10 Simple Rules for a Systematic Approach to Writing Great Copy

Ever dove straight into writing, only to find yourself stuck mid-way through?

We all have.

Diving straight into copywriting without a system is like throwing a bunch of batteries together and hoping it turns into a Tesla.

Great copy doesn't appear by chance. It's researched, planned, and carefully crafted through a series of steps.

Having a fail-proof "system" or set of guidelines is what separates beginner copywriters and those that deliver exceptional copywriting, time after time.

This is why it's crucial to create your personal process and use it as a foundation to build your message.

Here are 10 simple copywriting rules (with real-world examples) that will help you build your personal writing system and deliver excellent copy consistently.

1. Identify your call to action.

What do you want your reader to do?

It's a simple question. Yet many beginner copywriters start without establishing the copy's main objective first. It results in vague and confusing language down the road.

Identifying your call to action before writing will help you:

• Clarify your message

• Make your writing more direct

• Help you place the messaging blocks to take your reader from A to Z

Each part of your message should "drive" the reader closer to the ultimate goal; to buy something, to sign up for a free trial, to see a demo, etc.

Only when you've made the goal clear to yourself, can you then make it clear to your reader.

💡Writing Tip: Write your call to action at the top of your document so you never lose sight of your copy's main objective.

2. Know your target audience.

Who are you writing to?

This is one of the most simple, yet often broken rules of copywriting.

If you write to everyone, your message will connect with no one.

Are you writing to a small business owner? C-suite executives? Single mothers? They all have very different challenges, needs, and wants.

Identifying your target audience will help inform your:

• Tone

• Word choice

• Audience's pain points, your solutions, and positioning

Once you've established your target audience (or persona), your writing will become more personalized, direct, and effective.

💡Writing Tip: Research your audience. Know their pain points, the solutions they want, and the words they use to describe them. Then keep it at the top of your document (with your call to action) so you never lose sight of it.

3. Speak to your customers' needs and wants first.

Does your copy speak to your customers’ desires?

One of the biggest mistakes beginner copywriters and companies make is that they write about themselves.

How great their company or brand is. How innovative their product is.

No one cares.

Your audience only cares about how your product or service will make their lives better.

Your copy should always appeal to their self-interest; their needs and desires. Nothing else matters.

💡Tip: Keep the focus on your customer and their interests. Don't start headlines with pronouns like "we" or possessives like "our." Replace them with "you" and "your."

4. Write like you talk. Or better yet, like your customer talks.

Does your writing sound like formal, robotic jargon?

Great copy reads like a conversation. Natural, simple, and easy to understand. This makes your message feel more authentic and it's more likely to create a human connection with the reader.

People don't want to read technical jargon. At least, not at first (specifications are important for proof later on, after you've earned their interest).

💡Tip: Read your copy out loud. Does it sound robotic or like a doctorate thesis on climate change? If it's not something everyday people would say out loud, chances are it's too formal and forgettable. Remove the fluff and filler words.

5. Capture attention in the first line. Then carry it to the next line.

Does your copy engage and guide the reader from one line to the next?

Your reader will never make it to the call to action if you lose them in the first line. Your first line (often the header) is the first thing your customer will read—which is why it's crucial to capture their interest in those first few words.

And once you have their attention, your goal is to keep their interest (and them reading) to the next line, and the next. You’re creating a story where they are the hero.

💡Writing Tip: Capture attention in the first line and carry it to the next. Be ruthless in your self-editing. Make sure each line builds on the previous one and drives the reader to the primary goal.

6. Make your message clear and concise.

Is your message to the point and easy to understand?

Every time we see a marketing message, our brains quickly scan for answers or cues to see if something it's something worth our while.

It goes back to our caveman DNA programming—we're constantly scanning our environment to determine if something will increase our chances of survival. Or in modern times, what makes our lives better.

People avoid long, confusing messages like the plague. It's literally programmed into our brains. You have a precious few seconds to grab someone's attention before they hit the escape pod and say goodbye forever.

Keep your sentences short and your words simple. At a fifth-grade reading level simple. Not only will this make your message clear and concise, it also shows an appreciation for your reader's time.

💡Writing Tips:

• Apply the 3-second rule. Can someone understand your value prop in three seconds or less?

• Substitute shorter, simpler words for longer ones whenever possible. Utilize-➝ use.

• Use the Hemingway Editor.

7. Make it clear how it works, so they can visualize themselves doing it.

Is it clear how your offer works and what the next steps are?

You can have the best offer in the world, but if people don't know how to get it or what to expect, then they won't take the first step.

This is why it's crucial to include the details on what your offer is, how it works, and what they can expect after they click your call to action.

💡Writing Tip: Make your offer clear, and better yet, make it so they can easily visualize themselves taking advantage of it.

8. Include proof that shows your product really works.

Does your copy include proof to support your claims?

You can say you have the best solution for your reader, but if you don't support that claim with proof, then your words are just hot air.

If you say your product will make someone's life better, then show how.

This is why it's crucial to add "show" to the "tell" in copywriting. Many writers are great at the second part but fall short of adding proof to support the claim.

Today's best brands do this with customer testimonials, logos, and data points. If you can provide even one of these, your value proposition becomes infinitely more believable.

💡Writing Tip: Add "show" to the "tell" to support your value prop. Include testimonials, customer logos, or data points that proves your product really works.

9. Speak to your customer's emotions.

The most powerful trigger in any message is your appeal to emotions. Humans act on emotion.

This is crucial for tapping into the innermost motivations of your reader. What do they really want to feel?

Expert copywriters connect the solution to an emotional motivation, end result, or feeling:

• You aren't buying makeup. You're buying beauty.

• You aren't buying running shoes. You're buying a healthy lifestyle.

• You aren't buying a Kindle. You're buying knowledge and entertainment.

💡Writing Tip: Put yourself in your customer's shoes. What do they want to feel or overcome? Appeal to their emotional triggers.

10. Ruthlessly edit, simplify, and shorten your copy.

Can you make your message shorter? Then you probably should.

The only way to capture their interest in that incredibly short window is to become your own ruthless-self editor. 

A great way to self-edit is the chainsaw/surgical knife method as described by Ann Handley in her book, Everybody Writes.

It’ll always be messy. And that's okay. To hell with grammar or punctuation. You can fix that later. Getting your message and ideas on paper is what matters.

After you have your first draft, it's time to edit by chainsaw. This is where you chop through your writing, removing entire sentences or words that don't matter or don't resonate.

When you have a more refined draft, it's time for the surgical knife. This is where you edit for a second round, with a sharper focus on refining the smaller details; like word choice, punctuation, etc.

💡Writing Tip: Always shorten your copy where possible. Don't get married to your words. If they don't support your message (or make it too long) then remove them until your message is as simple and concise as possible.

Final Takeaway

These 10 simple rules for copywriting will make your writing more direct, personal, and effective.

Internalize them, allowing their wisdom to seep into every fiber of your being. Treat them as the sacred 10 Commandments, bestowed upon you by the venerable Moses, a divine gift to guide your writing journey.

By embracing these principles, you will witness a remarkable transformation in your writing prowess, laying a sturdy foundation for constructing your very own system for crafting compelling copy with unwavering consistency