Institute of Copywriting

The Twelve Modules

1. Setting up as a copywriter

• What copywriters do
• Where you will work as a copywriter
• The tools you will need
• Your business name
• Your writing style
• Useful reading
• Assessing your strengths and weaknesses

2. Writing for a business

• How to get started
• How much you should write
• A selection of language devices that you should use, and those that you should avoid
• Helpful linking and introductory words
• Using good punctuation

3. Perfect Press Releases

• How to construct the perfect press release
• The best topics for a press release
• Whom to send the release to
• How to manage the business of issuing press releases
• What an advertorial is

4. Writing direct mail

• Advice on how to write a letter to send with your direct mail
• Writing a powerful opening
• How to achieve the ideal style and format
• Boosting your response rate
• Mistakes to avoid in direct mail
• Printing your direct mail

5. Punchy press ads

• Getting a creative brief
• Producing concepts
• The three elements of the ad
• How to advertise a service
• How to advertise Business-to-Business
• Writing small ads

6. Writing brochure copy

• What format do you need?
• Technical literature
• 15 ways to make your brochure more interesting
• Special types of leaflets
• Mistakes to avoid

7. Newsworthy newsletters

• Why does the firm want to produce the newsletter?
• What budget will it have?
• Who will it be aimed at?
• What size or format will it be?
• Where will the information come from?
• How will it be distributed?
• What will be its title?
• Contents
• How to write the articles
• The different types of article

8. Broadcasting your talent: Writing TV and radio commercials

• Writing radio commercials
• How you should style your commercial
• Mistakes to avoid in radio
• Writing for TV
• Strengths and weaknesses of TV
• The cost of making TV commercials
• Preparing to write
• Understanding the jargon
• Writing a simple commercial
• Tips for a better commercial
• Methods of approach

9. Marketing yourself

• Sources of work
• Advertisers and advertising agencies
• Designers and printers
• How to look for work
• 7 ways to look for clients
• Getting experience
• Your first meeting
• Understanding your client’s needs

10. Using the web

• Getting started
• Designing your website
• How to write web pages
• Using the Internet as a communication tool
• When you're online

11. The advanced copywriter

• More on finding clients
• How to improve your own sales letter
• How to keep clients happy
• Using job bags
• Deciding how much to charge
• Getting paid – chasing your money
• Indemnity insurance

12. Post-course activity

We supply all the modules at the beginning of the course. That means you can study topics whenever you choose. You don't have to wait weeks to get to a section that you need. Though we recommend you take the modules in the order shown, you can tackle them in any order you choose. To help you get the most from the course, we aim to be completely flexible.

Read more: What you'll learn on the course.