Hey fam, late email from me this week. Alina and I had an offline day yesterday and not even you guys could get me to log back in and hit send. This is a day late but hey, at least the next one is only 6 days away now. Sit back with a coffee or glass of red (depending on where you are in the world) and enjoy the read. It’s a goodie.

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The Jai Journal
Entry // September 8th, 2024.

English was my worst subject in school. I never saw myself as a writer, let alone a good one.

I didn’t understand how my future could be decided by my ability to conform to an outdated education system. A system that stifled creativity and bred the same, brainwashed people.

So I rebelled against it. Not in an obvious drop-out-of-school way. I finished high school with good marks - but I vowed not to use them for further education.

Ironically, both of my parents are school teachers. Lucky for me they understood that there were more ways to ‘make it’ than the system they were trained in, and they wanted more opportunities for me and my 6 siblings.

So, I went out on my own.

Fell on my face for a few years.

Now 26, i’ve run a handful of businesses. Growth hacking, freelance videography, creative agency, e-commerce brand, and a bunch of communities and side hustles.

Recently I was asked, “if you had to start again, what would be the #1 skill you would learn?”

and to be honest, there are 3 core skillsets that will put you ahead of most people.

1. Content creation
2. Sales
3. Copywriting

I’ve made thousands of videos. And closed over $3M in deals on sales calls. But copywriting? A looong way to go.

So I want to talk about it.

I would even go as far as saying copywriting should be at the top of the list above, before content and sales.

And before you click off this email because you’re not interested in writing… that was me for YEARS. I wasn’t good at it so I ignored it.

But I genuinely believe I would have doubled every business I’ve run if I understood copywriting earlier.

So go ahead, click off if you want to earn less and take longer to achieve your goals.

You see, copywriting is everywhere.

It makes up the storyline of video ads. It’s the difference between a good and a great landing page. It’s the core driver of action in any business, yet it’s an afterthought to most people (me included).

It’s part of the reason I started this Journal, to practice writing every day.

My buddy David runs a youtube channel called Ecom Soup and he’s one of the best copywriters I know. So i’m going to lean on him for a few key principles, but the essence of great writing is this:

Copywriting is your ability to influence people to feel a certain way, and take a specific action as a result. In the world of business that’s usually purchasing your product or service. A cha-ching on your shopify store. Moolah. Cold hard cash.

When I refer to copywriting i’m not only talking about the written word. I’m also talking about videos and voice overs. Even thoughts that are running through peoples minds. Really anything that uses words at it’s core (see… copywriting is everywhere!)

Here’s 9 ways to be a better writer, from a high school degenerate who hated english.

1. Write first, edit later.

I’ll address the elephant in the room:

The reason you don’t write is because you get in your own way and try to fix it as you go. Start writing, and then put your editor hat on afterwards.

If you have a creative block, start writing anyway. It may not make sense. After a page of shit, your ideas will start to come together and you’ll feel the flow.

Don’t be the person that chokes themselves before they even start.

2. Make your words sing.

I’ll let the image do the talking for this point.

3. Create a curiosity gap.

The first line (or hook) needs to be so good that people will WANT to read to the end.

I titled this Journal Entry “Copywriting changed my life” and you’re still reading this… why?

Are you curious about copywriting? or want to know how it changed my life? do you fear you’ll miss out on something valuable if you stop reading?

80% of the work is in making a subject line so intriguing people click the email.

or a 3-second-hook so strong people watch the entire reel.

or a first line so interesting people read the entire landing page.

or a thumbnail so jarring that people watch through your 10 minute Youtube video.

You want to create a feeling that something is missing between the viewer’s current state, and their future state (after consuming your content). This is usually information. Your content is the only source of truth that can deliver that information to them. So they keep reading (or watching).

This leads perfectly into the next point:

4. Guide them down the slippery slope.

The main goal of each sentence is to get someone to read the next sentence. The main goal of each second of the video is to get someone to watch the next second.

You let them fall down the slippery slope until they’ve finished the whole thing.

After each sentence, ask yourself: Did this add value and advance the narrative in some way, or is it unnecessary?

5. Write in stories.

I bet you have a friend who SUCKS at storytelling. They take ages and beat around the bush, and speak in a monotone voice. Hard to stay engaged, right?

Writing is the same. Even a very small effort to feed in a story or personal experience elevates your content. But keep it short. Notice how I started this Entry with a story about my highschool English subject?

It adds personality, and gives people an opportunity to relate to this content. It’s also more interesting to read and easier to fall down the slippery slope as a result.

There are a bunch of typical copywriting frameworks that you can read up on. Things like AIDA (Attention, Interest, Desire, Action) and PAS (Problem, Agitation, Solution). These are important to understand, but I don’t reference them when writing every time. I like to free-ball it. Use them to edit and improve your writing afterwards.

The general framework I use for this Journal is:

a) Problem

b) How most people try to solve it

c) Why this doesn’t work

d) How I would do it instead (solution)

e) Ending that ties in with the beginning

With a handful of short, personal stories thrown in.

If you don’t have personal stories, use other people’s - it has the same effect. I can talk about how I failed an idea or I can talk about how Steve Jobs failed an idea.

I find this framework to be the most enjoyable for me to write and for others to read.

6. Write like you think.

Great copywriting should use everyday language that sounds like it’s coming straight from your mouth. It’s conversational.

Your goal is to use the written word to get your ideas into your reader’s brain and get them to take the action you want them to take.

This means that proper grammar isn’t the most important part of your writing (a lot of people don’t realise this). And sounding smart and important with big words - that’s a waste of time.

Pro tip: If you want to sound like an expert, don’t use words like “I think” and “I believe”. Be more matter-of-fact.

7. The 5th Grader Test.

In general, you want to write in a way that’s easy for everyone to read. Easy to digest. Do this by using simple language and removing filler words like “just” and “could”.

You’d be amazed at how often you just add unnecessary words without needing to.

Notice how pointless the word “just” is in that sentence?

and “without needing to”?

You’d be amazed at how often you add unnecessary words.

Much better.

There’s a nifty website that I use every time I’m editing a piece of writing, it’s called the Hemmingway Editor.

It tells you what grade your writing is, and highlights the filler words and lengthy sentences to cut down. I love it.

8. Your reader doesn’t care about you. Make it about them.

Humans are inherently selfish creatures. Whether you want to admit it or not, you care about yourself more than you care about me.

I can tell you all the things i’ve learnt, and how they improved my life. Boring.

Or I can tell you all the things i’ve learnt and how they can improve YOUR life. Ooh, suddenly interesting.

Write in 2nd person and use the word “you” a lot. It will speak to your reader and allow them to imagine it for themselves.

9. Understand your reader (or customer) intimately.

This is actually nothing to do with copy, it’s human psychology.

Can you write a page in their diary? Do you understand their deepest desires and fears?

This is the magic. This is where you gain the power to really influence.

Remember, copywriting is your ability to influence people to feel a certain way, and take a specific action as a result.

In my case, most of my readers are ME a few years ago. It makes it easy to write because I understand what they’re searching for and I can speak to that.

If you don’t know what to write about, write for a younger version of yourself. As special as you are, I guarantee there are others like you.

That’s it for me this week. Links and important stuff below if you’re curious.

Big love,

Jai

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