The Copywriter: Write to Persuade Using Paul’s 4 Tips

Award-winning writer Kathy Widenhouse has helped hundreds of nonprofits and writers produce successful content and has gained 600K+ views for her writing tutorials. She is the author of 9 books. See more of Kathy’s content here.

An online devotional for writers

A Word From The Word

Some of the Jews who listened were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, along with many God-fearing Greek men and quite a few prominent women. (Acts 17:4, NLT)

A Word For Writers

A copywriter writes to persuade. Often, that means convincing a reader to buy a product or service. A copywriter is proficient in writing all kinds of media that are used in sales, such as advertising … sales materials … landing pages.

But if you’re a copywriter, don’t limit yourself to sales writing. All kinds of content call for persuasive writing. Clients use a copywriter’s skills to convince a reader to download a freebie … volunteer for a cause … make a donation … fill out a survey … even adopt a different viewpoint from a long-held one. If you write to persuade, you write in order to get a reader to act.

Paul demonstrated a copywriter’s skill when he arrived in Thessalonica and spoke to its residents. There Paul revealed four tips you can use as you write to persuade:

1. Write to a qualified audience. Paul went first to the local Thessalonian synagogue, where he knew they’d find Jewish believers – a qualified audience (Acts 17:1).
2. Repeat your message. Paul spoke for three Sabbaths in a row (Acts 17:2).
3. Cite reliable sources. Paul used the scriptures to reason with his Jewish audience at Thessalonica (17:2) – a source that Hebrews trusted.
4. Explain “why.” Paul laid out a logical argument for his listeners.

The result? Jews were persuaded to believe in Jesus, along with some of the local Gentile men and women – and the Thessalonian church was born.

Paul’s persuasive message was long-lasting. Timothy later visited Thessalonica and reported to Paul that the church was thriving.

Try Paul’s four tips as you write to persuade, whether it’s to sell a product or convince a reader to make a change in her life. That’s what a copywriter does.

A Wise Word

A copywriter writes to persuade.

A Word To Pray

Heavenly Father,
You use words in all kinds of ways to help people know you and walk with you. Use my words. Help me write to persuade my readers.
In Jesus’s name, Amen.

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