Being “Inside The Box” means you’ve been exposed to something over and over…and now you can’t see it fresh!
This is super common with copywriters. You’ll be able to critique other people’s websites, but not be able to critique your own.
What sucks is the more you look at something, the worse this problem gets!
This is actually a major problem. Take me for example, it’s so difficult for me to tweak this sales page because I’ve seen in 1,000+ times.
But if someone comes to me with a question about THEIR sales page, it’s super easy to spot errors looking at it with fresh eyes!
So here’s a couple of ways I get around “Being In The Box”
Ask “What Would ____ Do?”
What would Warren Buffet do?
What would Noah Kagan do?
What would Elon Musk do?
By viewing the problem as a different person, you will yield different results.
If each one of these people wanted to start a new business:
Warren Buffet: Would probably do something in the financial industry.
Noah Kagan: Would probably do a combo of marketing and software.
Elon Musk: Would probably think of some game-changing technology.
Because you understand roughly how each of these people operate, you can extrapolate what they would do.
So to get out of the box you can ask “What would ____ do?!”
Ask Your Friend Group:
You can either in-person ask friends for opinions, or online friends for opinions.
My buddy Sam Parr is a master of this. He constantly asks his Facebook friends and Facebook Groups he’s part of questions:
This results in him getting many different opinions on topics. You can do this too with your friend group.
Hire other people:
Hiring other people is the fastest way to get an outside perspective.
People hire me all the time as a consultant to look over their copy and their marketing efforts. Usually within moments I’m able to spot improvements because I’m “Outside the box” for their project!
I’ve hired other copywriters from my friend group, Fiverr, Upwork and more for short consults to take a look at stuff I’m too “in the box” to fix.
Be Aware Of It:
Just KNOWING you’re “in the box” can have a big effect.
If you’re aware that you’re inside the box, many of the same techinques that help get rid of Writers Block can help you.
Things such as taking a shower can help alter your mind enough where it’ll take you outside the box!
GET OUT OF THIS BOX:
If you need help “getting out of the box” on your own website, why not join Kopywriting Kourse? Post your home pages, emails, content etc…and have 3 professional copywriters look at it and help you modify and write it.
You also get immediate access to all of our copywriting training videos and materials.
Sincerely,
Neville Medhora In The Box
I always stop along the line and come back the next day to continue (mostly for email and blog posts).
So, I read from the beginning (I spot errors all the time) and make amends before resuming from where I stopped.
Even if it takes me 5 days to finish, I do this everyday.
The “What would you do” idea sounds great as well .
Great method Khris, giving the copy a rest definitely helps get out of the box!
One of the tricks I’ve tried recently is reversing certain parts of the copy. Turn the positive statement negative, focus on the con instead of the pro. It doesn’t always immediately lead to a great idea but changing the perspective sometimes surfaces a new idea or direction to consider.
Good one Chris!
I use something similar where I’ll reverse the subjects like:
“How can I make more money?”
— turns into —
“How can I make others more money?”
It’s usually not some Earth-shattering revelation, but it definitely helps approach the problem from a different angle.
Solid gold over here. From now on I’ll be asking, “What would X industry leader do?”.
I’ve already came up with a few solid ideas, actually more than I can handle at the time, and that’s a good problem! :-)
Yeah it’s a great framework when thinking about a problem, glad you liked it!
Hi Neville,
Thanks for sharing your talent and abilities to help others, and for the opportunity to comment. Asking a friend or professional expert are great ways to glean knowledge. Here is my special ‘trick’ to “get out of the box.” Whenever I don’t know what to do (it seems some tricky situation/relationship seems to weary me daily), I ask Jesus what to do. I tell Him, ”LORD, I can’t do ____ without You; please show me what to do/how to respond.” In the Bible (God’s love letter to all mankind), He tells us – “The fear (reverence) of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge/wisdom” (Proverbs 1:7 & 9:10). For far too long I depended on my own strength, goodness, wisdom, ability to love and forgive. In the end (feeling desperate and suicidal), I cried out to the LORD, Jesus (Jeremiah 29: 11-14) and He brought me back from my “captivity” (in my case – depending on my own limited abilities).
Jesus is a historical person (our calendar BC and AD is an account of time before He walked the earth as both man and God (BC), and after he was born (AD), who lived in real time, was like us in every way, except, – as God is holy – He was without sin. Jesus said “I Am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Ask Him today to forgive your sins, to come into your life, make you new, and help you live for/with Him each new day – For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world (fame, money, prestige, etc…), and lose his own soul? I pray you receive my words with the concern and sincerity (for you and your followers) in which they are sent.
P.S. I couldn’t resist 😇 when I read your given question – Ask “What Would ____ Do?” (WWJD - “What would Jesus do?” - phrase from the 1990s)
I stand in awe, Ann : – )
Oh wow, thanks for sharing your version of “getting out of the box” Ann!
You’re welcome Neville, I think you are awesome. Thanks again for all your help. ☺️
No problemo Ann :)
I ask, “What would Neville do?” :-)
That’s not a bad one when it comes to copywriting :)
Fairly new to blogging myself. I write then leave it for a couple days then come back to it, followed by then having a friend read it :)
That’s a great little system of getting feedback Denisse!
Letting a piece of writing sit for a while so I can ‘forget’ what I wrote lets me to come back to it with fresh eyes. Not always practical, but 48 hours usually does the trick.
I agree…..just “forgetting about it” lets you read with those fresh eyes!
Good day Neville,
Great topic, reviewing your writing technique will give you fresh insight I also abandon the draft for a while and revisit after several days, this usually provides a new perspective.
My reards,
Ugo
Agreed :)
Thank you Ugo!
I think getting into a wide range of subjects, even those not really of the interest, can always open our minds and help on the escape of the box
Cheers!!
Oh yeah, that’s a great suggestion Anderson! By doing something in another field, you usually draw interesting paralells.
I go for a run and that usually gets me out of the box.
That could definitely help Gary!
YES! This! It’s amazing how often it helps (and even when it doesn’t, you’ve done something good anyway!)