Mastering Copywriting with AI: A How-to-Guide

Mastering Copywriting with AI: A Guide for Athletes, Creatives, and Sports Agents

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Introduction

Copywriting is a craft that sometimes ascends to an art. The key to effective copywriting is knowing the difference and focusing on technique before making it an expression greater than the sum of its parts. Craft, like a 100m sprinter, focuses on a set of key things day in and day out, staying committed to the process. Art, on the other hand, is how that skill and experience are used uniquely to express something beyond the medium itself. Usain Bolt winning the 100m dash at the 2008 Olympic Games showcased bold confidence and skill, inspiring the stadium and the world more than other victories of that caliber.

While AI may not express true creativity, we believe it can significantly enhance our ability to generate ideas and draft the key elements efficiently.

Knowing When to Use the Right Tool

This guide offers flexible techniques and processes for generating content efficiently while conveying the messages we want to communicate. It aims to help you provide your readers with value and perhaps communicate something great and authentic that is irreplaceably yours.

Start with Why

At Zelos, we've learned that in copywriting, the "what" is secondary, but the "why" and the "who" are everything. The "why" is something only you and your team can define. The moment AI tells you why you are writing is the moment your work loses its soul. Once you have this in writing, you can use it as input to guide AI in creative ideation.

Don't Forget the Who

The other important "who" in this scenario is the hearer. As Abraham Lincoln once said, "If I had six hours to chop down a tree, I'd spend the first four sharpening the axe." It's crucial to know who your audience is and not just categorize them in a few words like "athletes" or "video game enthusiasts." Break down what about their persona or role in life is relevant to your "why" and how they might feel during various activities. Knowing when they are most excited, upset, or surprised is vital.

If you don't have firsthand experience, list their day-to-day activities and the emotional context behind them. Use AI to help empathize with them as part of your research. AI, trained on internet-scale data, can generate insights about emotions, providing a good starting point to address blind spots in your understanding of your audience's life journeys. Spending 15 to 30 minutes on these activities with AI is worthwhile and will save you time in the long run, especially if you're writing multiple pieces of content for these personas. If you feel uncomfortable using AI to brainstorm emotional aspects, use it to craft questions for interviews with diverse and representative individuals from your intended audience.

Now for the What

Identify the type of articles you want to write and reference a template from a reputable and battle-tested source. This could be, How-to Guide, Case Study, or a Listicle

Given your "why" and your "who," generate 100 ideas on what you could write about. These ideas are great starting points and might trigger even more unique or relevant topics. Choose the top 5 to 10 ideas, then select your favorite to start with. Use a headline that clearly states what the audience should expect when clicking on the link or reading the title. Don't worry; you can be more creative later. This headline gives AI context for the meat of your content when generating your first drafts.

Once you have that, jot down why you think that particular title is relevant to your audience and serves your "why." Also, note stories, references, and research that you can remember off the top of your head. This will help generate more reputable and authoritative content, showing your audience that you know what you're talking about. These notes can be rough. Personally, I like to transcribe my thoughts using tools like Google Docs' transcribe function or Siri. AI can clean it up afterward, as long as you review and edit any mistakes.

After you have your notes, "why," "who," and the blog template type, prompt the AI to draft your content. This step involves feeding the AI with all the gathered information and allowing it to create a draft. Review the draft, ensure it aligns with your message, and make necessary adjustments to add your personal touch.

Creating a Hook with Where and When

Once you've determined and written about your "why" and "what," the cherry on top is the "where" and "when." Put your audience in a place and time to ground the narrative. This helps personalize your concepts, making it easier for people to understand why it matters and how others have experienced the same thing.

Think about the introduction. While AI-generated content might have a relevant intro, it likely doesn't have enough of a hook that stands out and orients the user to your message. One technique for a good hook is to place the reader in a moment in history, in the future, here, or in outer space, wherever it is. This engages the reader's imagination and sets the stage for your message.

How to Fine-Tune Your Message

Fine-tuning your message involves honing your communication to ensure it is clear, impactful, and relevant. This process is guided by reflecting on specifically how you're saying it.

1. Don't Say More Than What is Necessary: Eliminate the unnecessary. Just because something sounds nice doesn't mean your audience needs to hear it. Focus on the essential points that deliver value and maintain the reader's interest.

2. Stay on Topic: Ensure your content is focused and relevant. For instance, if it's a warm-up checklist during practice, avoid diverging into unrelated stories. Either take such content out, move it to a different post, or use it in a more appropriate context.

3. Ensure Coherence, Both Grammatically and Logically: Your message should flow smoothly and make sense. Get feedback from someone representative of your persona to ensure clarity and logical progression, not just from friends or family.

4. Maintain an Appropriate Tone for the Context: Consider what your audience is expecting and adapt your tone accordingly. Whether formal, casual, enthusiastic, or instructive, your tone should match the context and purpose of your content.

Tips and Tricks

• Context is Everything: Tailor your message to the specific context and needs of your audience.
• Collaborate on Editing: Work with others to refine your content. Different perspectives can enhance the quality and relevance of your message.
• Take Your Notes Separately: Keep a dedicated space for your notes and ideas to streamline the writing process.
• Link to Listicles on Art and Building Your Craft: Provide additional resources to help your readers develop their skills further.
• Don't Rely on Tools Today; Use Later Models: Stay updated with the latest AI tools and models for the best results.
• Protect and Monitor Your IP: Inform your audience if the content was entirely written by AI and take steps to protect your intellectual property.
• Write Wherever You Are: Capture ideas on the go. Use voice notes or quick jots to ensure you don't lose valuable insights. AI can help organize and integrate these notes into your content.

By incorporating these elements, you'll create a comprehensive and effective guide that resonates with athletes, creatives, and sports agents, enhancing their copywriting skills and delivering unmatched value.