Copywriting Tip: Keep a Clip Folder

Don’t Reinvent the Wheel… Make it Better!
Salesmen have been stringing along words to illustrate benefits since the earliest days of advertising. Sales copy written today isn’t anything new—it’s more a reinvention of pitches from the past.

What you’re trying to say and sell have been said and sold before. That’s why every good copywriter needs to have a clip folder.

What’s a clip folder?

A clip folder is a collection of clippings from successful advertisements or creative pitches. It’s like a museum of ideas for a copywriter to draw from.

When you’re stuck writing a headline or are looking for a unique call-to-action, it’s easy to dig into your clip folder for inspiration. Here are a few tips for putting one together:
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  • Read your junk mail! Put anything that grabs your attention into your clip folder, instead of the circular file.

  • Browse different mediums and see what ads catch your eye. Organize your folder with media-specific examples, like direct mail, web ads, blog headlines and more.

  • Update your clip folder often. Remove old, outdated examples or clippings that no longer appeal to you.

  • Leave yourself notes about your inclusions. What struck you? Why did you add this example? Are there other examples like it?

Developing a robust clip folder helps you draw from good ideas, so you can write great copy. Remember, a clip folder is a group of examples.

​Use them in spirit, not directly. Your own original iteration of a good idea is far better than repurposing something that’s already been done.

Start your own clip folder

We’ll teach you how to spot good copywriting examples, so you can start your own clip folder.

Get started here: Copywriting 101