Effective copywriting for business is a skill that’s always in high demand, and for good reason. Whether it’s crafting a persuasive blog to entice customers to try your product or penning a quippy subject line for a sales email, the right combination of words can increase engagement, build trust and foster brand loyalty among your target audience. But what happens when those words just won’t come?
If you’ve ever found yourself staring at a blank page or empty screen punctuated by nothing but a blinking curser, don’t fret! As public relations and digital marketing professionals, we’re sharing our creative copywriting for business tips to help you defeat the dreaded curse of writer’s block once and for all.
Tips for Overcoming Writer’s Block and Unlocking New Levels of Creativity in Copywriting for Business
1. Boost productivity by taking a break
Yes, you read that correctly. Taking a break is one very easy and enjoyable way to get your creative juices flowing. Not only are breaks proven to be beneficial to overall productivity, but for those struggling to put pen to paper, they can also serve as a renewed source of inspiration. Taking a few minutes to step away from the project you’re stuck on can help to limit frustration, de-stress and refocus your mindset. So, take a few minutes to get up, stretch and rehydrate. If you’re working from home, you can even fill two needs with one deed by setting a 10–minute timer and tackling a quick chore such as folding the laundry, tidying up your room or taking the dog for a walk. Anything that gets your mind off the task at hand and ideally gets the blood flowing will do the trick!
2. Seek out sources of inspiration
Another good place to start when you’re having trouble putting your thoughts into words is reading through other written excerpts that can help to inspire you. Take it as a chance to walk down memory lane and revisit – some of the past press pitches, blogs or social media copy that you’ve worked on. If you’re still feeling stuck, expand your list of sources and check out other articles and pieces of writing that engage you. The content doesn’t necessarily have to be related to the format or industry you’re writing about either. Read content that you enjoy whether that’s think pieces, current events or celebrity news. Note the elements of the writing that appeal to and resonate with you, then work to apply those same styles or components into your current project.
In search of some good examples? Here are some copywriting projects the Beyond Fifteen has worked on that may help to awaken new ideas:
3. Change your scenery
One of the many perks of working in a hybrid or remote environment is the abibility to pick up your laptop and work from wherever you please. If you have this option, taking advantage of it can help you to beat the writing blues. Simply changing up your location and setting up virtually from your favorite local coffee shop, your sunny backyard or even just another cozy room in your home is a habit known to promote a better mood and increased levels of well-being. A better headspace often equates to better quality work and a rejuvenated sense of creativity.
4. Work on another creative project
When it comes to copywriting for business, sometimes certain projects come easier to you than others. Maybe you have specific areas of your business that interest you more than others or perhaps you enjoy writing short social media captions but struggle with longer pieces such as blogs and case studies. Whatever the reason, shifting gears to another copy project can help to keep you in a creative mindset while still offering some much–needed respite from whatever task you’re currently stuck on. Returning to the original project afterward with a fresh set of eyes may be just what is needed to bring it to the finish line.
5. Make an outline
While you might not have all of the flashy wording pulled together, you likely have some semblance of an idea about the major points you want to cover. This is where creating an outline can be of great benefit! Creating a clear outline of your content before you begin writing can help to organize your thoughts and provide a structured framework to follow. An outline also serves as a way to break down a larger writing project into small, manageable segments which can make it feel less daunting and intimidating to tackle.
6. Embrace creative collaboration
A wise young man once penned the lyric “Stop. Collaborate and listen.” While this line served as a great opening to one of the most well-known rap songs of the early 1990s, it still stands today as equally great advice for the writers of the 2020s. Brainstorming with a trusted partner or colleague can be a very constructive way to eliminate writer’s block. Simply talking out loud, hearing another’s feedback and answering questions can often spark a new perspective or trigger a fresh angle. And who knows, if luck has it, through this process of peer review, you and your creative partner may just end up writing the next “Ice Ice Baby” together.
Image source: ChatGPT
7. Utilize AI Tools
AI-powered tools offer intuitive insights and solutions for nearly every area of writing you can imagine and copywriting for business is no exception. Tools such as ChatGPT can provide detailed responses to requests ranging from simple keyword suggestions to fully-fledged paragraphs of text. While we don’t recommend their use for their latter, as this can lead to serious concerns with plagiarized content, here are some creative uses for AI tools that can aid in overcoming writer’s block:
- Suggestions for blog topics
- Writing prompts
- Research on your subject or target audience
- Summarization or refining of copy
- General readability enhancements
- Style and tone recommendations
Still struggling with writer’s block?
If all else fails and despite these efforts you still find yourself at a loss for words, it may be time to bring in a professional. Outsourcing copywriting services for your business can help to not only alleviate this stress and time off your plate, but also elevate and optimize these efforts as they’re being worked on by people who specialize in this area. At Beyond Fifteen, we are experts in a multitude of copywriting formats and styles. From headline grabbing press releases to email newsletters, our team has mastered the components of great copy and is committed to bringing them to life. If you’re looking for a trusted partner in the copywriting space, contact us today.