Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock, you’ve probably noticed that The X Factor is back on our screens for its 12th series.
Love it or hate it – I’m a fan but not an addict – the show still attracts large TV audiences and thousands of would-be stars eager to be the next ‘big thing’.
But you may well be wondering what relevancy The X Factor has to a copywriter’s blog?
Allow me to explain. Although they might seem completely different on paper, the qualities needed by X Factor contestants to do well on the show are very similar to those needed to succeed as a freelance copywriter.
X Factor contestants vs copywriters
In addition to having bucket loads of natural talent, X Factor contestants and freelance copywriters need to be:
| Quality | Contestants | Copywriters |
| Ambitious | Win the show and become a global star | Make a decent living from copywriting |
| Articulate | Get the words across clearly | Get the message across effectively |
| Authentic | Stay true to who they are | Show some personality |
| Brave | Step up on stage in front of judges, live audience and millions viewing at home | Take the plunge to go freelance, often giving up a steady full-time job |
| Competitive | Beat all the other contestants | Win competitive pitches |
| Confident | Believe they can win (without being arrogant) | Believe we’re good at our job and worth our rates |
| Flexible | Sing different styles and even add in some dance steps | Adapt our style of writing to suit the brief |
| Focused | Not become distracted by the media attention | Not be distracted by social media during working hours |
| Hard-working | Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse | Work unsociable hours if required |
| Memorable | Make an impression by standing out from the crowd (in a good way) | Make a good impression in order to get repeat work &/or referrals |
| Mindful | Listen to the audience’s reaction | Be aware of the target audience |
| Open-minded | Be willing to keep learning and improving | Keep up with new tools and techniques |
| Personable | Have to be likeable to get the viewers’ votes | Build relationships with clients |
| Receptive | Welcome constructive feedback | Welcome constructive feedback |
| Reliable | Deliver a great performance every week | Deliver on time, on budget and on brief |
| Resilient | Come back fighting the next week, even after being in the bottom two | Carry on, even if we’ve had a tricky client or a challenging project |
| Responsive | Take on board the judges’ comments and advice | Respond promptly to customer enquiries |
| Selective | Showcase their best talents by picking the right genre/song | Focus on what we do best rather than try to be ‘jack of all trades’ |
| Supportive | Offer support to others within the competition | Offer support to fellow copywriters |
| Thick-skinned | Take criticism from the judges on the chin | Accept feedback from clients, even if we don’t always agree with it! |
| Word-perfect | Remember the words to the song | Avoid grammatical or spelling errors |
This list is by no means exhaustive. What other qualities do you think freelance copywriters have in common with successful X Factor contestants? I’d love to hear your thoughts below.
If you enjoyed this post, you might like to check out I’m a Copywriter, Get Me Out Of Here!
(image courtesy of phanlop88 via Freedigitalphotos.net)
Have your say