Course Title: Write persuasive copy
Part B: Course Detail
Teaching Period: Term1 2013
Course Code: MKTG6045C
Course Title: Write persuasive copy
School: 650T TAFE Business
Campus: City Campus
Program: C5281 - Diploma of Business (Public Relations)
Course Contact : Sally Parrott
Course Contact Phone: +61 3 9925 5175
Course Contact Email:sally.parrott@rmit.edu.au
Name and Contact Details of All Other Relevant Staff
Course Contact Alain Grossbard
Course Contact Phone +(61 3) 9925 5522
Course Contact Email alain.grossbard@rmit.edu.au
Nominal Hours: 50
Regardless of the mode of delivery, represent a guide to the relative teaching time and student effort required to successfully achieve a particular competency/module. This may include not only scheduled classes or workplace visits but also the amount of effort required to undertake, evaluate and complete all assessment requirements, including any non-classroom activities.
Pre-requisites and Co-requisites
None
Course Description
This unit applies to individuals who are responsible for writing persuasive copy to communicate messages in a wide range of contexts. These contexts may include television, radio, other advertising media, public relations or marketing. The unit is generally undertaken by those working in a supervisory, management or freelancing role who are primarily responsible for the development of persuasive copy. They may develop the copy individually or coordinate a team of writers.
National Codes, Titles, Elements and Performance Criteria
National Element Code & Title: |
BSBWRT501A Write persuasive copy |
Element: |
1. Analyse and interpret a creative brief |
Performance Criteria: |
1.1. Analyse and confirm the technique/s for expressing the central idea or creative concept |
Element: |
2. Evaluate creative options |
Performance Criteria: |
2.1. Evaluate design and copy options against the requirements of the creative brief |
Element: |
3. Prepare persuasive copy |
Performance Criteria: |
3.1. Create original copy with impact which sets the product, service or idea being communicated apart from the competition and competitor's promotional material |
Learning Outcomes
This unit describes the performance outcomes, skills and knowledge required to interpret a creative brief and evaluate a range of creative options to write persuasive copy.
Details of Learning Activities
Practical activities, case studies and class discussion as well as work relevant assessments.
Teaching Schedule
Week 1 11 Feb (1) Course Induction
• Course delivery and assessment details
• Course support documents
• Online learning environment
• Grading
• Plagiarism
• Appeals
• Extensions
• Feedback
• Privacy
• Submission requirements
• Resubmission policy
• Where to get support
• Student responsibilities
(2) Pre-Training Review
• Includes skills analysis and Recognition of Prior Learning and Credit Transfers
(3) Course Overview
Week 2 18 Feb Understanding the creative brief
Basic principles of persuasive writing
Plain English – rhythm, grammar, sentence structure, flow etc
Week 3 25 Feb Audiences and stakeholders
Objectives and key messages
Week 4 4 Mar Public relations documents and channels – overview of media releases, direct mail, newsletters, brochures etc
Week 5 11 Mar Media releases (cont.)
Week 6 18 Mar Blog introduction
Online copywriting
Week 7 25 Mar Online copywriting (cont)
28 Mar – 3 Apr Mid-Semester Break
Week 7 1 Apr Tools for persuasive writing – techniques and strategies, beyond logic
Week 8 8 Apr Short vs long copywriting
Week 9 15 Apr Social media integration – twitter, facebook etc
Week 10 22 Apr Brochures/annual reports
Week 11 29 Apr Newsletters/fliers
Week 12 6 May Events/sponsorship proposals
Week 13 13 May Research & Evaluation Legal/Ethical
Week 14 20 May Final assessments due in class
Week 15 27 May Assessment Feedback
Week 16 3 Jun Assessment Feedback(cont.)
Learning Resources
Prescribed Texts
References
Other Resources
Overview of Assessment
Students must demonstrate an understanding of all elements of a particular competency to be deemed competent. Assessment methods have been designed to measure achievement of each competency in a flexible manner over a range of assessment tasks.
Assessment will incorporate a variety of methods including assignments, journals, presentation and written or test. Students are advised that they are likely to be asked to personally demonstrate their assessment work to their teacher to ensure that the relevant competency standards are being met.
Assessment Tasks
This course is delivered and assessed in conjunction with RMIT course code MKTG5845C Develop Public Relations Documents.
Task 1 Written Portfolio – Group - (Due in class Week 6)
In groups of 3-4, students are to select a real world client for whom they will fulfil a copywriting brief. You will need to choose a client who is happy to be interviewed by you and who has a communications objective they need fulfilled. For example you might choose:
- A local café/bar that has just opened and needs to increase awareness
- A CBD food outlet that is launching a new menu and needs to inform its public
- A fashion brand that is launching a new range and needs to inform its public
- A sole operator such as a personal trainer who is trying to gain interest from a new market
- A retail store that needs to increase sales
Students are to:
• Work with the chosen client to complete the supplied Copywriting Brief in suitable depth paying particular attention to the client’s core objective, target market and key message
• Develop two potential Single Minded Proposition’s (SMP) for the client and a short description of suggested corresponding creative directions
• Choose ONE SMP/creative approach and work up the following communication pieces:
1 x Press Release (no longer than one page)
1 x Online Copy of 600 words to appear on the client’s website
1 x Print Ad (any size)
1 x DM Piece of 500 words (letter to customers, email copy, DM flier)
1 x A3 Poster
PLEASE NOTE that all communications pieces must carry the same key message, single minded proposition and creative angle and should include a call to action. Your work must follow the basic principles of persuasive writing, be free of spelling and grammar errors.
Task 2 – Blog – Individual - (Due in class Week 11)
Working individually, students are to establish and write a blog around a topic of interest using the theory you have gained around persuasive copy writing and best practice blog writing. Ultimately, your task is to persuade people to read and interact with your blog which will demand a combination of persuasive writing style, compelling content (copy and visual) and social media engagement. You are free to use the blogging platform of your choice.
Comprising a minimum of six blog entries (no max) and a minimum of 2000 words of your own copy (3000 max), your blog must:
• Be written in an engaging writing style that encourages readership
• Include graphics/images/moving footage and hyperlinks to other relevant content
• Integration of social media (twitter etc) in an effort to increase blog readership
• Achieve reader engagement through RSS feed subscriptions, comments, twitter follows
• You should also consider strategies that drive traffic to your blog including integration of social media, seeding of your blog on relevant sites and commenting on other blogs with links back to your own blog
• Be consistent in layout, writing style and posting regularity
Your work must be completely free of spelling and grammatical errors and must ensure the principles of ‘plain english’ are upheld and the tools of persuasive writing are employed. The copy must ensure appropriate format, language, writing style and tone for the given medium and audience.
Task 3 – Written Portfolio 2 – Group - (Due in class Week 14)
This is a group assignment. Working in groups of 3-4, the first part of this assessment will focus on the student’s ability to research, analyse and plan public relations documents. The second part will focus on the student’s ability to create and edit specific public relations documents, including analysis of audiences, channels, objectives, evaluation criteria and the ability to identify potential ethical issues and relevant legislation that would need to be considered when producing said documents.
NB: Students are required to complete 3 tasks. All tasks must successfully be completed to be deemed competent in this unit. More detailed assessment sheets for each assessment task will be disseminated throughout course delivery.
Submission Requirements: All assessment tasks need to be submitted via Blackboard.
You should:
• Ensure that you submit assessments on or before the due date. If your performance in the assessment is affected by unexpected circumstances, you should consider applying for Special Consideration. Information on the process and application forms is available at http://rmit.edu.au/browse;ID=ls0ydfokry9rz website.
• Always retain a copy of your assessment tasks. (hard copy and soft copy)
• When you submit work for assessment at RMIT University you need to use a cover sheet that includes a declaration and statement of authorship. You must complete, sign and submit a cover sheet with all work you submit for assessment, whether individual or group work. On the cover sheet you declare that the work you are presenting for assessment is your own work. An assignment cover sheet for submission of work for assessment is available from the Student forms website.
• Each page of your assessment should include footer with your name, student number, the title of the assessment, unit code and title and page numbers. For example, Julie Macpherson, 324567, Task 2, OHS2345C Ensure safe workplace, Page 1 of 10.
Assessment Matrix
Full details on how this course is assessed against the Unit elements and performance criteria plus critical aspects of evidence can be found in the Learning and Assessment Tool available from your course teacher.
Course Overview: Access Course Overview