It encompasses a deeper understanding of an audience, overcoming their objections, and using rhetoric as a means of articulation and persuasion. And public speaking is a skill that undoubtedly combines all of these aspects of communication.

So, if you’re ready to partner with an effective copywriter who knows how to implement these communicative assets in your next campaign, contact me today to learn more.