Month: August 2010

5. Keep your head out of the sand. It’s no coincidence that some of the best copywriters in the business have eclectic tastes and varied interests. When they’re not hunkered down on the job, sequestered under tight deadline pressure, they’re taking in all that life has to offer as both spectators and participants. They’re bookworms, moviegoers, sightseers and pop culture junkies, people with insatiable appetites for news and information. They’re social butterflies, night owls and day-trippers, free-spirited individuals who are curious by nature. They read everything from best-selling business books to celebrity gossip blogs. They watch everything from game shows to talk shows, Mad Men to Desperate Housewives, sitcoms to soap operas, reality TV to Glee. They do everything from hiking and biking to attending concerts, fundraisers, sporting events, museums and the…

4. Develop strong presentation skills. It’s one thing to be able to write well. It’s quite another to be able to present your work with the utmost confidence and conviction. But some of the most successful copywriters I've met over the years have had as much command of the spoken as the written word. Those with strong presentation skills are more effective in selling their work to both their colleagues and clients. They’re also given more opportunities to attend important meetings, speak at conferences and assume positions of leadership. If you’re uncomfortable speaking in front of an audience, consider  joining Toastmasters International, a nonprofit educational organization that helps people improve their public speaking, communication and leadership skills.  As I wrote here on this blog more than six years ago (May…