Writing Effective Marketing Copy

Don't try to sound smart. Try to be useful. 3 years ago, I deleted my most "impressive" newsletter. 2,000 words. Multiple frameworks. Industry jargon everywhere. 14 drafts. It felt "professional." It felt "high-level." It felt wrong. That week, a CEO guest spoke to me before our podcast: "You know why I listen to your show? Because you make things simple." Then she paused. "But your newsletter... sometimes I need a dictionary." That changed everything. I opened my analytics that night. The pattern was clear: My "smartest" content performed worst. My simplest advice spread fastest. I had been: • Writing to impress peers • Stacking jargon on jargon • Trying to sound "intellectual" • Hiding behind complexity So I started over. New rules: 1. Write like I talk 2. No words I wouldn't use at dinner 3. Every piece needs a clear "do this" Example: Before: "Contemporary market dynamics necessitate strategic pivots in content optimization." After: "Test what works. Double down on what people love." That decision? It built my entire business: • The podcast grew exponentially • The newsletter became my main lead generator • Sponsorship deals rolled in • Speaking opportunities opened up Best feedback I get: "Used your advice. Landed the client." "Finally, someone who makes this simple." "Implemented this today. It worked." The truth about expertise: • Rookies hide behind jargon • Veterans embrace simplicity • Masters focus on impact This philosophy drives everything: • How I write • How I speak • How I teach • How I coach Because here's what I learned: Value beats vocabulary. Always. 3 questions before publishing: 1. Would my mom get this? 2. Can someone use this today? 3. Did I remove all the fluff? Remember: Your audience's success is your scorecard. Not your vocabulary. Today? That decision to choose simplicity over sophistication was worth millions. But more importantly: It actually helped people. // Agree? Simple or complex content - which actually helps you more? Share below. #ContentCreation #Podcasting #Writing #ValueFirst

A typo used to be a firing offense. Now it might be the most trustworthy thing in your marketing. Here's what I mean. Twenty years ago, a professor at Michigan published research showing that spelling mistakes in dating profiles were a turnoff. Last month she told a reporter the opposite: a typo now signals that you actually care, because it means a real person sat down and typed the thing. When flawless copy was expensive, perfection meant someone invested in it. Now that any brand can generate unlimited clean prose in seconds, perfection just means automation. And the data says audiences have noticed. One survey of 8,000 consumers found only 7% trust a brand MORE when its marketing looks AI-generated. 31% trust it less. That's a four to one penalty for looking synthetic. So should you start planting fake typos in your campaigns? No. And I'd push back hard on anyone who tries it. The typo was never the point... It's a proxy for something audiences actually want: proof that a person with a stake in the message made choices and hit send. The moment people figure out you're manufacturing your imperfections, you've effectively just built a more elaborate fake. The real brief for brand writing right now is simpler and harder. Write things no machine would. The best way to do that is to lean into opinions that carry some risk. References that are a little too niche. A sentence that runs long because you got bored of the short ones. Let your founder write the occasional email herself, fingerprints intact. And when a real typo slips through? Fix it in public, have some fun with it, move on. Your audience already knows the difference between careless and human. Read the full piece on State of Brand here: https://lnkd.in/gFRZaYKh

A year ago, I was that guy—writing copy that sounded like a university thesis. Buzzwords, jargon, and enough fluff to fill a pillow factory. My readers? Confused. My conversions? Nonexistent. Then I stumbled upon brands like Moosejaw and BarkBox. Their copy felt like a friend texting me, not a robot pitching me. That’s when I realized: conversational copy isn’t just “casual.” It’s strategic. It builds trust, makes you memorable, and (most importantly) gets results. Here’s how brands like these taught me to write copy that clicks with people: Conversational copywriting is all about writing like you're talking—no jargon, no sales-y pitch. But how do you nail it? Here’s a guide based on brands that get it right. Thread 🧵 1/ Moosejaw Fun and quirky copy that hooks you instantly. Examples: ✔️ “We love NFTs (Nacho Fun Times).” ✔️ “Remember to season your concrete after shoveling snow.” ✔️ “No, our website isn’t powered by hamsters in wheels… yet.” Takeaway: Don't be afraid to let your personality shine—it’s what makes people remember you. 2/ BarkBox What do they sell? Adorable joy for dogs. ✔️ They use relatable humor + 100% satisfaction guarantees. ✔️ They speak their audience's language—dog parents, not just dog owners. Takeaway: Know your audience. Write for them, not at them. 3/ Innocent Drinks Natural products, natural tone. ✔️ They use ultra-specific details like “botanical” to emphasize quality. ✔️ They lean on transparency to eliminate buyer anxiety. Takeaway: Be real, and get specific—your audience will trust you more. 4/ OkCupid DTF? They redefine it. ✔️ Their copy flips expectations. ✔️ They invite users to define their version of dating. Takeaway: Play with cultural norms to create an emotional connection. 5/ Gymit Copy that feels like a casual gym chat. ✔️ They make gyms approachable—not intimidating. ✔️ The honesty in their tone makes them relatable to everyone, not just fitness buffs. Takeaway: Use language that removes barriers for your audience. 6/ Lego Timeless yet relevant. ✔️ Nostalgia meets values. ✔️ One ad paired a retro toy with a modern message about equality. Takeaway: Tie your brand’s history with current values to create powerful storytelling. Conversational copy isn’t magic—it’s empathy. Think: What would your audience actually want to hear? Then say that.

Stop telling on yourself by trying to use big fancy words and complicated explanations. Using big words to sound smart makes you sound less smart. Sales reps think using complex language makes them look professional. They throw around industry jargon and technical terms to prove they know their stuff. But research shows emails written at a third grade reading level get 36% higher response rates than emails with complex language. Your prospects aren't impressed by your vocabulary. They're scanning your email for 3 to 4 seconds trying to decide if it's worth their time. When they see complicated language, their brain registers it as extra work. Complex language creates barriers. It confuses prospects, makes your message harder to digest, and causes frustration. Clear, simple copy helps prospects quickly grasp your message. Clarity is what drives action. I personally aim to write emails at a fifth grade comprehension level. This isn't talking down to anyone. It means using clear language that's easy to understand, even if someone is skimming on their phone between meetings. Make your message so clear that prospects immediately understand the benefits you're offering and feel confident taking the next step. They respond because you made it easy for them to engage. Simple stands out in sales copywriting. 📌 What's one piece of jargon you need to cut from your outreach?

Everyone needs to learn copywriting. (Period.) When I started building my influencer marketing agency from scratch, I had the misconception that “more is more”—but it took me a few years to realize that less is more. Whether you're writing a message, giving a brief, explaining your strategies, or drafting a copy, knowing how to say less but make it more impactful is everything. Let’s face it—nobody has the time to read long paragraphs. This is exactly where the power of copywriting comes in. Here's the thing: copywriting doesn’t need a formula. It needs the power to trigger emotion, spark action, and get results. You need the ability to secure a ‘yes’ from your clients and customers without drowning them in words. That’s where the PASTOR formula comes into play. It’s a method that has helped me elevate my copywriting game—and it’s simple, effective, and powerful: P - Problem: Start by identifying the pain point. What’s the problem your audience/client is facing? A - Amplify: Expand on the pain. Make it real. Show why it matters. S - Story: Share a relatable story or testimonial. Show them how others overcame the problem. T - Transformation: Show the benefits of solving this problem. Paint a picture of their future once the issue is resolved. O - Offer: Present your product or service as the solution to their problem. R - Response: End with a clear, compelling call to action—make it easy for them to take the next step. By using PASTOR, you craft a narrative that speaks to your audience/client's pain, offers a solution, and compels action.  I’ve seen this firsthand—my clients don’t want lengthy messages, they prefer concise, impactful points. This not only makes campaigns more cohesive but also saves valuable time, allowing us to get straight to the heart of what matters. So, next time you're writing a copy or a client pitch, remember: it’s not about how much you say. It’s about how much you say with purpose. #boldopinions #thoughtleadership #contentwriting #marketing

Short copy isn’t easier. It’s just less forgiving. Most people get it wrong. Unlike a landing page, ad, or website headline, with short copy, there’s no time to warm up the reader. Every word has to pull its weight. But most people overcomplicate it. They write vague headlines, use buzzwords, and try to sound clever. The truth is, clever doesn’t convert. Clarity does. 👉 If you want to write short copy that’s compelling, you need to use this simple 7-point filter. (You’ll find it on pages 110–112 of my book The 1‑Page Marketing Plan). 1. Is it about your customer? No one cares about your founding date or the number of awards you’ve won. They care about their problems and solving them. 2. Is it easy to understand? If a 12-year-old can’t explain it back to you, it’s too complicated. 3. Is it believable? Your customers have been burned before. So if you want their attention, skip the hype. Use proof. I guarantee that “94% buy again” beats “world-class service.” 4. Is it interesting or unique? People have short attention spans. Don’t waste it on something that’s boring or predictable. Offer something new, even if it’s small. 5. Is it the good thing without the bad thing? People want results without the pain. Think: “Get fit without giving up pizza.” 6. Is it clear who it’s for? Remove any ambiguity. “Dentists in California” instantly tells the reader: This is for you. At the same time, you can also tell them exactly who it’s not for. 7. Is the next step clear? What do you want them to do next? Click. Call. Download. Whatever it is, spell it out. The more of these you hit, the more magnetic your message becomes. Keep refining until it’s sharp, clear, and customer-focused. 👉 Save this post for your next headline or offer. You’ll be glad you did. What are your top tips for creating magnetic messaging? I'd love to know.

My post about tone of voice was surprisingly well received, so I feel safe to share another opinion.. In business writing, consistency matters more than distinctiveness. Lots of companies tinker with their 'brand voice', when they should fix poor writing in the customer experience. Before I get dragged in the comments: consistency doesn’t mean always having the same tone. It means always writing in line with your values. At Monzo, sometimes we were funny, sometimes we weren't, but we were always warm and friendly even on difficult topics. The standard is improving, but I still can’t see a brand that writes well all the time (even Monzo, though we tried hard and got close). The stronger the voice, the bigger the disconnect. It’s jarring to have a big personality sometimes, and corporatespeak elsewhere. If you have a strong brand voice in 20% of your comms, that’s not your brand voice. The other 80% is. Debt collections, returns policies, customer service responses, Ts&Cs, FAQs. People outside brand marketing look at ads and go: “Yeah it’s nice, but you just want to sell me something.” They feel that way partly because the rest of the writing they see doesn't get the same level of care. A well-written empathetic answer to your problem has a much bigger impact on brand loyalty than a TV ad. Maybe this is why big brand marketing budgets don’t always lead to high customer satisfaction scores. This is a bigger problem if you’re a service company. Brands selling physical products have fewer written touchpoints. But if you're a bank there are thousands of ways customers see your writing, and they are your customer experience. So if you want to be seen as trustworthy, don’t do an ad about the concept of trust. Fix the bits of writing which make you look cold or shifty. It’s much cheaper and more likely to change how customers feel. (Then put the ad out.) Getting everyone aligned behind an approach is tough. Lots of people write or review writing, with different priorities or ideas of what good looks like. It’s why I reframe ‘tone of voice’ as ‘writing principles’. People who work on complex, serious customer comms are more likely to see the value when you explain writing in those terms. It was telling that it was mostly people in brand strategy who had issues with reframing ‘tone of voice’. Writers who spend their time on customer comms, rather than dealing in concepts, were (almost) universally on board, because they understand that it's actual experiences which matter. And you need to win over a lot of people to make those experiences better. Changing writing means changing processes and ingrained habits. How brands write is a reflection of their culture and core values, and a contrast between writing styles shows what a brand really cares about. You're not customer-centric if your legal terms are incomprehensible, no matter how lovely your marketing is. But a company that always writes well all the time? That would be one of a kind.

Your audience is smarter than you think I once read a SaaS landing page that explained what a calendar was. Not the product. A calendar. By the third sentence, I had already lost trust. That’s the trap so many companies fall into. But here’s the truth. Your audience is: - Intelligent - Busy - Already exposed to a hundred pitches They know when you are filling space instead of saying something useful. And the second they feel talked down to, you lose them. The copy that works takes a different approach. It: 1. Respects the reader’s context 2. Speaks to what they actually care about 3. Makes them feel understood instead of lectured If you want your copy to resonate, try this checklist: 1. Lead with insight, not fluff 2. Talk about real challenges, not surface-level symptoms 3. Use specifics because vague always fades away 4. Edit for clarity, not cleverness Prospects do not need to be convinced. They need to feel understood. So write as if you are speaking to someone smart across the table. Because you are.

Writing tips from Lee Kuan Yew Write in clean, clear prose   "I choose my words carefully – not elegant, not stylish, just clean, clear prose. It means simplifying, polishing and tightening." Simplify, simplify, simplify "Do not try to impress by big words – impress by the clarity of your ideas...If I had not been able to reduce complex ideas into simple words and project them vividly for mass understanding, I would not be here today." Avoid jargon and other 'codes' "When you write notes, minutes or memoranda, do not write in code, so that only those privy to your thoughts can understand. Write so simply that any other officer who knows nothing of the subject can still understand you." Read good stuff "There is such a thing as a language environment. Ours is a bad one. Those of you who have come back from a long stay in a good English-speaking environment would have felt the shock when reading The Straits Times on returning." Discuss "Our biggest obstacle to better English is shyness. It is a psychological barrier. Nobody likes to stop and ask, “Please, what does that mean?” or “Please tell me, where have I gone wrong?” To pretend to know when you don’t know is abysmal folly. Then we begin to take in each other’s mistakes and repeat them. We recycle and reinforce these mistakes, compounding our problems." Remember, you're competing with spoken words "I could have put into a five-page note what I am going to tell you. But it will not have the same impact. The spoken word is always stronger, more emotive, and commands attention. The written word requires a practised, educated mind to extract nuances of meaning." From the brilliant book: Lee Kuan Yew: The Man and His Ideas