Kelvin Johnstone
It All Began With A Pop Quiz…
My name is Kelvin Johnstone, Founder and Chief Copywriter at Impact Copywriting Group. My passion for writing began around the age of 7 or 8, when my Mother, an excellent writer in her own right, helped me with my book reports and essays until the wee hours of the night. Her diligence, inspiration, and guidance are solely responsible for my success in writing.
My First Exposure To Copywriting
I believe that my first experience with copywriting came about in the 8th grade when my social studies teacher surprised the class with a pop quiz. We arrived at our desks and found a piece of paper turned face down on our desks. The questions, or what turned out to be questions written on the other side…
We were given 20 minutes to complete the exam and were asked not to speak during the exam. He said begin! We turned the papers over. And to our surprise, there was only one question on the page. That question was “Why?”…That’s right! The entire exam consisted of one question, and one word “Why?”.
A One Word, One Question Exam?
We looked at each other in astonishment and even tried to get some clarification from the teacher. He Refused to answer any of our questions.
We wondered what he was up to and were absolutely baffled as to how the question should be answered. Some of us were stared into space, while others were writing furiously. I wondered what the heck they could possibly be writing.
It then dawned on me that he was not looking for a right or wrong answer. This little exercise was all about creativity with the intent of stimulating thinking.
I couldn’t possibly know exactly what the teacher expected. But I did recognize that I had to do something different. I had to stand out. I had to be unique.
The Answer Came To Me
I stared at the paper and focused on the question, “Why?”, it came to me. The right answer for me was “Why Not?”. I wrote it down with conviction, handed the completed exam to my teacher, and left the room. That’s right. I was the first to complete the exam, and the first to leave the room.
As the teacher began returning the marked exams the next day, I was entirely prepared for a failing grade. Running through my head were thoughts like “What have I done”, “How stupid could I have been”, and “My parents are not going to be happy.”
As the teacher approached me, his face was expressionless. He handed me my paper and then broke into a slight smile. I looked at the paper and at the top was a big “A+”, with the comment, “Very well done!” What a relief and a very proud moment.
There it was…
My Copywriting Career was born, and I didn’t even know it. I wrote something which was unique, attention-grabbing, and appealed to my customer…In this case, being my teacher. The exact things that any good copywriter does.
Fast Forward A Few Years…
I entered University and obtained my Bachelor of Commerce degree with a double major in Marketing and Finance. While fellow students preferred multiple-choice exams, my preference was written essay questions. I just found it easier to write out an answer rather than checking boxes.
I went on to hold a number of Senior marketing positions in the banking and financial services industries and found that my greatest interest and greatest skill was in creating marketing material, setting up marketing campaigns, and understanding how to best appeal to the client.
What It Takes To Be An Effective Copywriter
I am a strong believer that an effective copywriter must be inquisitive with an attitude of continuous learning. Being well rounded and having a broad knowledge a variety of topics is vital in order to understand and effectively speak to the desired market.
As a copywriter, I have had to learn, understand and write about protein powders, back massagers, probiotics, and the printing industry all within a very short period of time. Without my aptitude to research, learn, and write, I could not have pulled it of.
I am an inquisitive person who has been extensively involved in sports my entire life. I self-taught myself to set up 40 revenue-generating websites, learned how to successfully trade commodity futures and options contracts, mastered a technical knowledge of high tech oilfield instruments, and most recently, honed my writing skills and knowledge to become a successful copywriter.
What This Means To My Clients
As a client, you will get my undivided attention, and know that I have a proven track record of taking on new challenges and delivering results. I succeed when you succeed. And you succeed when sales and profitability rise.
So… Complete the contact form and let me know what you require.
Let’s succeed together!