by Grace Carter
So, you want to become a copywriter? For some people, it will be a natural progression from an existing course or path of studying. For others, it may be something that is being learnt through freelance work or in their spare time, or as part of another job role such as marketing or PR. And for many more, copywriting will be something they embark on a training course to develop and learn.
Choosing a copywriter training course
There are many different copywriter training courses available, all of which seek to teach you the key principles of great copywriting and advanced copywriting skills. There’s a lot out there, so which do you pick?
Ultimately, you need to find something that works for you in terms of time, commitment, prerequisite grades, and location. You may be able to find some support online if you’re just looking for nuggets of advice and guidance. However, for really beneficial and professional support, you’ll need to sign up to a training course with a fantastic teacher to pass on their pearls of wisdom.
To get the most out of any training course, you need to be able to consistently attend all of the taught sessions or seminars, meet with your supervisor or mentor, submit all relevant examples, and complete the work to build your portfolio. A copywriter training course is a fantastic way of developing your skills and knowledge, but you will always learn more when you are enjoying what you are studying and it is most relevant to you in its application.
Some of the key questions you should look to ask are:
- Will you be able to download the material and hold on to it afterwards as a useful resource?
- Will you be kept up-to-date after the course if materials are updated?
- What sort of technical and mentoring support is available?
- Will there be any kind of community group as part of the package – for example, a Facebook group?
- Are you expected to do any extra work in your free time?
- Will you be able to use any work you complete for your portfolio afterwards?
- Is there a money-back guarantee?
- Who is the tutor and what is their background? Do they come highly recommended?
- What qualifications or certificates will you get at the end?
Top 3 copywriter training courses
London College of Communication
Whether you connect with your customers through Twitter or newsletters, blogs or press releases, copywriting can form an important part of this dialogue. At the London College of Communication, you can study their ‘Confident Copywriting’ course, covering a range of effective practical and creative exercises. It’s a one-day intensive course making it ideal for anyone who is tight on time but still keen to expand their repertoire. Taught on a range of dates in Elephant & Castle, London SE1, this course typically runs on a Tuesday between 11am and 5pm.
Your tutor would be Ron Finlay, who previously worked as the chief executive of Fishburn Hedges, a top 10 PR agency. He has over 30 years of experience within communications, and also founded his own communications business in 2010, working with a range of businesses in the health, environment, charity, and finance sectors, among others.
You won’t need a lot of equipment – just a pen and notepad, plus an eager desire to be able to review, edit and improve your writing, become more persuasive, write faster and better, and learn some of the key tricks of the trade. You’ll learn what it takes to target your writing to a specific audience, deliver copy across a range of channels and platforms, and use persuasive writing techniques to deliver effective copywriting.
The Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing
When it comes to copywriting training courses, where you study can be as beneficial as what you study. Many people will recognise the names of institutions and identify the value they can bring. The Institute of Direct and Digital Marketing is one such place. Their copywriting and creativity courses are well recognised throughout London and the rest of the UK.
They have a whole number of courses to choose from, depending on what your interests are. From ‘Copywriting for Digital’ to ‘Copywriting for Not-for-Profit’, ‘Copywriting for Web and E-mail’ to ‘Copywriting Masterclass’, ‘Copywriting for Social Media and Blogs’ to ‘Writing for Content Marketing’, there’s a dynamic mix of topics covered. You will learn a range of advanced techniques that will ensure you are creating compelling copy that will engage with an audience, drive conversation, prompt action and encourage shares or sales. Ultimately, no matter what you do, you need to be able to engage, persuade, interact, entertain and inform – and with these courses, you’ll certainly learn how to drive a response from your reader.
Chartered Institute of Marketing
The Chartered Institute of Marketing is another highly esteemed institution for studying copywriting. Whether you’re looking to pursue the traditional route with advertisements, brochures and direct mail or you’re interested in digital media, exploring social conversations, e-shots and newsletters, there’s a learning outcome for everyone.
The course is aimed at marketing and communications practitioners who are required to write copy for their role. It is also open to junior and aspiring copywriters, and even graphic designers or art directors who may find an appreciation of good copy can significantly help them in their job.
With these courses, which are run regularly in London, Manchester, Edinburgh and Birmingham, you will learn what the essential principles to good copywriting are, and develop a strong writing style. You will also learn about the key tips and techniques needed for effective headline writing, and what the best practices are when it comes to combining images and words. The training course will additionally help you learn about tailoring your copy to a specific audience, as well as opening your mind to the many challenges and opportunities that may come your way with a range of different media.
Want to learn copywriting from home? Take a look at our blog post for our top picks for online copywriting courses.
Grace Carter
Grace is a seasoned copywriter with editorial experience for a number of publications. She joined Copify in 2017 and has written about the arts, travel, fashion, health and marketing.