How to Be a Better Copywriting Mentor

CopywritingCoaching
Written By Theresa Powell

Coaching Pays Off

Every marketer has been there: a junior copywriter shares a draft that just doesn’t land.

Yeah, you could rewrite it. But that teaches them nothing.

After years of mentoring copywriters, I’ve learned this: coaching takes patience, but it pays off. The key is giving feedback that’s clear, maybe not too honest, and pushes them to think a little more, a little longer.

Here’s some advice on how to manage junior writers in a way that doesn’t make them run for the door.

5 Coaching Tips to Build Stronger Writers

  1. Take 10 minutes and write a damn brief.

    I will die on this hill. Write the brief before you assign the task. I don’t mean a seven-page document that covers every detail of the brand and project. I mean a half-pager that explains the project, medium, length, goal, audience, key messages, etc. Have a meeting (and record it). Send them a voice note. Anything, I beg you.

  2. Give feedback in layers.

    Focus on the biggest issue first. Is the copy way too long for the medium? Start there. If they’re still trying to grasp the bigger picture, don’t waste your time debating em dashes vs. colons.

  3. Face AI head-on.

    The average senior marketer can tell when something was written by generative AI. (No, it’s not the em dashes.) When this happens to you, first have a little cry. Then tell them to edit the shit out of it. If the copy still sucks, tell them to close their laptop and go touch grass with a pen and a notepad in tow. I’m serious: force them to go analog.

  4. Ask questions.

    Time permitting, ask them how they got here. How do you think the audience would feel reading this? Does this sound like something the client would say? How can we make this more [insert adjective here]?

  5. Praise progress and lead with the positive. (Thanks, Dale Carnegie…I think)

    Rarely is a first draft perfect. Highlight what’s working — and give them kudos as necessary. Excellent taglines. Oozing with creativity. This gives them something repeatable to build on. Then slip in the “next time, do X differently.” The compliment sandwich tastes better when the bread is fresh and buttered.

The Bottom Line: Honesty and Elbow Grease

Bottom line? Be honest and get them to put in some elbow grease. Oh, and don’t be mean.

But if you’d rather have someone else do the creative coaching for you, I’m your person. Reach out — I’d love to chat.

Theresa Powell