Learn how to write engaging, persuasive copy with 196 actionable lessons from a 30-year copywriting veteran
What you'll learn
- Write copy that persuades
- Start a freelance copywriting business in seven steps
- Write compelling landing pages
- Write eCommerce product pages
- Write persuasive B2B white papers
- Write engaging B2B emails (cold emails and lead-nurture emails)
- Avoid the top-10 common copywriting blunders
Requirements
- Students should be fluent in written English
Description
Your success as a copywriter depends on your ability to persuade. As a salesperson behind a keyboard, your job is to persuade people to buy products and services. Your job as a copywriter is not to be clever, or witty, or to win awards. Your job is to persuade.
Welcome to my Copywriting Masterclass. I'm your instructor, Alan Sharpe. I got started as a copywriter in 1989, before the internet, before Google, and before Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. I’ve written in all of the channels—offline, online, outdoor, mobile and broadcast. I’ve written print ads, radio commercials, email newsletters, sales letters, banner ads, product packaging, brochures, factsheets, case studies, slogans and plenty more for Apple, IBM, Bell, Re/Max, Hilton Hotels and hundreds of other clients worldwide.
In this copywriting masterclass, I teach you how to write copy that persuades people to take action. I teach you the tips and tricks I've learned in more than thirty years of writing effective, engaging, persuasive copy. At the end of this masterclass, you’ll know how to write copy that generates results. You’ll know how to craft copy that persuades.
COURSE STRUCTURE
This course consists of a whopping 20 hours of video training spread out over 11 modules and 196 lessons.
Module 1: Copywriting for Beginners Part 1 of 3: Seven Vital Questions
The hardest thing about copywriting isn't knowing HOW to write. It's knowing WHAT to write. Your challenge as a copywriter isn't your ability to write compelling copy. It's your ability to discover insights into what you are selling and who you are selling to. The best copywriters are the ones who ask the best questions.
This module defines copywriting, describes the major types of copywriting, and discusses specialized types of copywriting. It then introduces you to the two main audiences who will read your copy, and describes the types of writing that some people mistake for copywriting. It includes a handy glossary of common copywriting and marketing terms that you need to know before you offer your services as a copywriter.
It goes into great detail about the seven questions you must ask before you can write great copy. We'll cover what you are selling, where you are selling, who you are selling to, why they should buy, who your competition is, the most important thing to say in your copy, and what you want prospects to do after reading your copy. Section two ends with a lesson on how to research a product or a service so that you can sell it with effective copy.
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“One of the best copywriting courses out there. If you're a seasoned copywriter then this is not for you, but for beginners or anyone who does not know anything about copywriting then this course is gold. The instructor is direct, doesn't fluff around, doesn't waste time and the entire course is short but very content-rich from beginning to end. I didn't feel that any second was wasted during the course. A+++” Mukidasu
“So far I am very impressed with this course, Alan is an excellent teacher, he keeps your interest all of the time and really makes Copywriting sound great. Now that I have completed the course I would like to say that I am very impressed with the course. Alan really is a fantastic teacher. I have already purchased the next course Copy writing for Beginners - Part 2 and I cannot wait to get started with it. I would definitely recommend this course to anyone who is a beginner, learning Copy writing, I am sure that you will be as impressed with Alan and the course.” Yvonne Culverwell
“Thank you for teaching how to copywrite in such a systematic, well thought out manner. I used to think that it was sheer talent, but with this course, I realised it is possible to write great copy with practice, using your methods.” Ng Yea Lin
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Module 2: Copywriting for Beginners Part 2 of 3: Headlines & Openers
The most important skill in copywriting is the ability to grab attention. You might have the best product or service in the world, and your promotional copy might be amazing, but if no one stops to read your headline, no one will stop to read your copy. This module teaches you how to do the toughest thing in copywriting—grab and keep attention.
You'll learn the two things that every headline you write must accomplish. I'll show you an original way to brainstorm headline ideas that are creative and original. You'll learn nine ways to write headlines that stand out and grab attention. We'll cover how to write offline headlines, online headlines, email headlines, and Google text ad headlines.
You'll discover why your opening lines is the most important line in copywriting, after your headline. We'll look at the many creative ways you can start your body copy. And I'll share with you the unique challenge I face in writing opening lines.
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“Great course. There is so much knowledge packed into it. Definitely recommend to anyone curious about this subject, especially first-time students who are looking to apply this as a career.” Joshua
“I love this series as it is very basic for someone like me who likes to write but has never thought about copywriting. I love his relaxed conversational tone and easy going nature. I have a better understanding of what copywriting is and am looking forward to the third part in this series.” Willie Chavis
“This is a great course for those who want to improve their copywriting skills,especially if you're a beginner. Alan will talk you through the most important parts of writing good headlines. You will not be disappointed. If you decided to get this course, make sure you get part 1 and 3 as well. It's an awesome series!” Tula Raphala
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Module 3: Copywriting for Beginners Part 3 of 3: How to Persuade
Your success as a copywriter depends on your ability to persuade. As a salesperson behind a keyboard, your job is to persuade people to buy products and services. Your job as a copywriter is not to be clever, or witty, or to win awards. Your job is to persuade.
- learn how to give your sales pitch a proven structure
- learn how to write using features and benefits
- learn how to write copy that overcomes objections
- master testimonials, guarantees, deadlines and other tactics that persuade people to buy
- discover why your copy needs an offer
- discover the two main categories of offers
- learn the many ways you can use offers to boost the power of your copy to persuade
- learn how to write subheads and photo captions that keep your potential buyers engaged in your copy
- learn how to make your copy more effective by making it conversational and personal
“I am not a writer. I started off completely ignorant about copy-writing. Now, not as much. Great in-depth explanations for terms that I didn't have pull up on Google. Very appreciative of the instructor and course layout. Definitely seeking out more of Alan's courses to build on what I learned. Thank you!” Jacquie Dear
“This course is extremely helpful. I've been copywriting for a year and was in a rut. Sure I sold a lot of products because I am an influencer on YouTube. But when the sales started to stagnate. I needed to improve my skills. I originally bought the headline course. I loved it, it was everything I was looking for so I bought this course too. It was the best decision I made. To learn copywriting from a pro like this would of costed thousands. I'm going to get every single course and treat it as if I was getting a university degree in copywriting. I'm mixing and matching your methods with others. But still, it was an amazing course.” John Dole
“I want others to know this course gives you steps you can apply as a copywriter. Exactly what I needed!” Arthur K Walker
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Module 4: 30 Copywriting Secrets from the Best Ad Campaign of All Time
In this module you’ll learn how to write copy that grabs attention and motivates prospects to buy. I designed this module for anyone who wants a shortcut to learning how to write great copy. By the end, you’ll be able to write copy that gets noticed, gets read and gets results.
You and I will examine the most successful advertising campaign in history. I’m talking about the newspaper ads for Volkswagen that ran during the 1960s and 1970s. This campaign took a boring, ugly, unknown product and made it one of the most talked-about, popular products in history. I’m going to show you dozens of ads from this campaign. Each one is a case study in how to write clever, powerful, funny, amazing copy.
You'll see how a successful ad is built. We'll cover headlines, visuals, opening lines, body copy, format of a sales pitch, testimonials, features and benefits, reader engagement, humor, irony, keys to being original, endings, and plenty more.
This module contains no theory—just dozens of examples of copy that works, and a detailed explanation of why it works.
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“This course was absolutely phenomenal!!! Thank you for this course. You answered so many questions I asked myself when it came to copywriting and structuring ads. This course gave a literal treasure trove of examples and ideas that a person could apply to their own use for marketing. I remember seeing and reading these VW ads when I grew up in the 70's, and this course just broke down everything and more about why they worked. But most of all, nothing is beyond myself or any other person to use these exact same techniques that VW has used. I can see these techniques being used for my website, my blogs, social media ads, you name it; this gave me too many ideas to try out. For sure, I'm going to watch this entire course from beginning to end again, probably at least three more times. And I will take notes along the way, so that I can start putting all of this knowledge to use. Thank you so much. This was beyond worth paying for!!!” Dana Solomon
“I love this course and love the presentation. I love the analysis of undisputed great copy. And, I really appreciate the effort Mr. Sharpe put into developing and delivering such a fine course. I plan to enjoy it and to benefit from it many times.” Devin Bounds
“I really enjoyed the course. Well thought out and great case study. The course was well paced with great examples and explanations. It was great to review the ads of such a great campaign.” Freddy Vallozzi
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Module 5: Online Copywriting: How to Write a Profitable Landing Page
A whopping ninety-six percent of people who visit your website are not ready to buy anything during their first visit. If you want them to come back a second time, you need to capture their names and email addresses.
But there's your challenge. Most website visitors don't want to give you their name and email address. Website visitors are the online equivalent of retail shoppers who are approached by a salesperson. Offline, the salesperson asks, "May I help you?" And how do you reply? "No thanks, I'm just looking."
Online, those infuriating pop-up ads ask you for your name and email address, and what do you do? You say, "I don't think so." And you click away. This is where lead magnets come in. A lead magnet is something of value that you offer your website visitors in exchange for their contact details. They get the lead magnet. You get the lead. But ONLY if your landing page is effective.
This module teaches you how to use direct-response copywriting tactics to write landing pages for lead magnets. Landing pages are different from other types of web pages. And landing pages for lead magnets are different from other types of landing pages. At the end of this module, you’ll know how to write a landing page that persuades visitors to give you their name and email address. In other words, you'll know how to write direct-response copy that generates online sales leads.
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“I enjoyed this course. I was always writing huge copies or long form sales copy. I couldn't understand the ad format. This helped and I bought all his courses. It is like being mentored by a world class copywriter. This course is very practical and highly recommended if you struggle to write ads.” John Dole
“Excellent. Highly recommended A++++” Alexandre Therrien
“Very helpful. Even Better the 2nd Time.” Robert Riley
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Module 6: How to Write Persuasive Product Pages
You face three challenges when selling products online:
- The sales process starts long before buyers land on your product page
- Potential customers can't handle your product
- Potential customers can't talk to a salesperson (the way they do in a store) before they buy
To be successful writing copy for online product pages, you also need to master the essential parts of each product page, namely:
- page title tags
- page description tags
- short product descriptions
- long product descriptions
- image alt tags
- offers
- upsells
- guarantees
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“I bought this course so that I could write better descriptions for my clients' websites. Alan provides plenty of examples of what to do and not to do, when writing copy. I took copious notes and plan to print them out for reference. He also explains how you can improve your site navigation to make products easier for your customer to find. Highly recommended.” Deborah W
“It answers a lot of questions I have about rebuilding my website. Knowing what the search engines look for and how to use it was worth the price. Writing the copy for each product was very informative, and I will be using this information when the game app is finalized.” Karen Blake
“This is a fantastic course - so engaging and informative. I would recommend it to anyone trying to get a handle on SEO for e-commerce. Alan is a wonderful presenter and demonstrates the craft of copywriting through his succinct and persuasive style of teaching.” Rowan Soderlund
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Module 7: Best-Paying Copywriting Gigs: White Paper Writing
If you want to earn a decent living as a freelance copywriter, you should take on assignments that pay the highest fees. One of those assignments is marketing white papers.
To see how much money you can make writing white papers, just visit the website of Gordon Graham, The White Paper Guy. Gordon writes white papers for a living. He even wrote a best-selling book on how to write white papers. Gordon says you should expect to earn around $6,000 for writing a white paper.
Do the math, and you’ll discover that if you write one white paper a month at $6,000 a pop, you’ll earn $72,000 a year. Not shabby.
This module teaches you how to write effective marketing white papers. You learn:
- how to pick a white paper topic that resonates with your target audience
- how to research your white paper so that you appear authoritative
- how to outline your white paper so that your document has a logical flow and keeps the attention of your reader
- how to give your white paper a strong title, so that prospective customers want to read it
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“The course was structured well and was also well-paced. The instructor gave good examples to explain the concepts. This was very useful.” Kamalakannan
“Comprehensive walk-through of a typical white paper. Very helpful course. Nicely paced and illustrative visual aids.” Carol H.
“Overall this course helped me in extending my knowledge in writing in a brief way which will surely help in future in my professional field too.” Deepika Chanda
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Module 8: Best-Paying Copywriting Gigs: B2B Emails
If you want to earn a decent living as a freelance copywriter, you should take on assignments that pay the highest fees. One of those assignments is business to business emails.
To see how much money you can make writing B2B emails, just visit my website. When a company hires me to write a series of up to six emails, I charge that company $400. I can typically write this email sequence in a morning. Do the math, and you’ll discover that if you write one email sequence a day at $400 a pop, and if you do that five days a week for 50 weeks in a year, you’ll earn $100,000 a year. Not shabby.
This module is divided into four sections.
- Section one introduces you to B2B emails as a marketing medium. You learn what they are, how they work, and why writing effective emails has some unique challenges.
- Section two is all about cold emails, the ones you send to prospective customers to generate leads. I show you the anatomy of an effective cold email, and show you how to write a cold email sequence.
- Section three is all about warm emails, the ones you send to prospective customers who have requested to hear from you. I show you the anatomy of an effective warm email, and show you how to write a warm email sequence.
- Section four is the final section. It’s all about the power of drip email marketing. You learn why drip email marketing is so effective at cultivating prospects who are not ready to buy today, but who might be ready to buy in the future.
“I'm a B2B Email Copywriter myself and I found this course to be excellent. Alan's delivery and insight into B2B Email Marketing reflected his deep knowledge and experience in this area. I highly recommend this course to anyone who is looking for a more in depth understanding of B2B Email marketing.” Nash Rahman
“This is an absolutely excellent course! It is detailed yet to the point and definitely has sufficient great examples. I can't wait to pursue B2B Emails copywriting as a way of making good money as I feel well equipped to do so. Well done!” Tali Kramer
“Great course; I learned a lot. Alan explains and illustrates points very well. I will be able to use what I have learned in my business as a direct response copywriter. Only negative is that there are no downloadable resources, so be prepared to take copious notes!” Mike Bromley
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Module 9: Copywriting Blunders: Do You Make these 10 Common Mistakes?
You know bad writing when you see it. You know that bad writing is flowery and verbose and full of convoluted sentences. You know that bad writing is filled with typos, grammatical mistakes, inconsistencies and poor reasoning.
But do you know what bad copywriting looks like? Do you know bad copywriting when you see it, or when you write it? This module teaches you the ten most common blunders that new and amateur copywriters make. The main benefit of taking this module is that you’ll learn how to spot the ten most common mistakes that wreck otherwise good copy. Once you learn them, you’ll avoid them.
You and I are going to look at 10 copy killers. Here they are:
- Slow in getting to the point
- No single-minded proposition
- No logical flow
- Redundancies
- Generalities
- Features only
- Navel gazing
- Claims without proof
- No offer
- No call to action
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“Alan breaks down a subject that has seemingly endless information into more digestible lessons. He is likable, easy to listen to, and has a presentable appearance. It was just like attending a lecture. I am glad I took this course (also taking one of his other ones as well), and I can't wait to apply some of the things I have learned. I'm sure I will go through the material another time or two first. The lessons are concise and there is no wasted fluff or redundancy. I really liked the comparisons of good copy Vs. not-so-good copy. Thank you Alan!” Joanna Hoekstra
“I've bought scores of Udemy courses and am finally starting to work my through them. I chose to tackle this one now because it was short and I expected some useful advice - and I got it! It was easy to follow, straightforward and full of commonsense so I know I can remember and use all I have learned. I'd really recommend this to anyone starting out or just needing a reminder of what they should or shouldn't do.” Jacqui Pulford
“This course was informative and I appreciate the fact that it communicated a lot of information in a short period of time.” Charlene Smith
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Module 10: How to Become a Freelance Copywriter.
When I started my freelance copywriting business way back in 1989, I had zero experience as a copywriter. I had no clients, I had no samples, and I had not written a single word of promotional copy, ever, for anyone. And yet within a few weeks of starting out, I was earning money as a freelance copywriter. That was more than 30 years ago. Today, getting started is even easier. And even harder.
This module teaches you how to start a freelance copywriting business in a week. I teach you the steps I took to get started. And I teach you the lessons I learned along the way as I freelanced for businesses, agencies and non-profit organizations in North America and around the world. At the end of this module, you’ll know how to launch your freelance copywriting business in seven days.
On day one, you create your portfolio. I tell you why you need a portfolio, what you need in your portfolio, and how to create an effective portfolio from scratch.
On day two, you brand yourself. I teach you how to brand yourself with a company name, a website, and branded email.
On day three, you pick your perfect client. We examine the three major markets for your freelance copywriting services, and I describe the qualities you need to look for in the perfect client.
On day four, you perfect your pitch. I teach you the two ways you need to pitch yourself to potential clients. And I describe the questions you need to answer whenever you are out looking for business.
On day five, you start looking for business. Without paying clients, you'll go broke. I teach you how to pick up the phone and talk to potential clients. I teach you what to say, when to say it, and how to present yourself professionally so that prospective clients hire you.
On day six, you draft a letter of agreement. I teach you how to quote copywriting jobs, how to write a simple contract, and how to get agreements in writing.
On day seven, you start your first freelance copywriting project professionally. I teach you the things you need to do to appear professional from day one. And I give you helpful tips on how and when to invoice your first client.
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“Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! I would listen to Alan's courses for days! He explained the freelance copywriting career in detail and many aspect of freelancing has become more clear to me. Thank you so much! Highly recommended!” Giovanna Romano
“I took this course to get a better insight of what is required and needed as a freelance copywriter and it exceeded my expectations. From the the straight forward approach for setting up your business as a professional, to the helpful tips and pointers on naming your files for easier retreival. Thank you much for your guidance and expertise.” Jacquie Dear
“Great experience altogether. It was the icing on the cake that showed me how to move my copywriting forward. I had previously studied the writing and fundamentals end of copywriting, but I was missing a few pieces regarding putting my website and branding together. This course from Alan Sharpe filled in those missing pieces. The guy knows the game inside-out, and teaches it clearly. He's also enoyable to listen to, and tells a great story. Thank you Alan. “ David O'Toole
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Module 11: Business Writing Refresher
Your success in business depends on your ability to communicate. If you can’t write clearly, you won’t get hired. And if can’t write clearly, you won’t last long enough in a position to be considered for promotion. If you want to get ahead in your career, you must learn to write well.
In this module, I pass on to you all that I’ve learned about effective business writing during my last three decades as a writer, editor and proofreader. I show you the most common mistakes that businesspeople make in their writing today—and then I show you how to avoid these blunders in your writing.
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“I am extremely pleased with this course, and have nothing but praise for Mr Sharpe. The videos are short, to the point and kept me wanting more all the time. He explained many things I didn't know and refreshed some that I had forgotten. Great job. PS. I hope my punctuations are correct.” Margaret Hansen
“This course is exactly what I was looking for. Starting a new role that requires extensive internal and external communication, I was is need of some guidance on how to approach writing expectations. Having participated in this course, I feel confident in my abilities to communicate my thoughts and intentions. Many Thanks!” Mike Vokes
“Exactly what I needed for my next employment. Been the programme leader for my department” Adesayo
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Who this masterclass is for
I designed this masterclass for copywriters who want to write copy that doesn’t just entertain or inform—but generates results. If you need to write persuasive copy for a living, and if you want to earn top dollar for your expertise, then this masterclass is for you.
This masterclass is filled with practical, step-by-step advice, tools, tips and tricks that I've learned over the years as a professional copywriter. I use hundreds of examples from the real world of copywriting—both offline and online—to teach you the art of writing persuasive copy that sells.
Learn more about the course by reviewing the course description and masterclass curriculum below.
Watch the free preview lessons. Read the reviews from my many satisfied students. Then enroll today.
Who this course is for:
- Writers who want to become copywriters
- Content writers who want to earn more from their writing
- Copywriters who want to master the best-paying gigs (white papers, landing pages, white papers)
- Copywriters who want to write compelling eCommerce product descriptions
- Beginner copywriters
