Benefit 1: Enhanced Clarity The world of business operates fast. Every day, there are conflicting responsibilities that drive us in different directions. We can get lost in minor details and lose track of what is really important. It is easy to fall into the trap of doing more things rather than doing the right thing. Writing helps us zoom out to what matters most in the bigger picture. Benefit 2: Strengthened Communication Skills Writing regularly makes us effective communicators. If you want to build a healthy, politics-free working environment, you need to embrace transparency. Transparent goals and actions that align with the company's mission and values allow your team to bond without having to resort to small talk or other toxic workplace behaviors. To practice transparency, we need to learn to communicate clearly. Writing is a perfect means to practice articulation. Benefit 3: Augmented Pattern Recognition Writing helps you become good at finding patterns. Consistency is key in business. The more you iterate, the stronger you become. But this is only true if you ferociously learn from each loop. By taking and reviewing your notes often, you become intuitive in depicting the patterns of what works, what doesn't, and why.
I wouldn't call myself an expert in copywriting for behavioral scientists. However, I have spent 12 months reading and learning about digital writing for busy readers. And, I have probably spent 100+ hours practicing basic copywriting ever since. Here's how I first got interested in copywriting for behavioral scientists: In the midst of the pandemic back in July 2021, a consulting client asked me to write actionable science-based lessons for their customers. The customers are mostly in their 50s to 70s who are living with chronic diseases such as diabetes. All went well. Until one day, they asked me to become their Head of Product to integrate elements of behavioral science into their product. It includes a cohort-based course, a coaching program, and an associated app. I love this product, so I said yes. But things soon went awry. Although my boss insisted that he wanted to apply behavioral science to the curriculum and aspects of the product, he failed to follow his words. Granted, this is easier said than done. Behavioral science has its own set of rules and leeways we need to be comfortable working with for a while before it can be systematized. For a young start-up juggling different sources of funding, doing pilot after pilot to test some behavioral variables that might increase customer meaningful engagement is an unbearable luxury. I failed to convince my boss to change track. Resistance is extremely high. So my goal over the next 12 months is to learn to put my marketing hat on more frequently (and skillfully). I will continue to write daily on my blog to think sharply about the ideas I want to see in execution. I do this by learning copywriting from the top online writers on Twitter like Dickie Bush and Nicolas Cole, and fellow writers from my Ship30for30 cohorts. This is important to me because I want to see more great behavioral science ideas be applied at scale to help more people adopt habits conducive to a life well-lived.
